e when
men are so ashamed of it that they are afraid to avow it.

"Very truly yours,
"John Sherman.
"Hon. Geo. H. Foster, Cleveland, Ohio."

Another allegation made was that I was using the patronage of my
office to aid in my nomination. In regard to this I wrote as
follows to a friend:

"I think the impression has been made upon the public mind that
the patronage of this department has been used in my favor. This
ought to be met. Of the two men who parcel out the patronage of
this department, one, General Raum, commissioner of internal revenue,
is a known personal friend of General Grant, appointed by him, and
the great majority of the officers under that bureau are believed
to be for General Grant. I have not sought to control any of them.
McCormick, my first assistant secretary, was a known Blaine man.
The second, Hawley, was a known personal friend of General Grant,
and recently resigned to run for nomination as Governor of Illinois.
McPherson, a known Blaine man, was chief of the bureau of engraving
and printing, which employs some seven hundred people. The officers
named have practically made all the appointments in the treasury
other than the presidential ones. Probably no one who ever held
my position has ever been so utterly indifferent to the distribution
of patronage, except that I always insisted that good Republicans
should be appointed to every position, small or great. I never
inquired who they were for for President. In official letters, a
copy of one of which I could furnish you if desired, I gave distinct
instructions that I would not permit anyone to remain in the service
who was making himself obnoxious to citizens generally, by pressing
my claims or advocating my nomination for President by the next
national convention, or by opposing me."

I also soon learned that nearly every applicant whose appointment
I could not give or secure harbored this as a reason why I should
not be nominated for President, and in three or four cases where
the applicants were men of influence they opposed the selection of
delegates friendly to me. I do not mention any names, for most of
these gentlemen, years afterwards, became my warm friends.

I early announced that unless the State of Ohio would give me a
substantial indorsement, my name would not be presented to the
convention. James S. Robinson was the chairman of the state
committee and A. L. Conger was a prominent member. They disagreed
as t