23rd came while I was still absent
on the Chesapeake Bay. I regret that I did not see you, for a free
conversation would be far more satisfactory than letter writing.

"I wish to be perfectly frank with you, as since I first became
acquainted with you I have felt for you warm friendship, and have
always had entire confidence in you. I confess, however, that the
information I received in regard to your operations at Chicago had
greatly weakened this feeling and left a painful impression upon
my mind that you had not done by me as I would have done by you
under like circumstances. Your letter chased away much of this
impression, and, perhaps, the better way would be for me to write
no more, but to treat your letter as entirely satisfactory and
conclusive. Still I think it right for me to give you the general
basis of the impressions I had formed.

"My first impulse was to send you at once a mass of letters from
delegates and others attending the convention, but this would only
create a controversy, and, perhaps, betray confidence, which I
could not do. The general purport of these letters is that, while
you spoke freely and kindly of me, yet there was always a kind of
reserve in favor of Blaine and a hesitation in pressing me that
indicated a divided opinion, that partly by the divisions in the
Ohio delegation and partly by the halfway support of yourself, and,
perhaps others, the Ohio delegation lost its moral strength and,
practically, defeated me before any ballot was had.

"This general impression I could have passed by, but it was distinctly
stated to me, by delegates and friends of delegates present at the
convention, that they proffered the votes of large portions of
their respective delegations to you with the understanding that
they were to be cast for me whenever you indicated the proper
moment. This was specifically said as to Indiana, Massachusetts,
Connecticut and the Blaine portion of the Pennsylvania delegation.
It was said that you prevented Massachusetts from voting for me
from about the tenth to the fifteenth ballot on Monday, that nine
of the Connecticut delegates held themselves ready to vote for me
on your call, but that you put it off, and Harrison is quoted as
saying that twenty-six votes from Indiana were ready to be cast
for me on Monday, at any time after a few ballots, but they were
withheld on account of representations from the Ohio delegation.
Mr. Billings, of Vermont, is quoted as