It would have been a very great honor to have received such
a vote from Massachusetts. I was told also by gentlemen from
other States, who spoke to me about it, that I should have
had a considerable vote from other parts of the country. I
had quite a number of very intimate friends in the convention
from States outside of Massachusetts. I thought then, and
think now, though that is a matter of conjecture, that I should
have got about seventy votes. But I thought my nomination
out of the question. I thought also that it would be utterly
inexpedient, if it could be accomplished. And I thought also
that the office of a Senator from Massachusetts would be
more agreeable to me, and better adapted to my capacity than
that of the President of the United States. Still the temptation
to get the high compliment and honor of such a vote was very
strong indeed. But there were thirteen of our delegation
of twenty-eight, who were willing to vote with me for Mr.
Sherman. If I had consented to the subtraction of their votes
from his column on the first ballot, it would have made a
serious diminution of his strength.
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