ARTHUR, CLEVELAND, AND BLAINE- 1881-1884 209 



his utterances on his experiences as a statesman, it would, 

 in my mind, do much to save the State of New York for 

 the Republicans. 



After writing this letter, feeling that it might seem to 

 Mr. Phelps and to Mr. Elaine himself very presuming for 

 a man who had steadily opposed them at Chicago thus to 

 volunteer advice, I laid it aside. But it happened that I 

 had been chosen one of the committee of delegates to go 

 to Maine to apprise Mr. Elaine formally of his nomina- 

 tion, and it also happened that my old student and friend, 

 Judge Foraker, was another member of the committee. It 

 was impossible for me to go to Maine, since the commence- 

 ment of the university, at which I was bound to preside, 

 came on the day appointed for Mr. Elaine's reception of 

 the committee at Bangor; but Judge Foraker having 

 stopped over at the university to attend a meeting of the 

 trustees as an alumni member of that body, I mentioned 

 this letter to him. He asked to see it, and, having read it, 

 asked to be allowed to take it with him. I consented, and 

 heard nothing more from him on the subject ; but the fol- 

 lowing week, at the Yale commencement, while sitting with 

 Mr. Evarts and Judge Shipman to award prizes in the 

 law department, I saw, looking toward me over the 

 heads of the audience in the old Centre Church, my 

 friend Frederick William Holls of New York, and it 

 was evident from his steady gaze that he had something 

 to say. The award of prizes having been made and the 

 audience dismissed, Mr. Holls met me and said: "Mr. 

 Elaine will adopt your suggestion in his letter of accep- 

 tance. " Both of us were overjoyed. It looked like a 

 point scored not only for the Republican party, but for the 

 cause which we both had so deeply at heart. 



But as the campaign went on it was more and more 

 evident that this concession, which I believe he would have 

 adhered to had he been elected, was to be in vain. 



It was perhaps, on therwhole, and on both sides, the vilest 

 political campaign ever waged. Accusations were made 

 against both candidates which should have forever brought 



I.-14 



