John Sherman: “I can have no motive of selfishness or ambition to turn me from a faithful performance of every duty attached to the…”

The events of the future are beyond the vision of mankind, but I hope our people will be content with internal growth, and avoid the complications of foreign acquisitions.

What I have written is no doubt clouded with partisanship, but I would not be honest if I did not express my attachment to my party.

Our family of states is already large enough to create embarrassment in the Senate, and a republic should not hold dependent provinces or possessions.

It was settled by this war that we have a country limited in its powers by the constitution of the United States fairly construed.