Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/228

192 and which has trusted me; I cannot with honorable fidelity to John Sherman, who has trusted me in his cause and with his confidence; I cannot consistently with my own views of personal integrity, consent, or seem to consent, to permit my name to be used as a candidate before this convention. I would not respect myself if I could find it in my heart to do so, to say or to permit that to be done which could even be ground for any one to suspect that I wavered in my loyalty to the chief of her choice and the chief of mine. I do request—I demand—that no delegate who would not cast reflection upon me shall cast a ballot for me."

After this there was nothing to do but to drop McKinley's name from the list of candidates, but his loyalty to his friend made him stronger than ever.

At the convention which re-nominated Harrison (the second President to bear that name) in 1892, the scene was truly a dramatic one. McKinley at the head of the Ohio delegation went in pledged for Harrison. When the votes began to be called, the Ohio delegates cast their vote for McKinley. At once McKinley challenged the vote. He