The anti-Blaine men,--under the leadership of Messrs.

Roosevelt, Lodge, Hoar, Hanna, Geo.

William Curtis and others,--decided to select another Southern man to run against Clayton.

For that purpose a conference was held;--composed of many of the active supporters of Arthur, Sherman, and Edmunds,--to select the man to put up against Clayton.
I did not attend the conference.

Senator Hoar suggested my name and insisted that I was the man best fitted for the position.