ALS as an Ohio congressman, signed “Wm. McKinley, Jr.,” four pages, 7.5 x 9.5, House of Representatives letterhead, February 5, 1882. Lengthy letter to Allen Carnes, in part: "Your letter of the first touched me on Friday last, and afforded me great pleasure as well as profit. You may be right as you…that the alleged promise ought to be stamped only at once. Such of my friends who have taken the trouble to write me about it. I have replied denying any promise not to be a candidate etc, I don't want into…unless it is necessary. Laubie has not asserted the promise in the newspapers over his own signature nor has he appeared in any interview declaring that such a promise was made. It does seem to me that until he puts himself on record alleging the promise, I am not called upon to rust out after the unfounded stories of his friends, and that a declaration of my friends that no such promise was made, is as strong and credible as the declaration of his friends that one was made. If the districts were fixed I could feel differently. Now to the practical question, how is the best form to put the promise business at rest. Should I write a card or be interviewed. The story of the interview with Laubie could require some space to fully tell it. It occurs to me that the whole should be told to its proper understanding, I believe I have told you the story of the interview, long before the Laubie people charged a promise. How would this do?…First that Mr. Aultman did not go to Salem to enter a protest against Laubies candidacy. Second, that he never heard of Laubie's proposed candidacy until he reached Salem, and Laubie was the first and only man to tell him. Third, that he did not seek an interview with Laubie for the purpose of ascertaining the exact situation (about his candidacy) for he knew nothing about it until he met him. That he & Laubie met on the street by accident not by arrangement, and the possible candidacy of Laubie which he then announced to him was entirely new & surprising. 4th. That he never assured Laubie or anybody else that the campaign of 1880, would be McKinley's last effort. Nor did he insist or request that Laubie should authorize him to announce publicly that he would not be a candidate. He never made any promise with Laubie…on this subject. He declined to make any promise of stipulation for McKinley and not only declined as McKinley's friend to do so…Let the editor of the Rep. keep his hatchet sharp…for the next fray. Make the Aultman statement terse, pointed and full of genuine ring." In fine condition, with multiple intersecting folds.
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