State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-06
GENERAL HARRISON'S REPLY.
Newark, 2Gth July, 1886.

GENTLEMEN:
have TO acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of this date, inviting me TO n
public dinner on Thursday next, or oil
such other day as may suit my conyen-
fence.
Under any other circumstances than
those in which ] am Mt this time placed, it
would give Inc great pleasure to meet the
citizens of Newark and its vicinity in the
way you propose, hut being az am, oblig-
ed TO leave this place Immediately, and
having declined several invitations of my
fellow citizens of similar character, at
other places, am compelled to decline that
with which you also have honored me.
sincerely thank you, gentlemen, for the
estimation which you have been pleased
to put upon my public services. 1t is not
for me to determine whether the view you
have taken of them, as far as it relates TO
their importance, is correct or not, but
may be permitted to say that in all the re-
lations in which have stood to the govern
ment or 10 the people of the country, the
utmost exertion of my physical strength,
and the whole powers of my limited caPa-
city, were put in requi5ition to bring to a
fortunate issue the various and important
duties which have been committed to me.
That some of my fellow citizens should not
estimate these services in the manner that
you do, gentlemen, is quite natural. But
it could not have been expected that my
political opponents could have attempted
to falsify the records and the established
history of the country for the purpose Of
imposing upon the public the belief that l
had been n recreaht from the duties iinpos-
ed upon me as the trusted soldier of my
country, and false to the principles of re-
publicanism which had been ilstilled into
my mind from my earliest youth.
Such, however, is the demoniacal char
acter of that spirit of party which has in
truded itself of late, into all the political
contests of our country, as to leave 10 prin-
ciple safe which opposes its progress; and
which considers all means Unsuitable that
will in the smallest degree contribute to its
victories. If its sudacity has already
reached the lengths which you have asser-
ted, gentlemen, of putting ut nought the
most authentic records, and the testimony
OF hundreds or of thousands of living wit
nesses, for the purpose of prostrating an
individual, what may not he expected from
its further progress? What but that general
prescription which has been the immediate
precursor of the downfall of all free gov
ernments? Who is there that is acquainted
with history, that does not know that the
persecution of individuals who are sup
posed to stand in the way of the accom-
plishment of some favorite object by a
dominant party, was always the first in
the train of those measures which resulted
in the darkest and most Disgusting scenes
which are described in the annals of the
nncientrepublics
DO err, gentlemen, in giving the char
acter of persecution 10 the course of vitu-
peration, and abuse which is at present
carried on against me? What is persecu-
ton, if wide spread denunciations ola man
for criminal conduct, of which he is limo
cent, is not? IL this definition is correct,
apply II 10 the manner in which | have
been treated for the last three months. A
''recreant from the banner Of my country. "A
fugitive from The command entrusted 10 me,
teduing that command to be exercised by sub
ordinate oGeerS" These are charges not
only calculated TO render me infamous in
the eyes of the world, but they are such, if
true, as would have created forfeiture of
my life. No court martial before whom
they were proved, would hive hesitated TO
order me to be shot. And those who now
believe them, must look upon me in no 9th
er light than as traitor, who has been suf.
fered 10 linger out his existence by the
false clemency of the Chief Magistrate of
the country. And ;alae indeed would have
been that clemency, which would have
failed to call TO the severest account the
perpetrator of crimes, not only to hi,aselG,
but to The government which trusted, and
TO the country which rurtured him. Tho
Magistrate upon whom the eensure for
this glaring defect of duty would fall, is
James Madison, that sage and patriot, for
whose recent loss, the banner which, it is
asserted, he suffered 10 be disgraced, is at
this moment, III every part of The world