The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-10-15
Letter from n. r. wil,i. ahou, the

Prcsidcncy.
The following, says the N. Y. Evening
Post, is an extract from a private letter
written by N. p. Willis, ESQ. The gentle
man who hands II to us asked permission to
publish it, as furnishing additional evidence
which was the intellect Of the country 10
leaning, and as showing also how the pres
ent contest appears, TO the habitually neu-
trail in politics, but who are awakened by the
peril of the times to give voice to the
question Of the Presidency.
: We all tnrned out the other
evening to hear Curtis's stump speech Tor
Fremont at Ncwburg. A five mile drive in
the night air vas quite venture for me, and
did il more for interest in the cause than
with any expectations Of eloquencc from
sHowadji.' | thought he was quite too
hands0shs and woll dressed boy for popu-
lar oratory. And continued TO think 40,
for I've minutes or 80 after he began, and
then, to tell the truth, l forgot all about 1t
lie engrossed me SO completely with his sub
ject lost sight Of al WAS TO criticise. -
When he got through, l drew q long breath,
and for first time remembered that ] must
60 back 70 personal considerations, and tell
my previous Curtis how much ! admired the
present. stump speaker. 1t was really very
fine, selfpossessd, logical and rational enough
80 inspire absolute confidence, and yet, now
and then bursting into the full tide OF elo-
quence unrestrained. 1t comes natural to
the boy! He was born to be an orator.
81 find myseH, for the first time in my
life Interested for q political candidate, Or, |
should rather say, perhaps. in a candidate
without politics. Ihave hitherto to account
somewhat for my apparent want OF patriot
sm) thought the country under . Roadway
which made almost any steering safe enough.
1t seemed to me of very little consequence
Ito anybody but ofkce seekers) whether
wing or a democrat was ut the helm--public
opinion, besides, being altogether too wide
aw AXE, in so educated = country, Tor either
q blunder or sin OF pilotage to be more
than approached. So complete was this
confidence in Americas adolescent vigor and
correctiveness OF the constitution that
(would you believe it?) ! never voted in
my life.
ssBut, with the events OF the last year or
two, and with all the intellect OF the coun-
try at work upon the great question at issue,
it would be hard to remain longer blind or
inseasible.a And yet, 80 dcdgey are political
theories, 20 insecure are party platforms,
(and, above all, so often may the changing
tide Of events require present dectnps with
little or no reference to party theory, or
party splatform,' that it seems, to me, We
should look most if not only to the quality
Of the man--what our candidate rs, by nature
and culture, rather than to what his party
professes, or his platform promises.
"You see, in this last remark, the ground
upon which shall give my virgin Tote for
Fremont. He is one of those rare men, sure
! to do we'll in ALI emergencies only with
a brain lofty enough at the mainmast, and a
heart sound and true enough in the hold,
but with that deep keel OF common sense
which has regulated the perilous navigation
i,y all the great pilots of the world, (the most
| signal quality of Washington, amoag 9TH
ers, and which alone car. ensure true sailing
and no capsi-ing, in these stormy times.
Fremont is both lofty minded and wise
both incorruptible and sagacous both fear.
lessly independent and modestly deferen
tal. In fact, it seems to me he Was borr
for the crisis on which the country is nov
balancing, and that he has had by the over
ruling providence of Cod precisely the
training and discipline to bit HIM for his
work. That he will be our next Presiden
have no doubt; but mean to do all in m
power hereabouts, to add my grain of san
to what trust will be mountain of ma
iorty.o