New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
ALETTER FROM +. w. BIRD.
n III
- rS;scS ~ The N, y. Tribune.

ont "Ohver, mas entertained your Iooooi' "'-
nmn after column Of abmadversion upon me. why
these attacks should be made in The NEWBORN
TRIBUNE upon private and obscure citizen oil Massa-
chusetts, The public hardly understand. No man
knows better than "Over that since OCTOBER, 1871,
no man in Massachusetts, has been more strictly
n,;vate citizen than ] have been. have oc-
cupied no public position; have been candidate
for DO Office; have taken no part 10 politics, ex'
cent az delegate to various Republican Conventions
local State and natioDal but only as pm rate czen
rerer solict an election, and never declining ser
vice which every losrest man owes to the Cause
do not however plead this fact as ground OF eSenp
tion from anv criticism however severe, upon any o
my scts or declared opinions but have night to
deferd myself against msstatenens oil those acls of
opinions especially when these msstatemcnts are 50
made as TO represent utterly lacking IN personal
and political integrity.
The role aim of divers" letters has been TO rep
resent me as the leader Of the opposition to the nh-
nation Of Mr.. Banks ii fact, that but Tor me ,ncre
would be no Opposition that " the bulk OF MI Bra
"folOwers are honest, well meaning persons; lew
"of Mr.. Birds most active supporters are Disappointed
"oce seekers; three four OF them would Ike 10 DC
themselves nominated for Governor, &C., ana theh
comes the clencher. Mr.. Bud himself Is Disuion,
"ist he was President Of the DsuDionist Convention
(Which met at Worcester last Winter, and the man
"feature of his speech that occasion was Nioeh,
abuse Of Gen. Wilson for adhering to the Inon ana
"the Constitution. AS Mr.. Banks is equally de'er'
mined in h4 Adhesion to the Union, it was to De eA-
"pected that Mr.. Bird would assail him whenever he
% had an opportunity. 1t is Mr.. Birds hope ina,
"if Banks, Wilson, Burlingame and sumner; anu
the other conspicuous members OF tue kepuo,,'cai
raI;v can be put down or crushed OUT, ana tue
"inansgement of its affairs put in bis hands, as wa.
{" that of the Free.Soil party few years ago, II
might be converted into Disunion organization
auxiliary 10 that which is led by Mr.. Garrison
and having raised the mad-dog cry Of Disunioni-t
he thinks not only to hound me down but to ALLEVIATE
oil my personal and political friends by 6lackoaius
them the dupes of schemipg fanatcal Disuhons.'
shall not follow Oliver in any defense or discus-
sion of 'the moiires Of the Republicans who follow
1.-THE lead Of Mr. Bird in attacking Banks, Wilson and
"Buringsme." With motives neither he nor IHE iki-
DuNr nor the public, have anything to 90. uesr,e
only to replyas briefly possible to the ml'sateuents
which have filed " divers several letters:
"Ohver" calls me Disunonist, and charges me
with having made a speech at Worcester, me main
feature Of which was violent abuse OF Gen. WILSON,
If he ever read my speech at Worcester he knows
this whole charge false he has not read IL ne pas
no right to misrepresentit. The report IN iHE ihl-
BuNE which was the only fair one saw OF Inc dongs
Of that Convention, and the official report vi us pro-
ceedngs, disprove "Oivero" whole statement.
/ have no explanations, no apologies, no regrets, 10
offer for having attended that Convention nor Tor any
thing l said or did there. No Convention was ever
more sudiously beied by the Pro- Slavery Press than
that, and Oliver POUNDS his charge against me on
Their misrt presentations. The Convention was calico
by Fremont Republicans so far as knc., not SIN
purpose of the meeting declared to be to discuss
q the practicability probability and expediency OF
dissolution of the Union. This point was daily DIS
cussed by doctors Of divinity and professors In law
more ably and anesiy than by of the correspond
ents of The TRIBUNE. Surely, after Mr. Speaker
Bankss famous declaration humble Republican IKE
myself might attend such meeting without forieitlng
HE position in the party went to the Convention
as had right 10 do, Republican, to join In the
discussion of this question; but far from declaring
myself "Dsunionist," argued distinctly, ana a.
ably could sganst the practica6iity and possioi
ity Of dissolution and there fore against any organiZa-
tiOn for that purpose, dc Glazing myself Republican,
and nothing else standing on the Philadelphia Plat
form. send you herewith copy of my speech there;
and though do not ask gou to RI ad it, pledge my
self to double the fees of the acues special Peader in
New.Yoik " HON you can employ if he can detect IN
the speech expression which can be tortured into
justification of the charge Of disunion.
SO, also, with the charge Of violent abuse Of Gen.
Wilson. There is hot word, syllable, to justify H.
criticised, had right to do some OF Gen Wilson
declaration. in Congress-such as, We viudcate the
rights of the Sta.es-the right Of the Southern States
to Lold men IN Sidr0y" entered my protest a. a
Republican against that construction Of the Philade:
Of abuse Of Gen. Wilson, but cut off the possibl-
ity of any such construction II my language by ex-
press my entire con, Teton of his perfect sincerity
q ard integrity a. an Anti-Savery man.. No man
knows This better than Oliver; and may add with
out vanity that no man knows better than he, that
the personal tatons between Gen. Wilson aud myself
have been thoroughly cordial and confidential up TO
this day. 49,,
Sumner &c can be crushed out the Republican party
nnder lesd msh be converted into p:rlon o''sn4a
Here again oliver assails what he chargesto be
NY motives without the slightest foundation for the
charge. dt sire to Iepeatforl have been studou,ly
belied upon this matter by the Hunker press-thst
have never performed act written nor uttered
word which could be tortured into disunon. rs Re
pnJlican, a. understand the Philadelphia Platform,
~.
pro or ron. As Republican, especially can, a.
did at Worcester distinctly and earnestly oppose DIS
union as aim, or as the basis Of political Anti.
Slavery organization. But the man is but wal-eyed
coward and no statesman, who VIII not LOOK al ts
matter calmly and boldly and who does not recognize
an eternal antagOnism between Freedom ald Slavery,
which must. or later involve the absolute sub
jugaton of the ore idea by the other, or dissolution
q Oliver charges ne with organizing a secret po-
itical party" No man knows better than he how Ut
tery fase this statement is. He knows that the meet
ipes in School street and at George loung were
always open TO every man who was known TO be an
AntiSayery man and supposed to be gentlemsn
that they were never secet in any ot er sense than
an ordinary dinner party in private family that they
never had political character any further than
the gentlemen in such gatherings naturally follow So
for be attended nearly every Saturday until within
few weeks-he charges with getting up secret lo
hHcoi society; anly insinuating that formed one
they once Joined "anothr secret society" when be
kn6ws that, unless my whole intercourse with him has
been lie, every fibre Of my physical organization
coils at and every instinct Of my spiritual nature abb
hors secret political organizations in every shape.
Oliver next charges that my object in this secret
organization is TO overthrow Banks Wilson and
Buringame." He kn0rs this is false-he knows that,
until quite lately, Banks and Burlingame frequently
attended these dinners and that Gen. Wilson is never
absent to this day, when in town. He knows that,
until Will in a few weeks, the personal relations be-
tween hat gentleman and myself have been of the
most friendly character; he knows that within five