White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-07-19

htoH elective, Tor the avowed reason thai
Gov. 8. had never aided nor advised his
my election to Office"
Remember that The Times. in tia,
same article, resting on this letter, asserts
that my opposition to Gov. Seward at
Chicago Eas ."'the long boarded revenge
Of disappointed Office seeker" This
letter will show whether it breathes a
spirit Of revenge" or whether it was not
written more in sorrow than in anger. ("
Remember that The Times-untruly
promising that I professed at Chicago to
desire Gov. Stewards nomination there
for President upon the strongest grounds
Of political and personal friendShip'-
asserts that would have been completely
"disarmed" there had the contents Of
this letter been generally known. And
Gen. Webb says that Gov. Seward had
exercised and continued to exercise, '1he
greatest forbesrauce" toward me, in keep.
ing this letter private l must say that
l feel far more obliged to the Governor
for his tardy surrender of the letter for
publication than l ever did or could for
any amount of his "forbearance" in keep.
ing it to himself and his intimate friends.
Gen. Webb in his attack on me re
marks that "when, at our request, he
IGov. s. read the letter to Mr.. Ray.
mond and the gentlemen who accompa-
uied him to Auburn, the Governor dis.
tinctly stated that. while he thought it
proper they should know the cause of Mr..
Greeley's enmity, and were at liberty to
refer to the fact that he was a disappoin-
ted a'pirant for Office. no reference must
be made to the existence of such g let.
ter" Now | shall not hold Gov. Sew.
ard responsible for the language here at
tributed to him BY his impulsive and
chivslrous friend, yet must say that l
cannot appreciate the distinction here Sc.
up. IL my private letter was to be used
to my prejudice. why should it not be re
ferred to? If it was right to read it to
Mr.. Raymond in order that be might, on
the strength of it, charge me with cha
tred'' and false preteases. aud "Wreaking
the long boarded revenge of disappoin-
ted office-seeker," l cannot appreciate the
"forbearance" evinced in forbidding all
allusion to the letter on which these
charges were based. 1t seems to me
quite as delicate and far more manly to
refer at once and frankly to the ground
work of these charges-nay, to give the
letter itself to the public-and let each
Judge for himself as to its spirit and pur-
pose. And / especially regret that Gen.
Webb-since he thinks he could have
used this letter with such annihilating ef-
feet against me at Chicago-hsd not had
it in his possession, and then and there
asked me to print it. / was not far to-
seek nor hard 10 find, and / assure him
that he would not have waited minute
for the required permission.
Enough of this and of these. A
single word of improvement to the young
and ardent politicians who may read my
letter and this comment. The moral |
would inculcate is q trite one, but none
the less important. 1t is summed up in
the Scriptural iniunction-"Put not your
trust in princes" Men, even the best.
are frail and mutable, while Principle is
sure and eternal. Be no mans man but
Truths and your country's. You will
be sorely tempted at times to take this or
that great man for your oracle and guide
it is easy and tempting to lean, to fol-
low, and to trust-but it is safer and WI
ser to look ever through your own eyes
to tread your own path-to trust implie-
lily in God alone. The atmosphere Is
little warmer inside some great mans
castle, but the free air of heaven is ever
so much purer and more bracing. My
active political life may be said to have
begun with Gov. Stewards appearance
on the broader stage for l edited my
drst political sheet 1.-THE Constitution"
in 1884, when be was first candidate
for Governor, and l very ardently labor
ed in 1854 to secure his reelection to the
Senate. Thenceforward. | have had no
idol, but have acted without personal hl'
%, as the highest public good mas from
time to time seemed to me to demand
have differed frankly with Gov. Seward
on some financial points /; bat l think
have uttered more praise with less blame
Of him than of any other living states
man. / have been reminded OF late tnat
The Tribune has once or twice seemed to
resent his treatment in the Senate OF
Rust's assault on me; but / certainly
never alluded to that. and I am confident
that the structures instanced must have
been published while I was absent from
the City. The matter never seemed to
me worth a paragraph. And Il ever ~
my life discharged . public duty in ut
Ter disregard Of personal considerations
did 90 at Chicago last month. was
no longer Q devotee of Gov. Seward ;
but / was equally Independent OF all 9TH
ers and IL / had been swsyed BY feeling
alone, should have. for many reasons,
prelerred him to any Of his competitors.
Our personal intercourse. as well since As
before my letter herewith published. had
always been frank and kindly, and | was
never inssusible to his many good and
some great qualities, both of head and
heart. But / did not and do not believe
it advisable that he should be the Repab-
lican candidate for President; and / &C.
ted in full accordance with my deliber-
ate convictions. Need / add that each
subsequent days developments have ten
dsd to strengthen my confidence that
what I did was not only well meant but
well dones HoRAcE GREELgY.
VI T.. 10 YQan