Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-06-16
GFeeley's Comments ON the Fore.
going.

Greeley's Comments ON the Fore.
going.
lam indebted toSeuatorSeward through
Mr.. Thurlow Weed for the manuscript Of
my private letter to Gov. Seward. written
soon after the conclusion OF the canvass oi
1884. 1t is printed Ucrbutim in the prece-
ding column. 1t might be made clearer
on some points by notes, but have not
felt ct liberty to add Gry. The only 7te
appended to the letter is part of tue
original. 1t can hardly be necessary to
explain that the morning on which pro-
posed to dissolve the partnership of
Seward, Weed and Greeley, was that fol-
lowing the day on which trusted, and
with good reason, thnt Gov. Seward would
be elected for second term of six years
to the L. S. Senate.
Under the circumstance, do not feel
! required to apologize to those who will be
surprised to find their names figuring in
this letter. They will know that, when I
wrote it, did not dream thatTit would
ever he printed, and that the personal
controversy which has constafned me to
demand and publish it has been forced on
me. Had the letter simply been shown to
certain of my enemies for their private
edifcation, should have been silent: bnt
when found i'll the TMleS statements i'm
peaching my personal integrity dated at
Auburn and couched in terms which
pointed unmistakahly TO this letter as
their basis, felt constrained to call for
and print the text. And am glad that it
has been sent me at last.
Let me here apologize to Messrs. John
II. Wheeler and Charles II. Marshall for
the total misrepresentation of their respec-
tive characters under which that letter was
written. l then thought Mr.. Wheeler "A
true man and IL reliable champion of Free
Labor and Free Soil. and that Mr.. Marshall
wns the opposite. How previously ! was
mistaken in regard to each, need not
stop to show.
I beg the render to be assured that the
foregoing letter is the very one on which
the impmtNtions of the Times and the Cou-
Tier Gnd Enquirer were founded. Scruti-
ntze it closely, and judge between me and
my assailants!
Remember that the TTmes-its editor
fresh from the perusaI of this letter, and
writing Mt Acknowledged that had, in
Nov. 1854, mot only privately but dis
tinctly rePudiated all further political
alliance with Governor Seward, ;" but men
aced him tcih has [my hostlILy lrhcneper IL
co"ld be made mast c9ective, for the avowed
reason that Gov. S. had never aided nor
advised his Imy election TO Office"
Remember that the Tirss, III that sam.
article, resting on this letter, asserts that
my opposition to Gov. Seward at Chicago
was the long boarded revenge OF Il disap-
pointed Office seeker" The letter will
show whether it brcathes a spiri, of src-
venge," or whether it WAS not written
more ''in sorrow than in anger"
Remember that the ZFmeS-untruly pre-
missing that professed at Chicago to de-
sire Gov. Stewards nomination there for
President upon the strongest grounds for
political and personal friend5hiP'-asserts
that would have been completely dis
armed" there had the contents of this let
ter been generally known. Aud General
Webb says that Gov Seward had exercised
and still continued tn exercise 1.-THE great
est forbearhnce" toward Ine, in keeping
far more obIigGu 10 Iue that feel
surrender of the letter for publication than
for any amount of "fOrbearance" in keep
ing it to himself and his intimate friends.
Gen Webb i'll his attack on me remarks
that "whcn, ut our request, he Gov. ,.
read the letter to Mr.. Raymond and the
gentleman who accompanied him to Au-
burn, the Governor distinctly stated that,
while he thought it proper they should
know the causc of Mr.. Greeley's enmity,
and were at liberty to refer to the fact that
he was a disappointed aspirant for ot'ice,
no reference must be made to the exist
cnce of smch II letter" Now ! shall not
hold Gov. Seward responsible for the Ian
gunSe here attributed to him by his impul-
sive and chiynlroWs friend, yet n."st say
that cannot appreciate the distinction
here set mp. If my private letter was to
he used to nay prejudice. why should it not
be referred to? Ii it was right to read II
to Mr.. Raymond in order that he might. ON
the strcnath of il. charge me with ''hht-
rcd" and false pr-tenscs, and ''wreaking
the long boarded revenge of IL disappoint-
ed olIice- seeker cannot appreciate the
'.forbearance" evinccd i'll fOrbidding allal-
lusion to the letter on which the charges
were based. 1t seems To me quite as deli
cate and far more manly To refer at once
and frankly to the groundwork of these
chargcs-nay, 10 give the letter itself to
the public-and let each judge for himself
as to It's spirit and purpose. And ! es-
pccially regret that Gen. Webb-since he
| thinks he could have used this letter with
such unnihilating effect against me at Chi
cagu-had not had ii in his possession,
and then and there asked me to let him
! print it. ] was not far to seek nor hard
| TO find. and assure him that he would not
have waited minute for the required per-
mission.
Enough of this and Of these. 4 sim
! gle word of Improvement to the yOnng
and ardent politicians who may read my
letter and this comment. The moral
would inculcate is trite one. but mono
the less important. 1t is summed up in
the ScripturaI iniunctiOn-"Pn not your
trust in princes" Men, even the best, are
fraiI and ,nutabls, while Principle is sure
and eternal. BE no mans man but Truth s
and your country's. You will he sOreIy
tempted at times to take this or that great
man for your oracle and guide--it is easy
and tempting to lean, to follow. and tt
trnst--but il is safer and wiser to look
ever through your own eycs---tO tread youI
own path-to trust implicitly in God alone