The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-10-20
Letser from GEN. BEx.--SOnne-
thing for Democrats to Re-
feet SM---Eg eGGI


The following letter was addressed by
Gen. Dix, to the Union Demonstration in
Philadelphia, Saturday evening last
New YoRK, October 9Th, 1854
GENTLEMEN II have received your
invitation to address the mass meeting to
be held in Independence Square on Sat
urday. The duties incident to the active
command of a military department render
it impossible for me to attend public
meetings or make political speeches. But
I accede with pleasure to your request to
write you letter
There is but one question before the
country in the approaching canvass -
Shall we prosecute the war with undated
vigor until the rebel forces lay down their
arms; or shall we, to use the language of
the Chicago Convention, make ''Immedi-
ate efforts for cessation of hostilities,
with a view to an ultimate convention of
all the States 7" &c.
Believing that the latter measure, for
whatever purpose adopted, would lead
inevitably to recognition Of the inde-
pendence Of the ;nsurgent States; and be-
lieving, moreover, true policy, as well as
true mercy, always demands, in the un-
happy exigencies of wer, steady aud
unTavering application Of ell the means
and all the energies at command until the
object Of the war is accomplished, l shall
oppose the measure in every form in which
opposition is likely to bs effective.
General Mcclellan, the candidate of
the Chicago Convention, by force of his
position, must be deemed to approve all
the declarations with which he was pre-
sented to the country, unless he distinctly
disavows them. Unfortunately, he is silent
On the only question in regard to which
the people cared he should speak. He
does not say whether he is in favor of
cessation of hostiiities, the measure an
noUnced by those who nominated him, as
the basis for action in case OF his election,
or whether he is opposed to it. He does
not meet the question with manly frank
ness, as I am confident he would have
done if he had taken counsel of his own
instincts, instead of yielding to the subtle
suggestions of politicians. The Chicago
Convention presented q distinct issue to
the people. As the nominee of the Con-
vention, he vas bound to repudiate or
accept it. Ee has done neither, and
whatever inference may bo drawn from
his silence, either the war Democrats or
the peace Democrats must be deceived
In calling for cessation Of hostilities,
the members of the Chicago Convention
have, in my judgment, totally misrepre-
scented the feelings and opinions of the
great body of the Democracy. The policy
l.. -
as such declaration can-what it has
never been before, peace party in war;
degrading it from the eminence on which
it has stood in every other national con-
hict. In this injustice to the country
and great party, identified with all that
is honorable in our history, can have no
part. / can only mourn over the re-
proach which has been brought upon it
by its leaders, and cherish the hope that
it may hereafter, under the auspices of
better counsellors, resume its ancient eff
fective and benifcent influence in the
administration of the Government.
Does any one doubt as to the true cause
of our national calamitiesi? ] believe it to
be found N the management of the leaders
of both principal political parties during
the last century. In 1910 the great men
of the Wing party-Webster, Clay and
others-men of universally acknowledged
ability and long experience IN civil life,
were thrust aside, and Gen. Harrison, a
man of very moderate capacity, was se-
lected as its candidate for the Presidency
The principle of availability, as it was
termed, was adopted as the rule of selec-
ton, and the question of fitness became
obsolete. The concern was to know, not
who was best qualified to administer the
Government, but who, from his compare
tive obscurity, would be least likely to
provoke an embittered opposition. This
was the beginning Of system cf demor-
alization, which has ended in the present
distracted condition of the country 1t
reversed all the conservative principles of
human action, by prescribing talent and
experience, and crowning mediocrity with
the highest honors of the Republic. In
1874 the Democratic party followed the
successful example of its opponents in
1840 It put aside Van Buren,, Cass,
Marcy, and its other eminent statesman,
and brought forward Mr.. Polk, man OF
merely ordinary ability. Parties which
have neither the courage nor the virtue to
stand by their greatest and best men,
soon fall into hopeless demoralization.-
This system of retrogradation in all that
is manly and just has continued, with