Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-16

New York, JUNE A, 1864.

NEW YORK, JUNE A, 1864,
To Messrs. Worthington G. Snetheu of Maryland; Edw
gilbert OF New York Caspar Butx, of Illinois Chas.
Il Moss, of Missouri; N. p Sawyer, of PenasyIyana
committee, DO. - %35 FEfl sNf6
GENTLEMEN In TO the letter which have had
the honor to receive from you, the part Of the repre-
sentatves of the people assembled at Cleveland on the 3s
OF May desire to express my thanks for the confidence
which led them to offer the honorable and difficult pc.
sition of their candidate in the approaching Presidential
contest-very honorable, because in Offering il to you
act IN the name OF great number of citizens who seek
above all hogs the good of their country and who have
no sort OF selfish interest in view very difficult because
III accepting the candidacy you propose to expos
cd to the reproach of creating schism Ia the party with
which have been identified vi ae # ~
Had Mr. Lincoln remained faithful to the principles he
was elected to defend schsm could have been created
aud no contest could have been possible. This is
ordinary election 1t is contest for the right even to
have candidates and not merely usual for the choice
among them. t.e ss iya& <Hi4e
Now for the first time since TO- the question of cousti.
tuona liberty has been brought directly before the people
for their serious consideration and vote The ordinary
rights secured under the Constitution and the laws of the
country have been violated, and extraordinary powers
have been usurped by the Executive 1t is directly before
the people to say whether not the principles estab
ished by the Revolution are worth maintaining If as we
n"o eauBut W Lnobc liberty
which made the distinctive vyue and glory Of our country
are in truth nvolaby sacred then here be- protest
against the arbitrary violation which had not even the ex
Of necessity Pr" aI ~ @
The schsm is made by those who force the choice be
tween shameful silence protest against wrong In
such originated the Cleveland Convention
IL was among It's to the attention of the peo
pie 10 such iacts, and to bring them to realize that while
we are saurang Southern soil with the best blood of the
country in the of liberty we have really parted with
it at home.
To-day we have in the country the abuses of military
dctaon without its unity of action and vgor OF execu-
ton-an Administration marked at homo by disregard of
constitutional rights by its violations Of personal liberty
and the liberty OF the press and browning shame by
It's abandonment Of the right Of asylum right espeoi.y
dear to all free nations sbroad Its course has been char
acterzed by feebeness and want Of principle which has
mlsed European Powers and driven them to belief that
only commercial interests and personal concerned
and that no great principles involved in the issue
Inc admirable conduct of the people, their readiness to
make every sacrifice demanded of them their rbearance
ana silence under the suspension of every thing that could
be suspended their many of hsroism and sacrifices
were all rendered fruess by the ncapacty or to speak
more exactly by the personal ends for which the war was
managed This ncapacty and selfshness naturally pro-
duced such results as led the Eu Opean Powers and OR
Soy I'd COLVCIlOn tnaC the North, with
greatly superior population it's immense resources and its
credit will never be able to recover the South Symps-
thes which should have been with us from the outset of
the turned against u.s. aud in this way the Ad
mlnstraon has done the country double wrong abroad
1t created hostility at best md ference among those
who would have been its friends the real interests of the
people could have been better known WHILE at the same
tine it neglected occasion for making the most humil
ating concessions. .e .
Against this disastrous condition of affairs the Cleveland
Convention protest The principles which form the
basis OF it's platform have my unqualified and cordial ap
probation But cannot heartily concur in al the
measures Whch propose. do bsIeve that col s
cation extended to the property all rebels
aud If it were so, do not think it measure of sound
policy 1t is in fact question belonging to the people
themselves to decide and proper occasion for the e1
ercise of their original and sovereign authority
MEASURE, in the beginning of revolt which might be
queed by prompt severity understand the policy of con-
hscation, but not final Of after
the suppression of an insurrecton In the adjustments
which to follow peace considerations of
consistently be admitted.
The object Of the is to make permanently secure
the peace and happiness of the whole country and there
was but single element in the way of it's attainment
This element of slavery may be considered practically de-
stroyed in the country and it needs only your proposed
amendment of the Constitution to make s extinction M
pete With this extinction of slavery the party divisions
created by it have also disappeared And the history
Of the country there has been time when the Ame
rcan people, without regard to or another of the poll
teal divisions, were called upon to give scemny their
voice in matter which involved the safety of the nited
States, it is assuredy the present time s8 naaT# aag
If the Convention at Baltimore will nominate any man
whose past life justi6es well grounded confidence in his
fidelity to our cardinal principles there reason why
there should be any division among the really patriotic
men Of the country To any such shall be most happy
TO give cordial and active support. My own decided
preference is to aid in this way, aud not to be myself
candidate. But if Mr. Lincoln should be renomusted as
believe 1t would be fatal to the country to endorse
policy and renew which has the lives of
thousands Of men, and needessy put country on the
road to bankruptcy there will remain no alternative but
to organize against him every element conscientious OBJ
position with the view to prevent the misfortune of his re-
election .4
In this contingency accept the nomination at Cleys-
land, and, as preliminary tep have resigned my com
mission in the army This sacrifice it gave me pain
to make Bnt had for long time uitlesly endeavored
., obtain service make this sacrifice only TO regain
liberty OF speech and to leave nothing the way of dis
charging to utmost ability the you have set for me-
With my earnest and sincere thanks your expressions
oil confidence and regard and for the many honorable
terms IN which you acquant with the sections of the
the committee, am gentlemen very respectfully and
truly yours j. q. FREMONT.