Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-06-10
POSTSCRIPT /!
GEN. FREMoNTs LETTER OF AC.
CEpTANCF
BALTIMORE, June 8,--3 p. m.
Lincoln re-nominated by reclamation.
Nav YoHK, Saturday, Jun

NEW YORK, Saturday, June 4.
TO Afessrs. Worthington q. Snethen Of Mary
land, Bd,oard Gilbert of Ne,o York Oaspar
Bots Of Illinois. Charles r. Moss of Ms
soar', N. p. Sawyer of Pennsylvania, com
mittee, dc.
Gentlemen In answer to the letter which
| have had the honor to receive from you, on
the part Of the representatives Of the p ople
assembled at Cleveland on the 3lst Of May,
| desire to express my thanks for the confd-
ence which led them TO offer me the honorable
and difficult position Of their candidate in
the approaching president election; very hon
ofable, because 10 Offering II to me you act in
the name Of a great number Of citizens who
seek, above all things, the good Of their ooun-
try, and who have no sort Of selfish interest
in view. Very difficult, because, in accept
ing the candidacy you propose to me, | am
exposed to the reproach Of creating schism
in the party with which have been identi-
fed.
Had Mr.. Lincoln remained faithful TO the
principles he was elected TO defend. no schism
could have been created, and no contest could
have been possible. This is not an ordinary
election it is contest even for the right
TO have candidates, and not merely, as usual,
for the choice among them. Now, for the
first time since '76, the question Of constitu-
tonal libery has been brought directly be-
fore the people for their serious consideration
and vote. The ordinary rights secured un-
der the constitution and the laws Of the coun-
try have been violated, and extraordinary
powers have been usurped by the executive
II is directly before the people now to say
whether or not the principles established by
the revolution are worth maintaining. II, as
we have been taught TO believe, those guar
antics for liberty, which made the distinctive
value and glory Of our country, are in truth
inviolsby sacred, then there must be a pro.
test against the arbitrary violation which had
not even the excuse Of necessity. The sohism
Is u Re by those who force ths choice be-
tween shameful silence o. protest against
wrong. In such considerat ne originated
che Cleveland convention.
IL was among its objects 70 arouee the at
tention e the people 70 such facts, and to
bring them 20 realize that while we are satu-
rating Southern soil with the best blood Of
the country ir the name of liberty, we have
roally parted with it st home
To-day We have in the country ihe abuses
Of military dictaticn, without its units I'd ac-
tion vigor Of execution an administration
marked at home by disregard Of constitution
al rights, by ils violation OF personal liberty
and the liberty Of the press, and. as crown
ing shame, by Ire Abandonment OF the ugh-
OF asylum dear ,o All free nations abroad
lts course BIAS been characterized ny a feeble
meas and want % principal which has misled
European powers and driven them 20 q belle.
that only commercial interests aud personal
aims are concerned and that no great prin..-
Piles are involved 10 the issue. The aimira-
BILE conduct Of the people, their readiness 10
make every sacrifice demanded of ihem, their
forbearance and silence under the suspension
Of everything that could be suspended, their
manly acts OF berolsm and sacrifices were
all rendered frui,less by the incapacity, or,
to speak more exactly, by the personal ends
for which the war was managed. Ibis in
capacity aud selfshncss naturally produced
such results led the European powers, and
logically enough, to the conviction that the
North and its greatly superior population, it's
numerous resources aud its credit will never
be able to recover the South. Sympathies
which would have been with US from the out
set Of the war were turned against us, and in
this way the administration has done the
country double wrong abroad. 1t created
hostility. or, at best indifference among those
who would have been its friends, if the real
intention Of the people could have been bet
ter known, while at the same time it neglect
ed no occasion for making the most humiliat-
ing concessions.
Against this disastrous condition OF affairs
the Cleveland convention was a protest. The
principles which form the basis OF its plat
form have my unqualified and cordial appro-
baton but | cannot so heartily concur in all
the measures which you propose. ! do not
believe that confscation extended to the prop
erty Of all rebels is practicable and if 1t were
So do not think it measure Of sound poll.
cy. II is, in fact, a question belonging to
the people themselves to decide, and is a pro-
per occasion for the exercise Of their original
aud 1oyereigu authority. As war measure
in the beginning Of revolt which might be
queled by promp, severity, | understand the
policy OF confscstion; but not q final meas
ure of reconstruction, after the suppression
Of an insurrection.
In the adjustments which are to follow
peace, no consideration Of vengeance can con-
sistently be admitted.
The object of the war is to make perma-
nently secure the peace and happiness of the
whole country, and there was but single
element in the way of its attainment This
element of slavery may be considered practl-
cally destroyed in the country, aud it needs
only your proposed amendment to the consti-
tuition to make its extinction complete
With this extinction of slavery the party
divisions created by it have disappeared, and
if in the history of the country there has
ever been time when the American people
without regard to one OF another of the po-
ltioal divisions, were called upon to give
solemnly their voice in matter which in
volved the safety Of the United States at i:
assuredly the present time
II the Convention at Baltimore will nom
inmate any man whose past life justifes
we'll grounded confidence in his fidelity to oul
cordial principles, there is no reason VIII
; there should be any division among the real
ly patriotic men of the country. To any sucl
| should be most happy to give a cordial an'
active support.
Ny own decided preference is to aid in thi
, way and not to be myself a candidate but
if Mr. Lincoln be renominated, as believe
would be fatal to the country to endorse
policy and renew a power which has cost u
the lives of thousands of men and needlessl
put the country on the road to bankruptcy
there will remain no alternative but to organ
ice against him every element Of consideration