The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-21
LETTER OF HON. JAS. GUTHRIE,
A Patriotic and Powerful DOCu-
ment.

Hon. JAMES GUTHRIE received, a few
days since, an earnest request to visit
New York and Philadelphia, in the inter-
est of the great conservative party and
it's noble candidate, MCCLELLAN. The
great truths embodied in the reply below
should he pondered by every lover of his
country.
E. Harmon, ESQ.,:
DEAR SIR-I regret very much that cannot
visit Philadelphia and New York, and renew
my acquaintance and exchange sentiments and
views with the patriotic and conservative men
of Pennsylvania and New York now SO ear
nestly engaged in the effort to sustain the Con-
stitution of our fathers, and cause it to en-
brace all the States under its wise and just pro-
visions, with restored peace, renewed con-
fidence, and confirmed harmony, now all in
fearful hazard under fanatical administration,
holding at naught the Constitution, the laws
and Union of the States; sacrificing the lives
and the personal liberty of the citizen, the
rights of property, the freedom of speech. the
liberty of the press, the habeas corpus the right
of trial by jury, and all the guarantees that
far-seeing patriotism had thrown around the
liberties Of free people. We know that all
this has been done in States never disloyal to
the flag of the Union; and, in face of all this,
a free people are asked to approve all that has
been done by re-electing the President and
continuing him and his policy for another four
years; an Executive, who, having sworn to
support the Constitution and faithfully exc
cute the laws, openly and avowedly sets both
law and Constitution at defiance, and substi-
tutes his own crude views, under the absurd
pretense of preserving the nation and the liber-
ties of the people; an Executive who assumes,
without and against constitutional authority, by
proclamation, to allow ten per ct. OF the pOpu
iation of any State in rebellion to exercise all
the functions of State if they will take an oath
to support all he has done and all he may do
hereafter. and will accept his pardon for all bis
rebellious acts, and alter the constitution of
their State, and make new one to rule the
other 90 per cent, provided the new cOnstitu.
ton abolishes slavery; an executive who will
entertain no proposition OF peace until his abO.
lition conditions are first agreed to an execu-
tive who has abandoned the objects of the war
as declared by both Houses of Congress with
his own sanction, and perverted it to q war of
coniscation, subjugation, and determination;
an executive who has no regard for the charac-
ter and honor of the officers in command of
the armies of the Union but retires them with.
out trial and dismisses them from the service
without investigation an executive who allows
military interference in elections in States al
WAYS loyal, in violation OF State constitution
and laws, without investigation and without
proof, and who allows the highest as well as
the lowest official to counsel such interference,
to continue him and his party in power an
executive who allows the arrest and removal
of citizens without warrant. with the threat of
banishment or imprisonment until they beg or
purchase q release in the shape of counsel fees;
an executive who allows Federal officers to ar
rest and shoot citizens without trial or author
ity of law an executive who lets officers seize
the property of citizens in violation of the con-
stitution and laws, without dismissal from the
service or the slightest reprOOf, and the gov
ernment and people to be robbed until honesty
is the exception and not the rule.
In Louisville, on the 18th Of September last,
the anniversary of the signing Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States and of the battle of
Antietam, at a mass meeting of the citizens, an
appeal was made to ratify the nomination of
George B. Mcclellan and George H. Pendleton,
as the standard bearers of the Democracy and
the conservatives of all parties for President
and Vice President upon the platform of the
Chicago Convention and McClellans letter of
acceptance, in opposition to President Lincoln
and his administrative policy. Kentucky will
respond favorably. The first resolution of the
Democracy and conservatives declares in the
future as in the past, an answering adherence
to the Constitution and the Union of all the
States. Are there stronger words in the Eng
lish language than answering adherence?
Have not the Democracy and conservatives of
all parties always adhered to the Union of all
the States and the Constitution and all its guar
antees in the past? Who then has right to
doubt them in the future?