The mountain Democrat., 1864-10-22
s--':~s->,7' - NH.3sAl4,'A
SAN FnANcIsco. Oct 8. 1894.

Oi the 9th inst in b. hall Of the McClel
Ian Central Club, requesting me to ad
dress them on the 9th inst. reerVt that
| am unable to comply with your request
at the early day named.
concur with ynu in the opinion that
II 10 the duty Of every patriot, in the
present sad state Of public affaiTA, "a
make know his opinions when asked for
thrm IL his former position in Office and
experience render IL probable that bis
views may eEeFt iRAUeRer over the con.
duct Of those who may wi,h to act con
~ienIiouSly.
You are probably aware have never
been Democrat. and since the old WhiI
party ceaSed To act as an organization,
have voted the Republican ticket
Though did not vote for the Prpsi
drnt, ] thought it right to give hIs Ad
miUjSiratiOn cordial support believing
him honest, and hoping he would be
guided by his ed principles, and
would Shun the peFniri0us cOunsels o
fanaticsl Abolitionists, who are trying Ia
p unge the country into irrrmediablc
ruin.
Ia the hope Of doing something To con.
ciliate the people Of NMth Carolina
knowing that large majority Of them
we're il favor Of the Union Il accepted al
Snine sacrifice the position Of Military
GOvernnr Of that State, In April 1861
The same reasons ~hich induced tie vol.
uniary tn resign that position. now com
pei me 10 vute for McI lellan.
have neither the int ntiOn nor incli.
naIM'n to indulge in denunciation Of the
Administration. ! make ell charitable al.
l"~smeS E~ the President. lie has act.
I'd under the influence Of what iS called
. ''presSu'e e"-w which he ~ unable tu
resist. nd to which he yielded under the
patriotic hope Of saving hiA country from
annihila,iOn. ! only claim that my mo,
tiveS are a. pure and my convictions AZ
honest aS his.
Let me alNO add. that for him and his
Cabinet, ! entertain no feelings but those
Oi kindnesS aud respect. With some ui
'htm ! have been Oh terms OF friendly re-.
gard ET . number Of years. have u"
complaints to make Of any one Of thrrn
! have no personal acquaintance With
Gen. c(lrlsn. ard have never had any
communication with him.
lf any one should desire to know why
then refuse t0 Aupp0rt one whom
know, and for whom I have feelings Oi
respect, and prefer an entire stranger. |
answer-f for reasons which will briefly
give:
believe the Presidents proclamation
"f January. 1868. has impaired joy I" the
Wicked leaders "f the rebellion has filled
the hearts Of Uniun men, North and
South. with despair, and has driven hun
dredS Of thousands Of men from their al
vocacv of restoration Of the Union.
profess 10 br AZ good Judge Of the
effect Of any public measure upon the
minds Of people f the South as any
member of the Cabinet can be. For furly
years ! resided u North Carolina, in con
slant nnrextrained intercourse with her
people.
In 1862 and 60 ! had communication
with many Of them. They had been
trapped into secession by the act Of her
Governor, against the fishes Of an i'm.
ne''re mHj"r'Iy other pe"pIe, and against
her WIll, as expressed 0y the ballot-b"x
Her Governor seized the forts OF the
United States. turned their guns sgains'
"ur national hag, and in disregard #
popular sentiment, dragged her into the
Secession ranks.
The President was compelled to regard
her a. in rrbrllinn. and by = proclamation
bl'ck"d d h,r ports, ard the var ragged in
her borders But sill public indignAtIon
was loud and deep against the srcesSinn
i>is, justly blamed Tor causing the war.
At public meeting, through the press -
then ire, and unSuhdued as now by the
bayOnet-in various forms, these Opin.
ions Of her people were made known.
brlitvr,i, in 1862. and believe now, that
With proper conciiatinn, had moi the
proclamation Of January. 1853. been Is.
sued, North Carolina wOuld have called o
convention and have taken steps 70 cancel
her secession ordinance, and a. nturm tn
her allegiance to the General Govern
IDent.
Her enlightened Statesmen say, that il
that proclamation is enforced, the people
Vi the South are not to have any protrc.
ton Of constitutional rights. and that the
calamities Of war ART nat 10 be compared
though they are tull Of horror With
those which are to come.
have never Eeen or read Of 20 great
and determined change in public Opin
ion az was produced by that proclama
tian. Il seemed ~ if Hope for sea
son babe the world faI ewell." While
gOId men mOurned, HeccSSioniStS in Teb.
rldOm and devils in hell rej"iced. and
war Was accepted as the least Of threat.
ened evils.
These opinions are not expressed in
haste, we're not fOi Med under excitement.
they are the result Of deliberate rrfec
tim aud careful examination. lime has
hut strengthened my CONVICTIONS.
believe If the war is carried on &C
cOrding tn the Prr.idrnt's Proclamation,
and with = refusal to negutiate fur peace
except uPUn SubnIi>Ainn tO immediate.
uncunpeI,Satvd abolition, that il Will last
Tor fifty years.
We may endure taxation but the
public debt may he Increased, as il il in
creased almost beyond my power OF cal.
culatiOn to ascertain its amount; it may
run up to thousands If millions.
Taxation may take the proceeds Of
thres days iabnr out OF seven froih labor.
ing men, should the war continue but
this is nut the worst Of the calamiticS
that are to follow. Rivers Of blood are to
flow, not to restore our Union, but to de.
Stroy it; not under the advice Of patriots.
who wish to support the Constitution, but
to CRAFTY the malice aud revenge "f those
justly characterized by talented Rtpub
lIcan editor, - engaged in . "cruSAde Of
hatred aud extcrminatiOn," leading the
van in tbs blind race OF rAdicshsm and
barbarism, into which they have seduced
many public men Of wiser judgments and
calmer passions than themselves.