Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-12

The following correspondence has tax.
en- place between a large number of
prominent Democrats of the State of
Pennsylvania and ex-President James
Buchanan:
: FEBRUARY q, 1867.
To OK President James Buchanan:
DEAR SIR-The undersigned citizens
of Pennsylvania think it matter of sim
pie duty to call you from your retirement
and to tender you in this form the ex-
preston of their continuing respect and
admiration. They have another and less
disinterested object in view. They be.
lieve the immediate future Of the country
to be full of peril, and they desire to hear
words of counsel, of consolation, and, If
possible, Of hope, from one who now sur
wives, as the last of American statesmen
of, the old times-the only living CO.
temporary, with perhaps one excep-
ton, of Webster and Clay, and Benton
and Calhoun. In the days ofyour power,
when you dispensed favor and patron
age, you had many friends. The under
signed desire to be ranked among those
who esteem you now in your privacy,
who honestly think that no responsible
ity for the years of blood and sorrow we
have endured rests on you, who tried, in
moment of terrible exigency, to do
your duty under the Constitution. We
earnestly and respectfully invite you to
a public dinner in the city of Philadel'
phia at such time as will best suit your
convenience.
The above is signed by Hon. Asa
Packer, Hon. Owen Jones, Hon. John
Cadwalader, Samuel r, 5. Smith and q
large number Of others
REPLY OF MR.. BUCHANAN.
WHEArLAND, March %, 1897.
GEYTLEMEH-I have received with
grateful emotions your very kind invita-
ton to public dinner you propose to
give me in the city of Philadelphia, on
any day may indicate, Nothing, l can
assure you, could afford me greater
pleasure than TO meet you around the
festive board, and with you renew the
pleasant memories of long past years.
deny myself this qualification only
in Difference to what | consider the wise
example Of my Democratic predecessors
in the Office Of President. After having
administered the most exalted Office of
President, which the country could be-
stow, they deemed it expedient to re-
main in the retirement of private life /;
and whilst holding their own opinions
on the political questions. Of the day,
they left the public discussion Of them
10 gentlemen, like yourselves, still on the
busy theater of active life.
II any other reason was required for
NV self.denisl on this occasion, ! might
refer you to my advanced age, of which
you remind me by stating that am now
the last survivor Of American states
men of the olden time, and the only liv-
ing cotemporary Of Webster and Clay,
and Benton and Calhoun" In passing,
permit me TO say, you might have justly
added to these distinguished names that
of Silas Wright He was statesman
who. for sound, practical wisdom, for far
seeing sagacity, and for lucid and con-
yincing argument, had nosaperior in the
Senate even at the period when it was
the greatest deliberative body in the
world.
You have my cordial thanks for your
opinion "that no responsibility for the
years Of blood and sorrow we have en-
dured rests on ne, who tried, in mo-
ment Of terrible exigsncy, to do my duty
under the Constitution. Proceeding as
this does, from q large number Of my
fellow citizens, equal in intelligence,
character and patriotism 10 any similar
number Of gentlemen in the State, may
/ not, with much confidence, indulge the
hope that you but anticipate the general
sentiment Of future times1 Under this
impression, and always firmly relying on
Divine Providence, have borne with a
TRANQUIL and contented spirit all the harsh
criticisms that have been Published on
ny Official conduct throughout tAe last
unhappy years
Assuming, as you do, "the immediate
future Of the country TO be full OF peril,