Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-09-24
Letter from Gen. Die.
lie OPPOSES SEYMOUR.
PARIS, Sept. 4.
My DEAR SIR:

80 N'-'@hi' w
II was my hope that my distance from
home would have saved me from ali this
PARTICIPATION in the political excitemt Mt
prevailing there, but notice in one of
the newspapers that / am heart and
hand with Mir. Seymour ! am not
aware of anything in The present or the
past which could rightfully subject me
to such an imputation. ! have been ac-
QuaintCd with Seymour more than u
quarter OF a century. He is an amiabe
gentleman, OF mcXccptionablc private
character and respectable talents, but
you know rs well as | that he has not
single qualification for the successful eX-
ccution of the high official trust to which
he has been nominated, and he is cspe-
ciallN deficient in that frmness of pur-
pose which, in critical emergencies, is
the only safeguard against public disor-
dcrs and calamity. He has been twice,
at different times, Governor of the State
OF New York, and hehas in neither case
had the talent or the pluck to keep the
Democratic party of The state together
moro than two years. | should regard
his election at this iuncturc when stead
mess of purpose, decision and self-con-
troll are so much needed rs one of the
greatest calamitiCs that could bcfall the
country. Moreover, he has been put in
nomination by Il convention which has
openly declared the purpose OF those it
represents to pay the greater part of the
public debt contracted to preserve tho
Union III deprecated paper. Such
measure would, III my judgment, DC y
palpable violation OF the public ia h
pledged under circumstances viii h
should have been binding on all hone
able men Mr.. Seymour has made pub
lie speeches to show that it is our duty to
pay the debt in specie. In accepting his
nomination to the Presidency, he adopts
the declaration that it ought to be paid
in paper. | know nothing so humiliat-
ing in American politics as tergiversa-
ton. 1t was, perhaps, not unfit that
Mr. Seymour, after presiding, in 1864,
over the Chicago Convention which de-
clared the war a failure, should preside
over the Convention of 1868 in which
proposition to discrcdt the debt COM
tracted to carry on the war received
with tremendous cheering" and that
he should be the chosen instrument to
execute this act Of national turpitudc.
| do not believe that the wishes or
opinions of the great body Ct the Demo-
cratic party arc fairly expressed in these
proceedings. They have nothing in COM
mon with the statesmanlillev view of pol
icy and the high sense ofnational honor
Van Buren,, VIM. l.. Yanccy, S. Wright,
Lewis Cass, and S. A. Douglass, were
among its most conspicuous members.
| see but one source of safety for the
country underline existing crcumstan-
ces, and that is the election OF Gen.
Grant. On his decision of character,
good sense, moderation, and disinterest-
cd patriotism, / believe the South will
have Il far better hope of regaining the
position in the Union to which 1t Is ems
titled than under 4 man whose political
career has been in nothing more conspi-
cuouely marked than in an utter infirm-
| ity OF purpose.
INDEPENDENTLY of all these considera-
! tons should be greatly surprised if the
peCple of the United States were to elect
as their Chief Magistrate man who
was making, at the Academy OF Music
on the 4th OF July, 1868, n speech def
cient III all the characteristics OF an ele-
waited love Of country ut the very hour
when Gen. Giant was carrying the v.c-
! torious armies of The Union into Viciis-
burg, and where Thousands of our fell
! l0W-cOuntIymen We're pouring out their
! blood on the plains Of Gettysburg, in de-
| fence of their homes and the Govern
ment which Mr.. seymour was doing
all in his power TO cmbarraSs and dis
credit.
am quite willing that you should
show this letter to any friends who take
an interest in my opinion in regard to
the coming election, and | am particu-
arly DESTROYS OF removing the impress
sion, if it exists, that | am in favor of
Mr.. Seymour or the reputation OF any
portion OF the public debt.
am, Dear Sir,
Very truly yours,
JOHN A. DIX.