The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-08-05
A Letter from Senator Doolittle in Oppo-
sition to the Third Party Moveh emit.
WASHINGTON, July l3, 1858.


WAsHrNGroN, July l3, 1858.
C. II. Ostraaau, Esq Danvtlle, Penn.
syluania:
DEAR Sir: am in receipt of yom
letter of the 10th instant, in which,
speaking for yourself and a number Of
other Conservative Republicans of your
town, you express "sense OF disap.
pointment and regret that no better
names had been offered BY the Demo-
cratic party to lead the conservative and
patriotic masses of the people to victory
and the radical Republican party to
deserving and meri,ed defeat. AS
gentleman and statesman MIR. Sey-
nonr holds our respect. but as peace
Democrat we are ndisposed to vote Tor
him." and, you are pleased to say that,
If my name, among others. had been
placed at the head Of the ticket, "all
would have gone sell, and victory
would have been Certain" You desire
my opinion upon tho situation anu the
prospects Of third patty"
| thank you for the confidence thus
reposed in mo, and shall not shrink from
the responsibility Of stating frankly my
opinion.
do not think the organization of
any third party is wise, or can work
any practical good TO the great cause IN
which we are engaged. In the very
nature Of things, when grea. principles
are at stake, there are, and there can
be, but two effective political parties.
"He that is not for me, is against me,
in politics rs well as in religion, is a
truth upon which every wise man is
compelled to act.
What, then, is the great and para.
mount issue 2 What is that great and
objectionable wrong for which the radi.
cal party is now arraigned and should
be overLhrown2
1t is substantially this: In violation
Of the Constitution in violation of
pledges made and often repeated from
the first battle OF Bull Run to the end
OF the war; pledges to the North 10 get
men and money pledges especially
made to the Democracy to get their sup.
port in the field and in the elections; !;
pledges made to the South to induce
them to lay down their arms and to
renew their allegiance; pledges to for
cgn POWERS to prevent intervention
IN violation Of all these solemn pledges
upon which we invoked the blessings of
Almighty God upon our cause, and by
which alone we gained strength to mas.
ter the rcbellon---in violation of the
natural and inalianablc right of the CIV
iliAed men Of every State to govern
themselves, and in violation Of the clear
provisions OF the Constitution, which
leaves to each State for itself the right to
regulate suffrage, this party has, without
trial, by CO post facto laws, disfranchised
hundreds Of thousands Of the most INTEL
lgent OF their citizens, and has forced
upon ten States and 100000 of our
own Anglo-Saxon race the universal
and unqualified suffrage of 700, 900 ig.
norant, and, in the main, half civilized
negroes.
This is The great wrong for which
that party is arraigncd at the bar Of pub.
hc Judgment, and for which it should be
ovcrthrown.
TO consummatc the great wrong, they
have abolished all civil government and
civil liberty even in these ten States
they have established five military des.
potisms, wherein all rights to Lille, liberty
and property are subject to the will Of
one man; they have kept the Union
divided they have prevented the resto-
ration Of industry they have kept down
tie credit OF the Government during
three years of peace, to q point so low
that: to the shame Of every American,
tho six per cent. bonds of the United
States sell Tor only seventy.three in
gold, while the bonds of Brazil. bearing
only four per cent. interest, bring over
ninety in gold. They have cncroachcd
upon The just rights Of the Executive /;
they have threatened tho independence
of the Supreme Courtj they have un-
Justly, and without cause, impeacheo
and put upon trial the President him
SELF and, by every species of denuncia.
ton, and even by threats of assassina.
ion, have endcayored to force tile SEN
ate to convict him, in order to place in
the Executive chair one who will use
all its power to consummato that gigan-
tic wrong agninst the Constitution,
against our plighted faith, against civil
cation, and against our own race and
kindred.
The Convention in New York met
for the purpose Of organizing to over.
throw the party in power for this great
wrong and to restore the Union and
the Constitution, and the rights of the
States under it. Now, ! do not say the
nominations made at New York arc the
very best that could have been made
for that purpose. The elements to be
organized into victorious army were
fourfold. 10 nse military figure,
there were four Army Corps TO be or.
ganized into our grand army: First
The great Democratic Corps. Second
The War Democratic Corps. Third
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