The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-30
Letter from Senator DooiittIc I'm
i 0pPositton TO the Third Party

sleso 0pPosition ,.i.,t', 70 the Third Party
WAsH1NGToN, July 1s, 1868.
G. H Ostrdpdey, Esq, Daarilze,
B. DEAR Sm: I am in receipt of your
letter of the 10th instant, in which,
speaking for yourself and q number
OF other Conservative Republicans
OF your town, You express a .tsense
OF disappointmentand regret that no
better names had been offered by
the Demooratic party to lead the
conservative and patriotic masses of
the people to victory, and the radical
Republican party to deserving and
merited defeat. AS gentleman and
statesman MIR. Seymour holds our
respect, but as peace Democrat we
are indisposed to vote for him." and,
you are pleased to say that. if my
name, among others, had been placed
at the head of the ticket, call would
have gone well, and victory would
have been certain" You desire my
opinion upon the situation and "the
prospects of o third party" .r
thank you for the confidence
thus reposed in me, and shall not
shrink from the responsibility of
stating frankly my opinion. A
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 great
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 as
we'll rs in religion, is a truth upon
which every wise man is compelled
to act.
What, then, is the great and para
mount issue? What is that great
and objectionable wrong for which
the radical party is now arraigned
and should be oyerthrown?
1t is substantially this: In viola
tion of the Constitution-in violation
OF pledges made and often repeated,
from the first battle cf Bull Run to
the end of the war; pledges to the
North to get men an money; pledges
especially made to the Democracy
to get their support in the field and
IN the elections; pledges made to the
South to induce them to lay down
their arms and to renew their allie
giance; and pledges to foreign 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 master the rebellion-in violation
OF the natural and inalienable right
OF the civilized men of every State to
govern themselves, and in violation
of the clear provisions of the Con-
stltution, which leaves to each State
for itself the right to regulate suf-
irage, this party has, without trial,
by &c post fdcto laws, disfran chised
hundreds of thousands of the most
intelligent of their citizens, and has
forced upon ten States and 5000, 600
of our own Anglo.Saxon race the
universal and unqualified suffrage of
700, 600 ignorant and, in the main,
half civilized negroes.
This is the great wrong for which
that party is arraigned at the bar of
public judgment, and for which it
should be overthrown.
To consummate the great wrong,
they have abolished all civil govern
ment and civil liberty even in these
ten States; they have established five
military despotisms, wherein all
rights to life, liberty and property
are subject to the will of one man;
they have kept the Union divided; ;
they have prevented the restoration
of industry; they have kept down
the credit of the Government during
three years of peace, to O point so
low that, to the shame of every
American, the six per cent. bonds of
the United States sell for only seven
ty-three in gold, while the bonds of
Brazil, bearing only four per cent.
interest, bring over ninety in gold.
They have encroached upon the just
rights of the Executive; they have
threatened the independence of the
Supreme Court; they have uniustly,
and without cause, impeached and
put upon trial the President himself,
and, by every species of denuncia-
tion, and even by threats of assassi-
nation, have endeavored to force the
Senate to convict him, in order to
place in the Executive chair one who
will use all its power to consummate
that gigantic wrong against the Con-
-. .sftt cE u