The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-01-24

A@bLSl liLl4As-&<A -4iGaA-CAte ~ 4CUehoa.
Annexed is the text of letter forwarded
by Ex President BUCHANAN to the Wash
ington banquet as l substitute for any
fresh production or the subject Of which it
treats:
Wheatland, March %. 1866.
GENTLEMEN have received with CRATE
fal emotions our very kind invitation to a
public dinner you propose to give me III the
city Of Philadetphia'on any day / may indi
cate. Nothing, [ can assure you. could al
ford 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 olBIat | Outsider the wish Of
my democratic predecessors in the office OF
president. Alter having administered The
most exalted Office which the country could
bestow, they deemed it ,eKpedientg to re.
main in the rellrement O, private LIE, and
while holding Their own opinions on the
political questions sof the day, they left the
public ,dlseuseiop Of them to. gentlemen,
BIKE yourselves. still on@tho busy theater OF
active lie - = a-r lag
If any. other reason were required for my
you to my advanced age, Of which you re-
mind me by}ststipss {. that am now the last
survivor Of American statesmen OF the
olacn Time, the only living contemporary. of
Webster and Clay, and Benton and Cal
houn." la passing, permit NE to say you
might have Justly added to those dstin-
1guished names that Of Silas Wright. lie
was a statesman, who, for sound practical
L., TO-, {,p
6lucjd and convincing argument, had no
superior IN the senate, even at the period
| when 1t was the greatest dosibegatiye body
| in the world. You have my cordial thanks
4 for you opinion, 'that no re possibility for
the years Of blood and sorrow we have en-
/ duredf rests nme, who tried, III momeht
of terrible exigeney, to 90 ny duty under
the constitution. Proceeding rs this does
from large number of my fellow Cit zens,
kcqnnl, in Intelligence, character, aud pat
IliodSu, to any similar number Of gentle
men in the state. may not, with much
Confidence, indulge in tie hope that you
| but anticipate the general sentiment OF fu
! turo times? Under this Impression, and
always frnly rely ing on Divine Providence,
| haze borne With tranquil any contented
Esprit all the harsh criticisms which have
! been published on my official conduct
throughout the last unhappy years. As
suuiing, as you do, ''tte immediate future
Of the country to be full of peril, . you ask
me for words of counsel, of consolation,
and, if possible, Of hope" Consistently
Will MY self imposed rctiecncc, | may say
to you ): Adhere steadily to the constltu-
ton Of your country exert all your power
and influence in disseminating and entogc-
ing lis genuine principles by means of the
press, public speeches, private converse.
tons, and in every other honorable manner,
and employ the same untiung energy IN
fexposibg and coudemniag every departure
from its precepfs. Never despair, for the
time viii surely come when these shall tri.
umph and contro! the administration Of the
government.
With sentiments Of grateful respect, /
remain, your much obliged friend, 3D..
JAMES BUCHANAN.