The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-10-01
Letter from Gen. John A. Dix,
He Comes Out Strong for
Grant.
Why IlOratlo seymour Ought Not To
Re President.
A Square and Decisive Epistle.

A Square and Decisive Epistle.
New YoRK, Sept. 22.
General Dix, the American Minis
ter to France, has sent the following
letter to friend in this city. Ii
was not written for publication, but
the gentleman to whom it was ad-
dressed has consented to give il to
the public
PAuis, Sept. 4, 1865,
My DEAN Suit was my hope
that my distance from home would
have saved me from all participation
in the political excitement prevailing
there but | notice in one of the
newspapers that | uu heart and haud
with Mr., Seymour. am not aware
of anything in the present or the
past which could rightrully subject
me to such an imputatiou. | have
been acq ,aintod with MIR. Seymour
moro than quarter OF a century.
lie is an amiable gentleman of uuex-
oeptiouable private character, and
respectable talents, but you know as
well as | that he has not single
qualification for the successful exc
cntiou of the high official trust to
which ho has been nominated aud
he is especially deficient in that firm
ness of Purpose which, in critical O.
mergencies is the only safeguard a.
gainst public disorder aud calamity.
llo has been twice, at different times,
Governor Of the State of New York,
and ho has in peither case had tall
ont or tact to keep. the Democratic
party together more than two years.
should regard his election at this
juncturo, when stoadiuess of purpose
decision aud self control arc so much
needed, as one Of tie greatest cdlani-
ties that coaId bcJdH The country.
Moreover, he has been put in nom.
ination by convention which has o.
penly declared the purpose of those
it represents, to pay the greater part
of the debt, contracted to preserve
the Union, in deprecated paper.
Such measure would in my Judge
ment be a palpablo violation of the
public faith, pledged undor circum-
stances which should have been bind.
ing on all honorable men. Seymour
has mado public speeches to show
that it Is our duty to pay tho debt in
specie. In accepting his nomination
to the Presidency, he adopts the dec
laration that IL ought to be paid in
paper. | know nothing so humiliat.
ing in the history Of American poll
tics as this tergiyersatiOn. IL was.
perhaps, not unfit that Mr., Seymour
after presiding, in 1868, over the
Chicago Convention, which declared
the war failure, should preside over
the convention of 1868. In which
proposition to d;s,redit the debt
contracted to carry on the war, was
received with tremendous cheering,
and that he should be tho chosen in
strumont 10 execute this act of nation
al turpitudo. | do not believe that the
wishes or opinions of tho great body
of tho Democratic party are fairly
expressed in these proceedings. They
have nothing in common with the
statosmanlike views of policy aud the
high sense Of national honor which
guided the party, when Martin Van
Buren, VIM. l.. Yanccy, Silas Wright
Lewis Cass and Stephen A. Douglas
wero among the most conspicuous
members.
Isee Lat ono source Of sqfcy for The
country under ctisting circumstances,
and that is, The election Of Gen. Grant.
On his decision Of character, good
sense, moderation, and disinterested
patriotism, | believe the South will
have far better hope Of regaining
the position in the Union to which
it is entitled, than under man whose
political career has been in nothing
more conspicuously marked than in
an utter in6rmity of purpose. Inde
peudeutly Of all these considerations,
| should be greatly surprised if the
people Of the United States were to
select as their Chief Magistrate a
man who was making, at tho Acade-
my of Music, on the 18th of July,
1868, speech deficient in all the
characteristics Of an elevated love of
country, at the very hour when Gen,
Grant was carrying the victorious
arms Of the Union into Vicksburg,
and when thousands Of our fellow
countrymen were pouring out their
life blood on the plains of Gettys
burg, in defense Of their homes and
the Government ,ohich Mr.. Seymour
Dds doing all IN his Po,oer to embdr-
rdsS and discredH,
| am quite willing you should show
this letter to any friends Who may
take an interest in my opinion in re-
gard to the coming election, and
am particularly desirous Of removing
the impression, if it exists, that am
in favor of Mr.. Seymour, or the repu.
diation Of any portion Of the public
debt.
| am, sir, very truly yours.
JouN A. Dix.