The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-25
The baltimore MeettnR-Letter from
FIR. Stuart.

conda.
The baltimore Meettng-Lefter from
Mr. Stuart.
The Baltimore meeting was grand AFFAIR.
Letters we're read from many distinguished
gentlemen. Among the letters none was
superior to the following from A. Il. Il.
Stuart, Esq:
sTAUNToS, Va, July 20, 1868.
Gentlemen,-I have had the honor to re-
ceive your letter of the 18th instant, in
viting me to take part in meeting OF the
Democratic Conservative citizens Of Mary
land, to be held in Monument Square, in
the city of Baltimore, on Thursday evening
the 23d instant, for the purpose of ratlfy-
ing the nominations of Seymour and Blair.
I regret that my business engagements
compel me to deny myself the pleasure OF
being with you on that occasion. cor
daily concur in the objects of the meeting,
and hope that it may in all respects be
worthy of the occasion which calls the peo-
pie together.
The New York Convention has done its
work wisely and we'll. ! have long regard
ed Mr.. Seymour as one of the most saga
cious and conservative of American states
men, and his nomination was but q just
tribute to his sound constitutional prtnci-
pies and the spotless purity of his charac-
ter.
As for the platform adopted by the Con-
vention, regard it but as reafirmation of
the true principles of the Federal Constitu-
ton. If, in the coming election, the people
of the States shall give it cordial support,
we may again hope for peace, prosperity,
and happiness. If, on the other hand, they
shall record their votes against 1t, all the
lessons of history are false if we are not
destined to pass through anarchy and blood
to military despotism.
All governments, whatever may be their
form, WELD substantially the same aggre-
gate amount of power, and over the same
subjects. All claim control over the life,
liberty, and property of their citizens or
subjects. The character of government,
therefore, is not determined by the amount
of power which it possesses. The true test
is to be found in the concentration of all
power in one man, or body of men, or in
its distribution among coordinate depart
ments. Wherever all power is concentrated
in one man, or body of men, call the 60
vernment by what name you may, it is
essentially a despotism. And converso,
wherever the powers of government are
divided and distributed among the three
great departments, which reciprocally act
as checks and restraints upon each other,
the elements Of freedom will invariably be
found.
The trainers of the Federal Constitution
were deeply impressed with these great
truths, and hence they divided the powers
of government between three separate and
coordinate departments-the legislative, ex-
ecutive, and judicial-and ordained that
they should be kept separate and distinct,
neither department exercising powers con-
fided to the others. Unmindful of this fun
damental principle of free government, the
Republican party in Congress have broken
down the partition-walls established by the
Constitution and usurped large portion of
the powers confded to the executive and
judiciary. To this intent they have con-
verified the Government into depotism,
and unless arrested in their mad career
by the strong hand of the people they
will soon absorb not only oil the
powers delegated by the Constitution to the
Federal Government, but also all those
that we're reserved to the States and the
people. The issue in the coming contest is
between freedom and despotism-between
government of delegated powers-Gmit-
ed and restrained in their exercise by con-
stitutional provisions, or the lawless domi-
nation of o congressional oligarchy, which
claims to be law unto itself, and acknow-
lodges no limit to its power but its own
arbitrary will. 1t is time, therefore, that
the people should assemble and take
counsel together how they can best arrest
the revolutionary measures of the party
in power. 1t is especially incumbent on
the members of the old Wing party-the
followers of H. Clay-to dismiss from their
minds all prejudices against the name of
Democracy, and lend their aid in the good
work of constitutional restoration. The
Wing party had its birth in resistance to
what it regarded as usurpation by the
Executive. Its vital principle was and is
resistance to tyranny. But what were the
usurpations of 1888 to those of 1868 !? They
were as a grain of sand to mountain. The
principles of the New York Convention are
in fact Wing principles, and all Wings who
value consistency and constitutional liberty
should rally with enthusiasm to the sup
port of the platform and the nominees Of
the New York Convention. Who can doubt
where Clay, Webster, Crittenden, Clayton,
Corwin, and Rives would stand in the ap-
preaching election if they were among the
living?
Old party prejudices and animosities
should now be forgotten, and oil good men,
all friends of the Constitution, all lovers of
liberty, regulated by law, should now stand
shoulder to shoulder, and register solemn
VOW never to relax their efforts until the
party now in power shall be elected from
the high places which they have abused
and polluted, and the true principles of the
Constitution shall have been firmly rein
stated in the administration of the govern
nent.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
ALEXANDER H. II. STUART.
ARRIVAL OF COMMODORE MAURY.-Com-