New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-09-28
sCATHISG REVIEW OF SEYMOUR
AND HIS CAREER.
Letter From General j ohm 4. DIX.

New YORK, September 22.-General Dix,
| the American Minister to France, has sent
the following letter to friend in this city.
! The letter was not intended for publica-
| ton, but the gentleman to whom it is
addressed has consented to give it to the
public; s.e ......i
PARIS, September 4.--MY DEAR SIR. It
was my hope that my absence from home
would have saved ms from all participa-
ton in political excitement here, but /
notice in one of the newspapers that am
heart and hand with Mr.. Seymour. am
not aware of anything in my present or
past which could rightfully subject me to
such an imputation.
have been acquainted with Mr.. Sey-
mour for more than quarter of century.
He is an amiable gentleman, of unexcep-
tionable private character and respectable
talents; but you know as well as that he
has not a single qualification for the sue
cessful administration of the high official
trust to which he has been nominated, and
he is especially deficient in that frmness of
purpose which in critical emergencies is
the only safeguard against public disorder
and calamity, He has been twice at differ
ent times Governor of the Site of New
York, and he has in neither case had the
talentor tact to keep the Democratic party
of the State together more than two years. /
should regard his election at this iuneture,
when steadiness of purpose, decision and
selfcontrol are so much needed, as one of
the greatest eaiamities that could befall the
country.
Moreover, he has been put in nomination
by a convention which has openly declared |
the purpose Of those it represents to be TO |
pay the greater part OF the public debt |
contracted to preserve the Union in de- |
pre- ciated paper. Such a measure, in nv |
judgment, would be palpable violation of |
the public faith, pledged under circum-
stances which should be binding on all |
b honorable men. Seymour has made pub.
lie speeches to show that it is our duty to |
pay this debt in specie. In accepting his |
nomination to the Presidency he adopts the
declaration that it ought to be paid in pa
per. / know nothing so humiliating in the
history OF American politics as this tergi-
versation. n3lr a+I
1t was perhaps not unfit that Mr.. Sey-
mour, after presiding in 1864 over the
Chicago convention, which declared the |
war failure, should preside over the con
sntion of 1868, in which proposition to
aiscredit the debt contracted to carry on
the war was received with tremendous
and that he should be the chosen
instrument to execute this act of national
urpitude. ! do not believe that the wishes
1r opinions of the great body of the Demo-
,ratlc party are fairly represented in these
proceedings; they have nothing in common
With the statesmanlike views of policy and
he high sense Of national honor which
guided the party when Martin Van Buren,.
Vim. L. Yaneey, SiIas Wright, Lewis Cass
md Stephen A. Douglas were among its
rost conspicuous members.
see but one source of safety for the
country under existing circumstances, and
bat is the election of General Grant In ,
lis decision Of character, good sense, mod
ration and disinterested patriotism, be-
ieve the South will have a far better hope
i regaining the position in the Union to
Fhich it is entitled, than under a man
whose political career has been ia nothing ;
lore eonspicuously marked than in an utter
ntirnity Of purpose. ie4a.i $50 5se oi
Independent Of all these considerations. I
should be greatly surprised if the people !
! the United States were to elect to their
hief magistracy q man who was making. at ,
ne Academy OF Music, on the fourth of July, !
o6S "a speech deficient in all the characterize
les an elevated love Of country, at the
cry hour when Gen. Grant was carving
he victorious armies of the Union into
'icksburg, and when thousands of our
lllen countrymen were pouring out their
lood on the plains Of Gettysburg in de-
'nse of their homes and the government
Ihich Mr.. Seymour was doing all in his
over TO embarass and dlscredit. ~ $
am quite willing yon should show this
liter to any friends who may have taken q
interest 10 my opinion in regard to the :,
orning election, and ! am particularly de-
irons TO remove the impression, if ii ex-
'ts, that I am in favor Of Mr.. Seymour or |
% republication Of any portion OF the pub
C debt. a bal 5g'-Sssg
am, sir, very truly yours,
& % o lIiaJ0IN A. DIX.