New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-10-27
GOVERNOR REHMOUR AND THE
PRESIDENCY.
His Letter of DecIInatl0n-

fact that is was sent to General Morgan,
chairman of the committee appointed BY
the Tammany Convention to inform Messrs.
Seymour and Blair of their nomination, in
stead Of being forwarded to the National
| Committee, accounts for the ignorance of
Messrs. Tiiden, Belmont and Schell con-
corning the whole matter. You will under
stand how your correspondent obtained a
copy of it when l state that General Butler
Is temporarily sojourning in the place:
| UTICA, New York, October Is.
To General G. ~ Morgan and others, COMMITTEE,
| GENTLEMEN-I have been charged with
being of vaeillating, hesitating DISPOSE
ton; but no one can assert that during my
long and eventful public careerI have ever
been slow TO take a hint. The double
loaded leader of that incorruptible, uu-
| swerving organ of Democracy, the New
York World, which has been telegraphed
me at Mr.. Marbles private expense, clearly
reveals the public wish and expectation. /
bow to the decree Of that public sentiment.
| Your candidate l can no longer be.
| What | discovered and declared on the
fourth of August, now repeat: There is
a strong feeling in favor of that line of &C.
tion which shall restore confidence" That
now means me and not General Grant.
act accordingly, and herewith re-
turn you the nomination for Presi-
dent, which you, as a Committee, con-
| ferred upon me three months since. What
ever may be my individual inclinations in
the matter, could not, without violating
my self-respect, longer continue in this
position after the summary invitation to
make myself scarce. I know the World
folks well. They are not only the guard
ians of our party's honor, but they give
expression to the views of our recognized
party leaders. l am fully satisfied that
Vallandigham, Forrest G. c. Burr, Vance,
Henry Clay DeaRe, Hampton, VOORHEES,
Wise, Jack Rogers, and Ben Wood desire
me to withdraw from the race, else the
World would not have said so. Ever since
that sheet, grandly rising above all pecu-
mary considerations, fearlessly abandoned
the Republican party, it has been noted for
telling the truth at all times, particularly
concerning elections, and for accurately
divining and rejecting the sentiments and
wishes of the party whose principles it es-
poused. When, therefore, it cries "ldudade,
ldudace toVourS, l'dudace," hear the voice
of the people, and stand not upon the order
OF going, but go at once.
Furthermore, am now convinced that
my nomination was a mistake, failure
to quote from the Chicago platform of
1864. am free to confess that showed a
slight disposition to insanity when l said
at the State Convention held at Albany,
March IL: "We will sweep corr lption
and usurpstion out of the National Capitol.
These men mistake the spirit of
the people. We defed them when they
were backed by million of armed men.
We 1pSniSo than No tba,- l.
the brink of disgrace and defeat" /
acknowledge that | was a little too san |
guine when said in my letter of accept |
ance II have been caught up by the |
whelming tide, which is bearing us on to a |
great political change;" when in that
same letter, and in brief speeches and let |
tiers delivered and written during the |
months of August and September, | pre- |
dlcted certain victory" "sure success" |
"a political triumph etc. There certainly, |
however, can be nothing discrediiable in |
one admitting that he has erred. Didn't |
President Lincoln write to General Grant |
after the fall of Vicksburg, confessing that |
while he (Grant had been right, he (Mr. |
Lincoln) had been wrong?
And yet it must, in justice to myself, be |
said that there appeared at the time to be |
sufficient grounds for the hopes and prophe-
cies which l expressed and uttered. The
weekly reports of the commissioners showed
a rapid increase in emigration. Donnelly
and Washburne were drowning each other
IN Billingsgate, and rendering the rupture
oi the Republican party irreparable. But
er and fellow-Congressman from Illinois
had passed the lie. Commissioner Delmar
Known as an intense Radical before his an
oointment to the Statistical Bureau, had
.urned Democrat and privately informed
ne OF his determination to so gerrymander
he treasury estimates and figures as to
tighten the people into voting for me.
In view of these and very many other
signs of the times, can you
wonder that | consented to run and ex-
pressed SO much confidence of reaching the
goal? And yet if as l have confessed. nv
acceptance of the nomination was a mis-
axe, God knows did not want it. II
'ame to me, as l told you in August, fun
ought and unexpected" Time and again
'efore the Tammany convention met l
made known my answering determine
ion" not to be candidate. On the even
ng before the nomination was made 7
Urged the New York delegation in |
third speech to vote for Mr.. Chase
When finally the convention, after
0PS~NSN ASAu0"AS Oh NY part, bOu.Ent
force the honor upon me in opposition
Q my Judgment and sense Of honor, even
hen had no intention of succumbing, and
ndeavored to beat retreat from the build
og. Vallandigham confronted me.
lrned and attempted to decamp through
he rear. On hating, however, for mo-
lent in the anteroom to wipe away nv I
ears, Tilden sat down on my coat tails,
nd then escape was hopeless. Ihave sus-
ected that Mr.. Tilden's object in SO doing
as 10 keep me from the Senatorial course.
Iowever this may have been, was caught
last, and thus became your Presidential
Rndid0te. 1t may seem terrible to YOU the
osition in which this letter now oil; ces me
efore the country. am far from being
lanned, however. The truth is / have
cen so accustomed to resigning that it has {
scome quite natural for me to. do so.
l have no aspirations what
yer to occupy the Presidential chair. Ny
nbition for preferment has been already
ore than gratifed. Not to mention many
lbordinate positions held by me, have
vice been elected Governor of tie great
mpire State. 1t is true, on both occasions
ran behind my ticket 1, however, each
me received more votes than nv oppo-
snts, which is more than can be said Of a :
eat many Democratic aspirants for Office I
no receive certificates OF election. Nv
Ibbath School duties, the cultivation Of
y water-melons at Deerfeld, and the sweet
flights Of the family circle, present greater
fractions to me than the White House.
i resign in favor OF Salmon P. Chase; he
ants the place and | don't. Though Mr..
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