The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-10-16
LETTER FROM GEN. DIX.
NEW YoRK, Sent. %.

g.lss 5-rr7 NEW DIRK, sept, H.
. Gen. Dix, the American minister to
Paris, has.sent the,foliowing letter to
friend in this city. 1t was not written
for publication, but the gentleman to
whom it was addressed, has consented
to give it TO the public: sof83
- - PARIS, Sept. 18th, 1868.
Ny DEAR SIR: 1t was my hope that
my distance from home would have
saved me from all participation in the
political excitement prevailing there,
but I notice in one of the newspapers
that am heart and hand with Mr.. ,Sey-
mour. / am not aware of anything in
the present or in the past, which could
rightfully subject me to such an impu-
tation. I have been acquainted with Mr..
Seymour more than quarter of CEN
fury. He is an amiable gentleman, of
uneXceptionable private character and
respectable talents, But you know as
well as that he has not a single quail
ffcation for the successful execution of
the high official trust to- which he has
been nominated, and he is especially de-
ficient in that frmness ofpurpOse, which
in critical emergencies is the only safe
guard against public disorder and calam-
ity. He has been twice at different
times Governor of the State of New
York and he has in neither case had the
talent or the tact to keep the emocrat-
ic party of the State together more than
two years.
should regard his election at this
Ejuncture, when steadiness of purpose,
decision and self control are so much
needed. as one of the greatest calami-
tiess that could befail the country.
Moreover, he has been put in nomina-
INxrn ont hinH hn . aINy
declared the purpose. of those it repre-
scented to pay the greater part of the
public debt contracted to preserve the
Union, in deprecated paper. Such a
measure would, in my judgment, be a
palpable, violation of the public faith,
pledged under circumstances which
Should have been binding on all honor
able men.
Mr.. Seymour has made public speech
es to show that it is our duty to pay the
debt in specie. In accepting his nomi-
nation. to the presidency, he adopts the
declaration that it ought to be paid in
paper. / know nothing so humiliating
in the history of American politics as
this regeneration. 1t was perhaps not
unfit that Mr.. Seymour, after presiding
in 1864 over the Chicago convention,
which declared the war failure, should
preside over the convention of 1868, in
which a proposition to discredit the
debt CONTRACTED to carry on the war,
was received with tremendous cheer
ing" and that he should be the chosen
instrument to execute this act of Nation
al turpituGe. / do not believe that the
wishes or opinions of the great body of
the Democratic party are fairly express
ed in these proceedings. They have
nothing in common with the statesman
like views of policy and the high sense
of national honor, which guided the par
ty when Martin Van Buren,, William L..
Marcy, Silas Wright, Lewis Cass and
stephen A. Douglas We're, among its
most conspicuous members.
I see but one source of safety for the
country, under existing circumstances,
and that is the election of Gen. Grant,
on his decision of character, good sense,
moderation and disinterested patriot
ism. / believe the south will have a
far better hope of regaining the position
in the Union to which it is entitled.
than under a man whose political ca
reer has been in nothing more conspicu-
ously marked than in an utter infirmity
of purpose. atE
Independently of all these considera-
tons l should be greatly surprised if
the people of the United States were to
elect as their chief magistrate, man
w hO' was IHdhlHS, Tic VI
Music, on the 4th of July, 1863, a 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
fallen countrymen were pouring out
their blood on the plains of Gettysburg,
in defence of their homes and the gov
eminent, which Mr.. Seymour was do
ling all in his power to embarrass and
discredit.
1 am quite willing that you should
show this letter to any friends who may
take an interest in my opinion in regard
to the coming election. and am partic-
ularly DESTROYS of removing the impress
sion, if it exists, that am in favor of
MIR. Seymour, or the reputation of any
portion of the public debt. 20
am, dear, sir, very truly yours,
| 1OHN DIX