Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-09-30
General Dix's Letter.


rublised statement that Gen. DIX the
American Minister to Paris, was IN favor OF
the election of Seymour to the Presidency
the General deemed IT proper to write the
following letter to friend in New York
1t was not written for publication, but the
gentleman to whom it was addressed has
consented to give it to the public
PARIS. September 4, 1868.
My DEAR SIR: Ii was my hope that my
distance from home would have saved me
from all participation in the political excite
ment prevailing there. But l notice in one
of the newspapers that | am heart hand vii h
Mr.. Seymour. | am not aware OF anything
in the present or the past which couid risht-
fully subject me to such an mputatioh.
| have been acquainted with Mr. Seymour
more than ii quarter of a century: he Is an
amiable gentleman. of unexceptlonabie prl-
yate character. and respectable talents but
You know.as well as that he has not SIN
gle qualification for the successful execution
OF the bish official trust to which he has
been nominated. and he is especially .ieh-
cent in that firmness o.. purpose which ID
critical emergencies is the only safeguard
against public disorder and calalplty. he
has been twice at different times Govenor OF
New York, and he has in neither case had
the talent or the tact to keep the Demo
cratic party of the State together more than
Two years | should res ard his election at
this juncture, when steadiness OF purpose,
decision and self control are so much needed,
as one OF the greatest calamlties that could
befaIl the country Moreover, he has been
put in nomination by a convention which
has openly declared the purpose OF those 1t
represents to lay the greater part OF the pub
/ lie debt contracted TO preserve the Oni"n'
| III deprecated paper. Such measure
| would. in my Judgment, be palpabIc VIOLA
/ tion of .he public iairh, ,ledged under cir
/ cumstaces which should have been binding
/ on all honorable men Mr.. Seymour has
made public speeches to show that It Is our
| duty to pay the debt in specie. In accep-
/ ting his nomination TO the Presidency he
/ adopts the declaration that 1t ought to be
paid in paper | know nothing so humIil-
! aiing IL the history OF American politics "a
this tergiyersarion Ii was, perhaps. not
| unfit that Mir Seymour, after presiding, II
| 1864, over the Chicago Convention. which
declared the war IA failure should preside over
thc convention OF 1868. in which Propo-
sitiun To dJscredIt the debt contracted to car
ry on the war was received with ''tren en-
dous cheering, and that he should be the
chosen ln>tl unent 10 execute this dCI VI
| national turpItuCe.
| do not believe that the wishes or opin-
ions of the great body of the Democratic par
" are fairly expressed in those proceedings
| They have nothing in common with th,
statesmauIike views of policy and the higt
sense of national honor which guided tn,
party when Martin Van Buren, William L.
! Marcy. Silas Wright, Lewis CaSs, and Ste
phen Douglas were among Its most conspIc
uous members see but one source o
safety for the country under existing circum
stances, and that Is the election of Genera
Grant. On his decision Of character, goot
sense. moderation, and dislnerested patrio
tism. I believe the South will have tar bet
ter hope of regaiang the position III th
| Union TO which il Is entitled, than under
man whose political career has been lnnoth
lug more conspicnouSly marked than IN al
utter iIhrniity OF purpose.
INDEPENDENTLY of all these considerations
Gdh9Uphbdir Is SFssffliy Ssfa sararlsed 1.-THE people
Chef Magistrate a ,Sn Esn~ Wnt H lsat %a 2S Ma kkhel
at the Academy of Music. on the 4th of Ju
", 1858 u speech deficient in all the char
acteri~tics of an elevated love of country
and the very hour when General Grant wa
carrying the victorious arms of the Unio
into Nicksburg, aud when thousands of ou
fallen cOuntrymeD were pouring ont thei
blood on the plains of Gettysburg. ir defenc
of their homes and the Government, whicl
Mr. Seymour was doing all in his power t
embarrass and di>credit
| am quite willing that you should sho,
this letter to any friends who may take a
interest in my opinion in regard to the com
ing election, and aIn particularly desil GU
of removing the impression, if it exists. tina
am in favor of Mr.. Seymour, or the repudi
Il y L
[ am, dear sir, very truly yours.
| JOHN A. DIX