Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-10-02
Patriotic Letter from Gen. John A. Dix.
New YoRK. September %.

NEW YORK, September %.
GENERAL JOHN A. DIX, American Min
lister to France, has sent the following let
ter 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:
PARIS, September 4, 1868.
My DEAR SIR: 1t was my hope thatmy
distance from home would have saved me
from all participation in the political ex-
citement prevailing there; but l notice in
one of the newspapers statement that l
am heart and hand with Mr.. Seymour.
/ am not aware of anything, in the pres
ent or the past, which could rightfully
subject me to such an imputation.
have been acquainted with Mr.. Sey-
mour 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 execution of the high official trust
to which he has been nominated, and is
especially deficient in the tirmness of pur-
pose which in critical emergencies is the
only safeguard against public disorder and
calamity. He has been twice, at different
| times, Governor of the State of New York,
or the tact to keep the Democratic party
of the State together more than two years.
/ should regard his election, at this juno
ture, when steadiness of purpose, deci-
sion, and self control are 80 much needed as
one of the greatest calamities that could
befall the country. Moreover, he has been
put in nomination bya convention which
has openly declared the purpose of those
it represents to pay the greater part of the
public debt contracted to preserve the
Union in deprecated paper. Such meas
ure would, in my judgment, be palpable
violation of the public faith pledged under
circumstances which should have been
binding on all honorable men. Seymour
has made public speeches to show that il
is cur duty to pay the debt in specie In
accepting his nomination to the Presidency
he adopts the declaration that 1t ought to
be paid in paper. know nothing so hui
initiating in the history of American poll.
tics as this regeneration. 1t was, per
haps, not unfit that Mr.. Seymour, after
presiding, in 1864, over the Chicago Con.
Vention, which declared the war failure
should preside over the convention in
1868, in which proposition to discredii
the debt contracted TO carry on the wal
was received with tremendous cheering
and that he should be the chosen instTu
ment to execute this act of national turpi
tude.
1 do not believe that the wishes or opin,
ions of the great body of the Democratic
party are fairly expressed in the proceed
ings. They have nothing in common with
the statesmanlike view of the policy and
the high sense of national honor which
guided the party when Martin Van Buren,
William L. Yancey, Silas Wright, Lewil
Cass, and Stephen A. Douglas were among
its most conspicuous members.
/ see but one source of safety for the
country under the existing circumstances
and that is the election of Grant. Ii
his decision of character, good sense, mod
Grafton, and disinterested patriotism be
lieve the South will have far better hop,
OF regaining the position in the UnioI
TO which ii is entitled than under a mar
whose political career has been IN nothing
more conspicuously marked than in ute
infrmity of purpose.
independently of all these considera
tions, should be greatly surprised If thl
people of the United States were TO elec
as their Chief Magistrate man VINO wa
making, at the Academy of Music, on tn
4th of July, 1853, speech deficient In al
the characteristics of an elevated love o
! country, at the very hour when Gen
Grant was carrying the victorious arms O
the Union into Vicksburg, and when thou
sands of cur fallen countrymen wer
J pouring out their blood on the plains @
: Gettysburg, in defense Of their homes an
the Government which Mr.. Seymour wa
/ doing all in his power TO embarrass an
l discredit
!. / am quite willing you should show thi
) letter to any friends whe may take an In
!. terest in my opinion in regard to the con
' ing election, and | am particularly desirou
o of removing the impression, if 1t exist
I that am in favor OF Mr.. Seymour, or th
= repudiation Of any portion Of the publ
o debt.
IAN, zig, very truly, yours,
4 ' gsHs A. pu.