Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-09-29
Gen. John A. Dix for Grant and Colfax.

Gen. Dix has been known as the
head war democrat OF the u. s., and
upon the close of the war be re- join,
ed his old party it will be seen
however from his letter herein that
he cannot support Seymour, and that
he will support Gen. Grant for rea-
sons stated. 1t was Gen Dix, who,
when reminded that men were tear
ing down the American flag and IN
answer to the quesiion-what shall
DO done with them Said Shoot
them on the spot +" Itmay not be
forgotten that this was said OF Sey-
mour's !" friends in n. Y. City du>
ring the riots of 1868.
Gen. Dix, now our minister to
france. has written as follows
PARIS, Sep. 4, 1868.
My DEAR SIR 1t was my hope
that my distance from home would
have saved me from all participation
in the political excitement prevails
ing there but notice in one of the
newspapers that / arr heart and
hand with Mr. Seymour. | am not
aware OF anything in the present or
past which could rightfully subject
me TO such an imputstion. have
been acquainted with Mr.. Seymour
more than q quarter OF century.
He is an amiable gentleman, OF un-
exceptionable private character and
respectable talents; bat you know
as well as | that he has not ii single
qualification for the successful exec
cutioH OF the high official trust To
which he has been nominated, and
he is especially deficient III that firm
ness OF purpose which in critical
emergencies is the only safeguard
against public disaster and calamity.
He has been twice, at different times,
Governor of the State OF New York,
and has in neither case had talent or
tact TO keep the Democratic party
Of the State together more than two
years. / should regard his election
at this juncture, when steadiness Of
purpose, decision and self control
are SO much needed, as enc Of the
greatest calamities that could befall
the country. Moreover, he has been
put in nomination by Il convention
which has openly declared the pur-
pose of those itrepresents to pay the
greater part of the public debt con-
tracted to preserve the Union in de-
preciated paper Such measure
would, in my judgment, be a palpa>
bic violation Of the public faith,
pledged under circumstances which
should have been binding on all hon.
orsble men.
Seymour has made public
speeches to show that it is our duty
to pay the debt in specie. La ac>
cepting his nomination 10 the Presi-
dency, be adopts the declaration
that it ought to be paid in paper.
know nothing so humiliating in the
hietory of American politics as this
regeneration. 1t was perhaps not
unfit thas Mr.. Seymour, after presi.
siding 10 1874 over the Chicago Con.
vention, which declared the war 8
failure, should preside over the con-
vention of 1868, in which q PROPOSE
ton TO discredit the debt contracted
TO carry on the war was received
with tremendous cheering, and tha
he should be the chosen instrumen
; to execute this act OF national turpi
tude. | do not believe that the wish
es or opinions of the great body Q
the Democratic party are fairly ex
, pressed in these proceedings. The.
have nothing in common with th
> statesmanlike view of the policy an
the high sense of national homo
: which'guided the party when Mar
e tin Van Buren,, William L. Yancey
Silas Wright, Cass and Stephen 4
? Douglass were among its most con
] spicuous members.
= | see but one source Of safety to
the country under existing circum
stances, and that is the election {
General Grant. On his decision c
character, good sense, moGeratio
and disinterested patriotism, be
lieve the South will have a far bette
: hope regaining the position in th
Union to which it is entitled tba
under a man whose political caree
. has been in nothing more conspicu
ously marked than in az utter mfr
nifty OF purpose.
independently of all these con
siderations, should be greatly sur
prised if the people OF the Unitc'
States were to elect as their Chic
Magistrate man who was making
at the Academy of Music, on the Al
OF July, 1863, speech deficient il
all the characteristics of our elevat
ed love of country; at the very hou
when General Grant was carryin;
the victorious arms of the Union in
to Vicksburg, and when thousand
of our fallen countrymen were pour
ing out their blood on the plains o
; Gettysburg in defence of their home
,, and the government which Mr.. Sey
mour was doing all in his power t
embarrass and discredit
Il am quite willing you shoult
show this letter to any friend
: who may take an interest in my opin
ion in regard to the coming election
,, and am particularly DESTROYS Of re
moving the impression, If it exists
that [ am in fa1or of Mr.. Seymou
or the reputation of any portion 0
the public debt. | am, air, very tru
| ly YOURS,