The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-09-03
GEN. ROSECRANS' LETTER
Declining the Democratic Nomination
for Governor Of Ohio.
sAr FRANo.soo. oAL.. Aupuat s. Is69

4
Hon. Samuel Butterworth and Judge Nc
Corkle presented me your letter and very
friendly notes from Senators Thurman and
Casserly, announcing my unanimous nOmi-
nation by the Democracy of Ohio as their
candidate for Governor in the pending cleo
toral canvass for State officers, and have
carefully read and considered them. have
likewise conversed with Gov. Hsight, who
takes great interest in the consideration of
the Democratic organization in Ohio on that
basis of constitutional freedom and progress
which, in the past gave unity to party that
has governed the country for more than two
thirds of the period of our national existence,
and originated, or carried into scccessful ex-
ecution, nearly all the great measures which
form epOchs N our history.
Grateful for the honor of this nomination
by the Democracy Of my native State much,
regret that imperious duties compel me TO
decline the canvass, as telegraphed you
yesterday.
Yielding to none in sincere devotion to
Democratic representative government of
which consider our own the best model the
world has yet seen, at nearly fifty, with some
knowledge of men and some experience in
governing them, l am still Democrat from
study, conviction, and a sentiment of brother
hood with my felloWmen. ], therefore, deem
| il duty, under the circumstances of this
nomination, to make few suggestions as to
the fundamental principles which, think,
ought to underlie every local Democratic
platform.
What of old gave the Democratic party in
the Unites States its prestige and spirit was
its profound faith in the capacity of man for
self-government, and progressIunder institu-
tions based on the great principles Of liberty,
fraternity, and equality before the law, and
its courage in carrying the logic Of faith in
to action. Hence arose that discipline, or
der and progressive originality, which have
marked its history and made its victorious
banner the symbol of hope to lovers of free
dom at home and abroad, while in the nature
of things it became the rsllying point of Of
/ fce-seekers, whose timid and time serving
counsels sometimes impaired the energy of
its action and prevented the vigorous deVel-
opment Of its principles.
But after great civil war, which has
changed the face of politics, the instructive
Democracy of the American people remains,
and the events of the war have increased its
confidence in free institutions and in the
capacity of the people to adopt them to the
exigencies of nationalli life, In spite of dream
ers after imperialism or consolidation; in
spite of those whose only political principles
are the apparent exigencies Of the hour, who
knowing that civilized man must have gov
eminent, are always contriving tricks and
schemes TO make themselves the favored few
ordained to govern and be paid for it; in
spite of those who consider it a weak and
failing experiment, the heart of the great
body of our people beats warmly, and its
Judgment moves instinctiTely with its old
Democratic feelings and convictions.
Appeal should, therefore, be made to these
instincts and convictions by asserting fund
amental principles which ought to govern
the future development of this great and free
country, and at the proper times and places
announcing such measures Of policy based
on them as the exigencies of the nations life
and action may require.
The country requires, and the Democrotic
party ought to be, a'party Of principle,
party Of life, of action and Of progress
Fossils and fault.fnders do not properly
belong to the party, and, if found in it, ought
to go on the retired list. -. r..
Leaving to its opponents Of all shades and
grades all narrow and sectional grounds, all
morOpOlies and favoritism based on class,
creed, race, color, or national origin, the
Democratic party Of the United States ought
to hold high the banner of universal freedom,
lD DoAbAu4 lN5eACO ou0 NoAhsy "DoAOAG
law of all who live beneath the flag Of our
country 81.
A fact of our history, expressed on our
coat of arms by the word E PlLri6tts Uaunl
many in One-is that we have grown
many distinct substantially self-govsrning
communities under one country or general
sovereignty. To cease to be many. or to
be one would interrupt this law of our his
toric life. The self-goVernment of the peo-
pie by the States and the unity Of the ns-
ton are essential laws of our past growth
and life, of which our written Constitution
is but the formed expression, and must be
Fundamental with the National Democracy,
whose policy must be broad enough and wide
enough to maintain the one without weaken
ing the other.
1t is the combined action Of these two
principles which gives our democratic repre-
sentative system its power of expansion, and
makes it work to the wonder and admiration
of European statesmen and philosophers
Leaving the rights Of self-GOvernment to the
people, and removing from the States all the
burdens of armies, navies, lines of fortifca-
tions, diplomatic representatives, coinage,
postal systems, and that host of officials
which subtract from productive industry,
and devOur its products in the States of
Europe, it frees commerce and travel from
varying standards of weights, measures and
values, from State tariffs, passports and spy
ing Oficialism, and provides that the citizens
of one State may obtain redress or payment
of claims from those of another, without the
interminable operations and delays Of dip
lomacy by the intervention of courts of law.
Based on these laws of our life and
growth, and repudiating the doctrine that
,sr.,E boz ~ - A
holds that liberty consists in the obedience
of all to Just laws. That these laws should
be the fewest and simplest possible, leaving
the utmost Individual freedom Of thought
and action consistent with equal rights and
impartial justice, and where individual ac-
tiOn must be regulated by law, seskiDg al
ways |" the greatest good to the greatest
number"
This is the democracy ! believe in, and to
which 1 am proud TO belong.
Permit me, therefore, to indicate among
the measures called for by the present ex-
igencies the following, 10 reference to
Our public debt;
Currency;
Revenue and protection
Glass legislation
Offices and tenures;
Executive patronage;
Suffrage; and
The caucus system.
i. The enormous interest on our public
debt is producing the most fearful inequali-
ties in the distribution of capital, bringing
the Government into the money market as
borrower at an average of Il16 per cent.
per annum currency-inrerest 1870 per cent
premium on the coin 1:eO, exemption from
taxation 2:40-1l:50 per cent.-to compete
with private borrowers, and, moreover, Civ.
ing to bankers holding its bonds not only
this interest, but the right to issue notes on
their credit and use them as money under
the National Banking law.
sis mis- is forcing the very life blood of capi-
tai from the Vest anu -. .sh y. IN TACT, from
all the extremities where it's circulation is /
especially needed, to the great Eastern CEN
tres Of capital and speculation, and by put |
ting an enormous price on capital 10 Ooun-
try whose industrial and business develop |
ments require great deal of cheap capital, |
is gnawiDg at the very Vitals of industry and |
business of the grest mass of the people.
To arrest these devouFlng evils demands
the most prompt redemption of our bonds |
according to the law and equity of their is |
sue, and that National Bank notes should be |
payable in coin on demand To effect this |
" Muet oAmiuiaH OuI 4Pcneeo ~ hOme5 /
establish confidence in our political and ad-
ministrative stability, and increase our credit
abroad until our bonds in foreign markets
are worth what our ability and certainty to
pay warrant; and then from the proceeds of
the sales Of a new issue bearing reasonable
interest, and Subjec to reasonable taxation, |
promptly redeem every existing bond the
moment it becomes due.
No local declaration inviting a populay
prejudgment of any legal question about the
terms Of payment Of national bonds should
iuTlair the TriceIeas Va alue of the nuhl;c credit