New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-24
THE RIGHTS or NAN.

A LETTER TO GEN FRANK p BLAIR
SIR: You formerly adhered Il then thought
YOU beOnged) to the Republican party you
are now among the bittcrest of its enemies.
You fought against the Rebels in our late
Civil War: you have since been the candidate
for high office on whom they stakcd all their
hopes, and hates and efforts. You were Union
Representative in Congress throughout the
four years which directly followed my utter
ances of 1S6O-G1 but you did not then whis-
per an objection to them, nor to my working
hard for the selection of your brother to fill a
place in Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinet but you are
now again in Congress, with all Rebeldom at
your back, and you persistently assall me for
those same utteranccs before you are fairly
warm in your seat. In this, you are true to
Your lifelong guiding Observation-Disclosures
again my inclination comedies with your pur-
pose You would like to be the next candidate
of the Rebels and prO-Rebels for President;
and for reasons which nOwise flatter you
wish success to that aspiration: so | crafty
your desire for a controversy. Nay, more:
assure your new friends that, in spite OF past
vacilatiOns, they may trust you so long as
they shall take care not to thwart your ambi-
ton. You never thought of leaving the Re-
pubhcans till you sought the Speakership at
their hands and were denied it; and you will
be equally true to your present cOnfederates
until they in turn shall refuse you something
on which you shall have set your heart.
And now to business:
The Declaration of American Independence
drafted by Thomas jefferson and unanimously
adopted as the justification of our fathers Sc
ccssion from Great Britain, bases that grand
act on this compact assertion of fundamental
principles
1--WE hold these truths TO he self evident That all men
created equal TINT they endowed by their Crea
tor with certain iuacnabe rights that among these are
ie liberty and the pursuit of happiness That to
these rights governments are instituted among men,
derirtag their Just poWers from CONSENT OF THE
GOVERNED; that, whenever any form Of government DO
comes destructive OF these ends, IL is the right Of The
people 10 alter Or 10 abolish IT, and 10 institute nep gorern
neHt laying Its foundation such principles and gan
ling its powers in such FORM to them shall seem most
likely 10 effect their safety and happiness"
General, long ago learned that principles
were incOnvcnicnt, and that he who makes his
own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT his aim must wear them
loosely or put them aside altogether. | doubt
that you would ever have attained your pres
ent dizzy elevation had you permitted yourself
10 he incumbered with them But am old
fashioned, and cannot change my camp or nv
flag with your admired facility. The cradle
songs of my early childhood, the stirring mar
rations which enlivened the Winter fre-sides
of my later youth, have blended inextricably
nv feelings my sympathies my convic-
tons. with the men and the princi-
ples of the American Revolution:
firmly believe that "there were giants in
chose days" aud that very little progress has
becn made in our fundamental conceptions,
and none at all in practical administration,
since the days of Washington. long ago,
therefore, accepted the foregoing statement as
embodyEg the true elemental principles OF
government, and resolved TO live and
die in that faith. Briefly i maintain