The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-07-14
Gcncral Mcclellan on the rOliti-
cal Situation.

The following letter was addressed TO
The Tamimany Society and read at its
celebration OF Independence day:
New YORK, july !, 1871.
Hon. William II. Tweed, Grand Sachcm:
DEsE Sur have the honor to ac-
to moct with the Tammany Society upon
the occasion Of the celebration Of the
Independence Day.
regret that circumstances Will not
permit me TO be il The city then.
AT Il time like the present it is right
to express once more my deep and abid-
ing interest in The great principles aavo-
Gated by The Democratic party; and. re-
the former relations between
the party and myself, perhaps it viii
not be oliic;ous il, ip accordance with
your request, proilcr II few words to
those who honorcd me SO highly in a
season OF difficulty.
although / have retired from public
life it has been impossible to avoid
forming opinions upon bubble affairs.
aud what | have 10 say must be regarded
simply as the sentiments OF 4 private
citizen.
The Pre- si,'cntial campaign, so soon to
be opened, Is destined 10 be one OF the
most important of ull that lave becu
trust that every Democrat will rcco-
glizc the magnitude OF The Issues al
stake no less. il would seem, than the
very existence of the free institutions
our fathers gave us. the true foundations
of la,,,.is,ala t.I,.1 ~ 4.
bcuueaih which {, onr children we
-hoiid be ready 10 make amy honorable
sacrifice.
trust when tic moment for action
arrives there VIII be found none in the
Democratic ranks WHO will fora lno-
mcni hesitate 10 sacrifice personal adj
yantagcs or private feelings for ihc pub
liz good; for our object siould be MOI i
mere party triumph. but the rescue oi
The country from tho hands of those
with whom personal aggranGiscncni
and party ends outweigh all reverence
for the vital spiri, OF our institution
and desire for lllc real good oi tic cii-
tire nation.
trust that orr leaders will clearly
see which or the issues t!ia! have so long
agiiatcd the country arc irrcvocably set
tied. and that we shall not be called
upon 10 contend for y corpse.
Let us leave behind Us the dead issue,
OF the past, and look only to the present.
ani tic future.
Slavery is dead dead let il rcmai,
forever. ana lei no one disturb il grave
The negro has the right 10 vote lei
him keep il /; bnt strive 10 educate him
l,s. ,rs,
upon him. Show him who his real
friends are, and we will eventually turn
in our favor the weapon so carefully
forged for our destruction.
Let us hope that the cnunciation oi
the financial principles Of tie party will
be so clear that 90 one cast the shadow
of a doubt upon our intentions as 10 full
filling in the broadcst sense all the obi.
cations OF tho nation; rather than in
dulgc in abstract discussions as to the
meaning of this or that obligation, ic,
us advocate, and when III power pursue,
such policy as will make the paper
dollar rs good as the gold dollar, SO that
the question will practically settle itself.
TO secure this result ii must be clcarl y
understood throughout the world that
every dollar OF the principal and interest
of the national debt will Lc fully paid
when due the expenditures Of The gen
cral government mus. be confined 10
The sums requisite to meet the interest
upon the debt, and tic expenses ncccs-
sary to maintain the efficiency and Dig
nifty of the government: the sums
drawn from this generation by the tariff
and internal taxation should be limited
N, y,,1t. inst innoI rnI Tim
effort 10 rcducc prcmaturcly the princi-
pal of the debt at the expense or the
general prosperity OF the nation should
be abandoned.
We have borne ihc burden ofthc recent
war, and should be called upon to do no
more than meet the full interest upon
the debt; another generation more
wealthy and numerous. than this, can
readily take care of the principal.
The issues Of the present and the
future are distinct enough, and afford
us the most simple and Tie best battle
field for the approaching contest.
Universal amnesty and suffrage, the
preservation of the rights of the States
as guaranteed by the letter and true
spirit of the Constitution, once held so
sacred; the preservation Of individual
liberty; the nviolahility OF the right OF
the habcas corpus; tho maintenance OF
the purity and OF the relative powers OF
the three great branches Of the general
government; strict economy in the
administration OF The government; the
relief Of tho business interests Of The
country from the ruinous pressure OF all
unequal, i'll arranged, and unnecessary
burdens; these constitute some OF the
main Issues upon which we may cQnfi-
IDENTIFY hope 10 rest our chances OF
success.
With the hope that the principles pub
lishcd TO the world ninety five years ago
may throughout all time guide the ac-
tons and command the reverence OF The
American people, and apologizing for
having trcspasscd SO long on your time
and patience, am, with great respect,
very truly yours,
GEORGE II. McCLELLAN.