The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-08-24
An Admirable Letter.


During the last four months we have read
a great many reports of "iuterviews" with
prominent public men in reference to the
present state of political parties and their
future prospects, but we have seen nothing
conceived in better taste, and which con-
following letter from HENRY B. STANTON,
of New York to one of. his Republican friends
Mr.. STANTON was an original Grant man,
but, as will be seen from his letter, now re-
pudiates him and his party. in language as
digniied as it is plain and emphatic.
New YORK. July 29.-Dear Sir: In your
recent letter you ask me if l was the author
of the numbers in the Albany Argus. figned
"a Republican From the Start" which you
read as they came out. I was, and they ex-
press my settled convictions aud | am glad
that you in the main concur in them. You
ask "W hat Of the future ?'' and tell me that
yon agree with Mr. Greeley about Grant and
one term. SO do I. Greeley is right, and
he himself would run better that General
Grant, especially in the south, whore the
republican party is liable to 90 to pieces if
Grant is renon1inated. Nevertheless, l think
he will be. What then? A large body of
the republicans will refuse to support him if
the democracy act wisely. What viii you
and then dove who have acted together
for twenty-five years2 / shall not regret
the success of a democrat next year, provi>
dcd he is sound, firm and trustworthy on the
new departure, and for these reasons in
brief:
/. I supported General Grant solely to
flush up reconstruction by the ratification
of the Fifteenth amendment. This done,
was done with him. Nearly my whole ac~
tive life has been devoted to establishing the
anti slavery principles now engrafted upon
the constitution. The victory being won, l
have no taste for securing the field TO rifle
the slain. The slavery controversy is ended
and the republicans will find that they can
not construct Presidential platform out of
the debris of demolished rebellion, nor ela-
vate the negroes into undue prominence on
the points of federal bayonets.
2. [ want the south to aquiesce in the
constitution as it is, and be at peace. This
we shall not see until we have democrat
force the three amendments. Then the south
ern malcontents will give up their fight and
submit to the situation.
3. You aud l were democrats of the BEN
ton and Wright school. During the rebel
lion the administration went outside of the
constitution to suppress it. In the recon-
struction era congress kept outside about
half the time. There Is no excuse for re-
manning outside now. But, having tasted
of unlicensed power, the appetite of the re-
publican leaders grows by what it feeds
upon. Right there lies the danger Under
the present regime the government is laps
ing into consolidation. and unless we hasten
back within the constitutional limits traced
by the fathers, our descendents will cripge at
the footstool of a dictator. I, therefore,
should not object to the election in 1872 of
a state-rights democrat of the moderate type
of our old friend Silas Wright.
4. You tell me you want to see carpet-bag
rule at an end. You are right 1t is a
mockery Of representative government, and
is running the south, which it has involved
IN debt full one hundred millions. You also
favor universal amnesty. But do you not
fear that we cannot secure either OF the ends
while Grant or any President like him is in
power
5. We both agree much more closely with
the mass of democrats than with the repub-
lican managers on questions of fnaEce, tax
alton, trade, etc. The old issues being out
of the arena, this alone would have weight
IN determining my preference for demo-
erat. Would it not yours?
NO", you dSh me, VIII the ueUlOCrdtlC
party present the right sort of candidate
If they do, l believe he can be elected. But
will they ? General Grant received popu-
lar majority in 1868 of about three hundred
thousand. If lie IS rsnominated. and if the
democracy place worthy candidate on a
progressive platform. do You not believe that
sufficient number of those who supported
Grant in 1868 willfall away in 1872 to de-
feat him? l certainly think so. The re-
publican party was coalition in its origin
The exigency which bound together incon-
gruous elements having disappeared, the edges
of the coalition will crumble way. Where
the fragments will go depends upon the
course of the democrats. The result of the
coming contest is in the hands of these re-,
publican fragments. Personally | have
nothing against General Grant. He has
done all l voted for him to do, and some
thing more; and, like Mr.. Greeley, 1 am
satisfied. The defeated party in the next
Presidential campaign will go to pieces.
Which party will it be? At all events, l trust
that you and l will then, as in the past. be
found fighting shoulder to shoulder. Very
truly yours, Fl. B. STANTON.