Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-05-28
Mr.. Greeley,s Letter of Acceptance.


GENTLEMEN IL have chosen not to ac-
knowledge yonr letter OF the Sd inst, till
could learn how the work Of your Con-
yention was received in all parts OF our
great country, and Judge whether that
work was approved and ratified by the
mass of our fellow citizens.
Their response from day to day has
reached me, through kilograms, letters
and the comments of journalists, indepen-
dent OF official patronage and Indifferent
to the smiles or frowns of power. Inc
number and character of these uhcon-
strained, Impoverished and unsolicited ut
terances, satisfy me that the movement
which found expression nj Cincinnati mas
received the stamp OF pubic approval,
and been hailed by a majority vi our
co,,ntrymen as a harbinger of better day
for the Republic.
especially complimentary 10 myself, nor
even 10 the chivalrous and justly esteeineu
gentleman with whose name thank your
convention for associating mine. re-
ceive il and welcome IL as spontaneous
aud deserved tribute to that admlraoie
platform of principles wherein your con
yention so tersely SO lucidly, so forcioly
set forth the convictions which lmpeiieo,
and the purposes which guided its course
"a platform which, casting behind IL tue
wreck and rubbish of worn out, continn-
ops and bygone feudS, embodies in iit and
few words the needs and aspirations oil
to-day.
Though thousands stand ready TO con-
denim your every act, hardly a syiiaoie Vi
criticism or cavil has been aimed NJ your
platform, of which the substance may DC
fairly epltomlzed as follows:
Flrst-All the political rights ana ifa'i-
chises which have been acquired through
our late bloody CONFUSION must ana shai,
be guaranteed, maintained. enjoyed ana
respected evermore.
Second-All the political rights anu
franchises which have been lost through
that CONFUSION should and must De
promptly restored and re-established, SO
that there shall be henceierth no proscrio-
ed class and no DISTINGUISHED caste WITHIN
the limits OF our union, whose long es-
tranged people shall reunite and fratern'
izc upon the broad basis OF universal ami
nesty with impartial suffrage.
Third-That subject to our solemn con-
stitutional obligation To maintain the equal
rights OF all citizens, our policy should
aim at local self-government, and not AT
Capitalization that the civil authority
should be supreme over the military: that
the writ of habeas corpus should be jeal-
ouSly upheld as the safeguard OF personal
| freedom; that the individual citizen shonld
enjoy the largest liberty consistent with
the public order, and that there should DE
no federal subyersion of the internal poll
cv of the several States and municipali-
| ties. but that each shall be left free TO en-
| force the rights and promote the well be-
! ing of It's inhabitants by such means as
the judgment of its own people shall pre-
! scribe.
Fnurth-There shall be a real and not
merely a simulated reform in the civil ser
vice of the republic, to which end 1t Is IN
dispensible that the chief dispenser OF It's
vast official patronage shall be shielded
from the main temptation TO use his pow
er seltishly, by rule ineNorably forbid
ding and precluding his reelection.
Finh-That the raisln!. OF revenues.
whether By tariff or otherwise, shall be
recognized aud treated as the peoples inn
mediate business, 10 be shaped and direct
| ed by them through their representatives
| i'm Congress, whose action thereon the
| President must neither override by his
veto, attempt to dictate, nor presume 10
furnish by bestowing Office only on those
who agree with him, or Withdrawing II
| from those who do not.
Sixth-rhat the public lands must be
sacredly reserved for occupation and ac-
QUESTION by cultivators, and not reckless
| " squandered on the projectors Of rail-
roads for which our people have no pres
1 al IA. al q trnptinn
of which is annually plunging us into
deeper and deeper abysses OF foreign III
debtedneSs.
! Seventh-That the achievement of these
grand purposes of universal beneticeHce
| is expected aud sought at the hands OF all
who approve them, irrespective OF past
affiliations.
Eighth. That the public faith must at
all hazards De maintained and the nation
| al credit preserved.
Ninth.-'rhat the patriotic devotedness
and inestimable services of our fellow
citizens. who rs soldiers or sailors upheld
the flag and maintained the unity OF the
republic. shall ever be gratefully rcmem-
| bered and honorably requited.
These propositions SO ably aud forciO.y
presented in the platform OF your convcn-
| lion have already fixed the attention and
| commanded the assent of a large majority
of our countrymen, who joyfully adopt
them. as | do, as the basis OF true
| beneticient, national reconstruction OF a
new departure from jealousies, strifes ana
hates which have do longer adequate
motives or even plausible preteNt, into an
atmosphere OF peace, fraternity and mutu-
al good will In vain do its drill Sergeants
of decaying organizations flourish mena-
cingly their truncheons and angriiy insist
| that the files shall be closed and straight
ened.
In vain do the whippers-in of parties
once vital, because rooted IN the vital
needs of the hour, protest against stray
inc and boiling; denounce men nowise
their interiors as traitors and renegades,
and threaten them with intamy and ruin.
am confident that the American peo-
pie have already made your cause their
own, fully resolved that their brave
hearts and strong arms shall bear 1t on
to triumph.
In this fact, and with the distinct un-
derstanding that if elected shall be the
President not of a party but OF the whole
people, accept yonr nomination in the
confident trust that the masses of country
men North and South are eager to clasp
hands across the blody chasm which has
too lon. divided them, forgetting that
they have been enemies in the joyful con-
seriousness that they are and must hence
forth remain brethren.
Yours, gratefully, HORACE GREELEY
To Hon. Carl Schurz, President; Hon. G
w. Julian, Vice-President and others.
|
| L..n.; al IL, lalIa