The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-27
grtni'1s State guitrnat.
TUESDAY EVENING, AUG, q, 1872.
EIGHTH DISTRICT ELECToR

The following letter was addressed to the
committee appointed to notify Mr.. VIM.
Williams, of Loudoun, of his nomination
as Presidential elector for the Eighth dis
trict in this State. Mr.. Williams writes
from Elmira, N. Y, where he is at present
detained by business engagements:
.4% S ELsrIRA, N. Y, August, 1872.
GENTLEsIEN--You letter of the 9Th
inst, informing me that had been select
ed by the Convention held in Alexandria
on the LIST Of this month as an elector on
the Grant and Wilson ticket in the ensuing
Presidential election, has Just been re-
ceived. My absence from home must be
my apology for not acknowledging its re-
ception earlier. 1t is a source of profound
regret to me that the convention did not Sc
lect some one from the many competent
gentlemen in our district who could have
given his time and attention to aiding the
cause, that and you think the cause Of our
country; for surely that which promises
to secure and perpetuate the measures that
have so far proved eftectual in bringing into
harmonious relations the dscordant ele-
ments of which it is now composed may be
regarded as such. My constrained abb
sence from Virginia will render it impossi-
BILE for me to address my fellow-ctizens as
is usually expected of those holding that
position, and you will have to rely on vol
untary aid to disseminate our views of po-
liticat affairs among the people. Let us
hope, gentlemen, that much of this will not
be necessary. fl-t.
IL those who have heretofore opposed us
are sincere in adopting the measures con-
tanned in the Cincinnati platform, there is
really very little difference between them
and US if they are not, the fraud will be-
come too transparent during the canvass to
mislead the minds of the American people.
and will work their defeat The question
then narrows itself down to choice of men
to carry these measures into effect.
Whether he who has proved himself to be
talent in leading the armies of his country
on to victory; III pursuing the even tenor
of his way, unawed by the threats of poll
ticians in administering its civil affairs, or
he who IS untried in this particular de-
partment is the litter man to see that
the laws of the United States are properly
administered, is the question upon which
the people Of this country are now to de-
eide. 1t is not necessary for us to descend
to scandal in order to traduce the character
of Horace Greeley. He has abilities ot a
high order, and has shown himself entirely
competent to conduct n public journal in
the rough and undigniiied manner peculiar
b to American editors. But to claim for
him that amenity of manner which should
belong to the head of this nation
is simply ridiculous. And the versa
tility Of talent which enabled him
on a moments notice to meet the argument
of an adversary with prompt refutation, has
unfortunately become a habit Of mind with
him. His impulses, however good, lead
him astray. And he is unreliable in action.
Were any sudden emergency to arise in the
affairs of the country, he has not that sell
poise which would enable him to act with
Dromptness and decision, and at the very
rnofncnt when a calm and steady course of
conduct would be required we would find
lim variable and uncertain. We should
agaiu witness that vascillation which rem
dered the administration of Buchanan so
powerless and inefficient. M
AS to The cutlery about officeholders, it is
as old as the government and regularly re-
ours at every election. Some of as may
wish for state of affairs, where the induce
ment for position might be so far diminished
as to take away the great greed for office.
If the emolumeuts were no more than a
fair compensation for the service performed
we might hope for something Of the kind.
But as long as man seek official position in
preference to ordinary employment we find
quite as much eagerness to obtain office as
there is to retain it, and quite as much cor
ruption on the part of the opposition party
as there is on that of the administration.
+,i will not insult the intelligence of the
Southern people by admitting Horace Gree
ley to have been a greater friend TO those of
them engaged in the late rebellion than
General Grant has been. If the one fought
them with yigor, the other urged on the
contest, and certainly no man ever exhibit
ed more generosity to a fallen foe than
Grant, both in the terms of capitulation and
the stern resolve that those terms should be
inviobly maintained. The request Of some
of our public men in regard to having GER
tain obnoxious clauses of the state consti-
tuition submitted to separate vote was
promptly recommended by him, and the
I people of Virginia are now reaping the re-
ward of his Kindness. But say some he
enforced the law of Congress in some of the
Southern states and thus brought to light
the NTH of ku-kluxism. Pray what was
he there for, if not to enforce the law so
long as twas law? Had he not pre-
yiously asserted that the best way to get
rid of a bad law is to enforce it, and thus
show the country what its practical opera
ton is And ought we not zone and alp
TO be thankful for the passage and execution
of law that crushed this hydra in its in
fancy, and thus saved the country from
that war of races which it was sure to inau-
gurate
In short, any fair review of the Admin
istration will show that its present head has
exhibited as much leniency in his treat
ment of the South, as was at all compatible
with his duty to the whole country. Errors
may have been committed in some instan-
ces, for what man in any of the relations
Of life is entirely free from them? But
think we may safely say that our national
affairs, for the past three years, have been
successfully managed, and that it would be
the part of wisdom to entrust them to the
same hands again. Resting in this belief,
have faith to think that in the coming
election, the people Of this country will show
by their votes that the mere politicians car
not sway them from the path of true patri
otism by denouncing the man whom the,
have delighted to honor. Accept, gentle
men my thanks for the flatterinp name