The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-15
THE OsKALOOSA HERALD
Thursday, August il, 1872.
GENERAL JOHN A. DIX.
He Gives Pungent Reasons for Prefer

He Gives Pungent Reasons for Prefer.
ring Grant to Greeley.
The following letter from General
John A. Dix has been made public
WEsTHAAlPToN, July 27.-DEAR
SIR: Your letter of the 18th instant,
asking my aid in procuring a speak
er for a Greeley meeting at Hancock,
was sent me while I was in New
England, and / have been unable I'M
til now to acknowledge its recep-
ton.
/ do not understand on what
ground you considered yourself au-
thorized to address such request to
me. If you had been familiar with
the course of my public life, and
equally so with Mr.. Greeley's, you
could not have supposed me capa-
BILE of advocating his election to the
office of President of the United
States without imputing to me an ut
ter abandonment Of all political prin-
ciple. a ....+--.
I am opposed to Mr.. Greeley:
l. Because l believe him to be
as punishable as water" perpetually
fioundering Ito carry out the scriptur-
al fgure) amid the surges of opinion,
and deficient in all the requisites es-
sential to a firm, steady, and con-
sistent administration of the Govern
ment. 4
2. Because he has usually been
| found among the most extreme ul-
tralsts On the great question OF poll
tical and social duty which have
been brought under public discuss
ion during the last quarter OF aeon
fury.
8. Because he has been the advo-
cate land in this instance persist
ently) of that most unjust and une-
quail commercial system which Is de-
stroying our mercantile and ship
ping interests, and heaping up enor-
nous accumulations of wealth in the
hands of the protected classes, to
1 the oppression aud impoverishment
of all others. -...at a-..E.s"7I .
4. Because he is associated, in
relations more or less intimate, with
some of the chief plunderers in the
city of New York, justly warranting
the apprehension that, through his
completely or his facile disposition,
the same system of fraud or corrup.
ton which has disgraced the NUM-
eipal government of this city may
be carried to more infamous extremes
in the administration of the Federal
Government; and, ....
5. Because in the darkest hour of
the country's peril, when the traitors
combination had been formed to
overthrow the Government, he open
ly counseled the cowardly policy of
non resistance, and an acquiescence
in the dissolution of the Union,
whenever the cotton States should
make up their mind to 60. ~.
The coalition, which has been
formed to procure his election, is one
of the most extraordinary in the his
tory of parties, in respect both to the
discordant element 1t embraces, and
the surrender of principles it in
wolves.
The Cincinnati Convention, called
to bring before the people important
measures Of reform, nominated him,
greatly to the surprise of the whole
country, knowing him, in regard to
one of those measures, to be an
implacable opponent-nominated him,
too, against the wishes and judgment
of the chief promoters of the move
ment, who accepted him, either with
an avowed or an illconcealed disgust,
which would be far more creditable
to their feelings if the act of accept
ance we're not utterly irreconcileable
with their principles.
The Democratic Convention at
Baltimore endorsed and commended
him to the support of their party
not as the exponent of any princi-
pies they have confessed or any
measures they have advocated, but
as known and bitter opponent of
both-the man who, perhaps of all
others, has been the most malignant
assailant of the Democracy, impeach.
ing it's integrity, traducing its mo-
tives, and vilifying its character. 81.
The adoption of such a man as
their candidate for the Chief Magis-
trate for the Union is the most con.
spicious abandonment of political
principles known to party contests.
It remains to be seen whether the
great body of the Democratic voters,
and the true friends of reform, can
be made parties to this INSCRIPTIONS
coalition between political leaders.
That General Grant has commit
ted mistakes his most scientific
friends admit. But if his errors had
been four-fold more numerous, he
would, in my opinion be much sa-
fer Chief Magistrate than Mr.. Gree
ley. He has, in that capacity, done
much for which he deserves the
thanks of the country. Above all,
he has kept it at peace notwithstand-
ing the efforts of sensation journal
lists and popularity seeking poll
ticians to provoke hostilities with
Spain on the question of Cuba, and
with Great Britain on the Alabama
claims and the fisheries. r..
If, regardless of these titles to the
approval of his fellow-citizens, and
of his invaluable services during the
late civil war, they should set him
aside for Mr.. Greeley; if the latter,
a mere erratic politician, untried in
any important public trust, should be
elevated to the Chief Magistracy OF
the Union-A Union which would
not now exist if his counsels had
been followed-and if the man who,
of all others, has done the most to
preserve it should be discarded for
a successor as Unqualified and SO un-
scrupulously nominated and sus-
tanned, the example would be most
deplorable in its influence on all high
motives to political action, and JUS
tify the most painful forebodings as,
- Ill