The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-07-27
Senator. I'hstlm0n's Letter.

Hon ALIEN @. THURMAN, OF Ohio. is
one Cf the most trusted leaders, as he is !
bv common consent, the ablest and most
eloquent representative of the Democratic
party on the floor of the United States Sem
ate. We publish below his considerate and
patriotic letter to personal friend in Cleve-
land. 1t ought and we cannot doubt viii
have great weight with Democrats who
may he even yet reluctant to give their sup
port to the nomination of Horace Greeley,
Senator Thurman was not III favor of Mr..
Greelsy's nomination by the Baltimore
Convention, and was well known to be hos
tile to that Convention nominating any
man outside of the party but, as viii be
seen from his letter. he bows to the deci-
sion Of the convention, and as the choice
is now confined to Greeley and Grant, he
expresses his belief that every patriotic
impulse dictates to all Democrats the pro-
priety and necessity of giving Horace Gree
lev hearty and cordial support. No Dem
ocrat doubts Mr.. Thuman's perfect hon
csty Of purpose, or for a moment questions
his devotion TO his party and to the best
interests of the country and we trust that
his letter, so sound and patriotic, viii prove
with that numerous class of Democrats who
sympathized with his views to be as bread
cast upon the waters the fruit whereof
will be gathered hereafter:
WASHINGTON. july 12-MY DEAR SIR:
| assure You that ii Is not from want of re-
spect that have not written to You sooner.
Your letter of May Is was duly received,
but as you did not ask for reply thought
that you would not feel hurt at my silence.
L should have written to you, however, but
for the following considerations: l have been
of the opinion for more than year that to
give uS any chance of success in the election
next fall the movement indicating the policy
and the man must come from the people and
not from the politicians, and especially that
the Democratic members of Congress should
abstain from entering into amy coalitions,
and from everything that might look like
debating the course of the party. And this
was the view very generally taken by the
me12bers. Individually, preferred fighting
under the Democratic banner, with q straight
Democratic ticket; but l could not shut my
eyes to the fact that n great many good
Democrats were of a different opinion. And
10 me it seemed clear that any course that
did not emanate from the masses of the par
~ would surely iail Acting on this prin-
Ciple have not answered 4 single one OF the
many letters that | have received upon the
subject. Not that l was unwilling to cx-
press my opinions, or to take my share OF
the responsibility; but because, occupying
the position / do, | thought 1t the part OF
wisdom and patriotism not TO interfere with
the formation OF an opinion by the people
the only opinion that could be safely followed
by the opponents of the Radical party. |
condemn no man who took a different view
Of his duty, but l think thattimc and events
have shown that mine was correct The
nomination of Greeley and Brown by the
7 Baltimore Convention was the work Of the
DCCplc The Dol:ticiaus had very little or
+ O 4 do a a
that swallowed mp everything in its way.
The true explanation of il Is that the people
mean to have a change of Administration
and they viii not let pride or prejudice stand
III the way OF success. Not that the Dem
ocratic party abandOnS its principles for it
does nothing of the sort On the contrary
alleging A. II truly does that the cOUrse OF
4 the Radical leaders in the White House and
/ in Congress threatens TO destroy all coEsti-
/ tutional and democratic governmcnt-it is
bound by its principles to seek the overthrow
J of those leaders. And if it cannot overthrow
them III precisely the mode it would prefer
it Is but common sense to take the next best
mode. Therefore, although l would have
( been pleased had our party unanimously re
I solved to make straight Democratic fight,
! / am now (Since the party has so willed II,
and believing that the welfare and liberty
/ OF the country require the defeat of the pre-
! sent Administration firmly resolved to work
with earncStneSS and zeal for the election of
/ Greeley and Brown. What else can Il Dem
I
ing for years, that the continuance in power
/ of Grant and the Radical majority in Con
/ gresSS would endanger the very existence of
constitutional Government? w hat If Gree
! ley has opposed the Democratic party-iS it
not better to elect a man who has frankly
and openly opposed us in time past but who
now, in many things, agrees with rs, than to
. help to elect a renegade Democrat like Grant,
/ who was once with, but is now opposed to
! us i'll everything? We have to choose be
tween these two men, or throw away our
franchise by refusing to vote. But who is
/ there willing to throw his franchise away?
Who is there who places so little value upon
/ it that he will not exercise it? Who is there
{ ready to acknowledge that he is weak
| that he cannot make up his mind, and there
fore Will not vote at all? l trust that no
Democrt Will be found in any such category.
Let every man who hesitates reflect that any
change of administration is likely to he for
the better, and that certainly it cannot be
for the worse. L am your friend truly,
y. q. THURMAN.