American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-08-24
Governor Brown and Temperance.
From the st, Louis Republican, Aug /

From the st, Louis Republican, Aug 13.
We have not deemed it necessary to
paw much attention to the various stories
finding their way into the public Journals,
in regard to our candidates IN she Ma
tional ticket believing thai their characters
were sufficiently well known to take care
of themselves The statements, how
ever, SO assiduously propagated and com
mented on in regard to Governor Brown,
and connecting his recent visit 10 attend IA
class meeting ut Yale College with very
unbecoming conduct, have, we confess,
seriously annoyed us. We are glad, there
fore, that Governor Brown has seen
proper to reply to it, which re has done
in the subjoined letter, addressed to the
Hon. JAS. f. English, of Connecticut:
JEFFERSON CITY. Aug. :, 1872.
MY DEAR SIR Since returning home, my
attention has been called to an article in one
of your New Haven papers that transcends,
to such an extent, the ordinary license of
political abuse, that | am unwilling to rest
quietly under its aspersion.
The statement, so far as it relates to my
self. is very erroneous, and, in so far as it
implies that my habits Incorporate, is
| unwarranted. You and | were together
most of the evening of my departure, and
| see, from the press, that you have already
signited that you recognized no improperly
| in my department, whilst the preceding even
| ing, which is alluded to, and which was
spent with my class up to a very late hour
was, all present will testify, one of total
abstinence on my part. Sharing the
room of friend at the hotel l only
| there transiently during the day, ard that
when suffering severely from the beginnings
! of disease which Frustrated me so violently
| IA few hours after on nv arrival in New York
| City. Ii would scarcely be considered that
| the application of stimulant for temporary
| relief would constitute departure from that
purpose to avoid social Indulgence whilst in
| the discharge of public duties which has in
| finenrpi a long Indeed. |
may say, III justice to myself, that, whilst l
| have never advocated total abstinence as a
| principle, yet its practice by me for many
| years, at various intervals, has resulted en-
| tirely from a judgment as to what best com
ported with the performance of my own
| duty in official position. l trust, moreover,
never to be unfaithful to that duty in the flu
| ture as have never knowingly been in the
| past, and shall leave the record of twenty
years of public service as the best answer to
| those so willing to miscOnstrue me.
| l enclose you herewith a note received on
! yesterday, which bears on the same subject.
With very high regard and esteem, yours
| truly, B. GRAFT Brown.
Hon JAMES E ENGLISH.
This explanation, frank and conclu
sive, is one that can be borne out in its
general tenor by all who are familiar
with Governor Browns official life, both
in the United States Senate, and latterly
as the Executive of this State. We may
add that such an announcement, although
standing alone and expressing merely {
private purpose to conform to certain
line of conduct, in view of the very con
spicuous position which has been assigned
to Governor Brown as candidate for the
second highest Office in the nation, will bt
rightly held as obligatory, and constitut
ing pledge to the public that canno
henceforth he deviated from, under any
circumstances, with any honor.