The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-07-06
A Kentucky Democrat Retires.

Col. Blanton Duncan prominent Dem,
oerat Of Kentucky refuses to support Gree.
ley and seiars his connection with the
Democratic party in the following forcible
letter.
To the editor Of The Courier LAn.nal:
The Courier Journal has certainly paid
enough money to its eompositors for put
ting my name gratis in its columns. Please
discontinue the advertisement from to day
In 1868 Mr.. Greeley diselaimed in Canada
the wish or thought of ewes becoming n
candidate for the Presidency. He express.
ed then the only sentiment which | concur
in:
"Let public man honestly go forward,
saying what he believes to be just, doing
what he thinks is right, and though he may
not probably be President, he can enjoy
very large measure Of freedom of opinion,
as well as freedom of action, though free
dom Of opinion Is MS rery last thing that
a free people are disposed 10 accord 10 their
public men,
This right is all that | claim, and Mr..
Grecley's followers must concede it, as |
shall not obtrude my political views upon
other people voluntarily.
II is an iniatuation of insane people to
consider other people crazy, Everybody
is aware that the Greeleytios and myself
entertain those ideas reciprocally Of each
other. But which is the lunatie can onl y
be decided by future events. When the
meeting Of the 10Th resolved itself into
Greeley Club, | and other Democrats no
longer participated, except as spectators.--
| As there is clear inlention to disband the
Kentucky Democratic organization, and
the great mass of its former members are
now enlisted under the lead of two most
prououn ced Radicals and AboliIionists of
twenty years standing, | have no more
right to enter their meetings or conventions,
in order to produce discord, than | wonld
to disturb the meetings and conventions
which support two other distinguished
Radicals. As can find no pr inciples sup.
ported by either which accord with my
views, it surely ought not to wound any
body's susceptibilities to find me disposing
ofmy own property, even If voluntarily
disfranchised myself.
The Fordham jockey, af ter studied effort
had succeeded in ruling of the staunch old
racer "Democrat" The race affords.
therefore, no further interest to such
"Bourbons" as myself But tens of thous
ands Of former Demo Gratis who cannot re.
frain from taking sides eve in dog fight,
and who will consider that no political oh ..
legation binds them, may go further and
exercise their undoubted right of choosing
between the two, and may prefer General
Grant to Mr.. Greeley. AS they are all of
age have no advice to offer to them an d
none to those who persist in committing
hari kaIi under Mr.. Greeley's banners
When the local and other offices not only
in this State, but in many Others which
were Democratic pass under the control of
the compact, well orga nized Grant party,
because Of the destruCt ion of our late or.
ganization, it is possible that the present
sangdine local politicians may ruefilly ad =.
nit ''that Bourbon was not crazy after
ALL"
The respectable minority who agree with
me can still ''eat, drink and be merry"
having no responsibility resting upon them,
and free from all the excitements of the
coming months. We can hope that the
country will be safe under any circumstan.
ces, aud when we go fishing next November
we will certainly avoid the classic banks of
Salt river, because too many of our late
friends may be crowded for standing room.
Hoping that my old friends may all have
an agreeable, harmonious, and not dan.
gerously enthusiastic summers entertain.
ment, EVENT. itshould be a wild goose chase,
beg respectfully to be allowed not TO engage
in it. BLAsroS DUNCAN.
Louisville, June 18th, 1872.