The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-09
The Labor MOVement-.-A Letter Il
Horace Greeley and His Reply.

Horace greeley ana His Reply
The following private letters have
foundtheit way into print: ...,
My DEAR SR-You are aware of The
intention Of the Labor party to place can,
didates in the field for President and Yict
President, next February, at convention
to be held at Columbus, Ohio. The plat.
form OF principles to be there enuncia
ted as landmarks TO guide the coming
canvass will, / have every reason 10 be
love, DO much more conservative than
that Of the National Labor Union now
eXtant.
Allow me to be short and plain. l be,
lieve there Is no man in The country in
whose honesty the masses have so much
confidence as in yourself. IfyOu had had
less conscience from 1850 to 90, l believe
you would have filled the place of Lin.
coin. believe tho time has come when
this element Of honesty In politics, which
in the past has been SO fatal to its possess.
ors, will triumph. The Developments Of
the last eight years, and especially of the
last two, are doing their work upon the
public mind. We are on the eve Of an
overwhelming turn in favor of integrity
and conscience, and against political
trickery and adroit hypocrisy. ~
l believe You arc the man of all others
to give force and direction to our party,
and a vantage rallying ground, which
would make our forces so strong that we
should absorb by reason of q good pros.
pect OF success the major part Of the de.
moralized Democracy. You have very
general planted yourself and given the
great weight Of your influence on the side
Of tho oppressed classes OF our people, and
| cannot well brook the thought that you,
atthis supreme moment for tho working
classes, are to be other than their stand.
ard.bearer. D.
You may think me, Sir, over hopeful,
and perhaps visionary when assert that
il 1t were possible for you to be our leader
on q platform which should embody all
tho amelioration possible to our civiliza.
ton, we should easily carry the country
in 1879. Of course, I am aware Of the
imperiections ofour organization, and It's
lack Of unity, but no one knows better
than yourself what power could be
made Of it could its isjointed elements
be allowed to rally about great name
like yours.
You are now substantially with MS on
all points snvo tho Tariff. Could -you
not say Abolition OF all Internal Reye-
nue. taxes, and Protection only to those
industries which absolutely require II =?
Excuse this impertinence II you so think
it; my plea for It is to see you our great
leader. Now, honored Sir, Is It possible
for you to be our standard.bearerY I
trust you will reply at your earliest con.
veniencc, and oblige one who has grown
up in your teachings, and who looks TO
you more than to any other man of our
times for leadership in all that pertains 10
the welfare Of our country and for the en-,
joyment OF civilization. lido not ask your
opinion for publication or to repeat to my
friends. e. I ask It in confidence on Tie
honor Of gentleman. am the head OF
our movement in this State, and shall
lave decisive voice at Columbus. l am,
Sir, with profound respect, your pupil
and servant, 81 F. N. BURDICK.. ;
4HtupetLWtuI -DCC. III 1911.
Hon. Horace Greeley. $50
New York TRIBUNE, Dec. 10, 1871
My Dear Sir: have yours of the 18th
inst. ! must answer briefly. I Judge
myself an older man than you, and there
fore less hopeful of the immediate future.
You seem to think that uprightness in
politics will asa rule win; am not sure Of
that You judge tho hired laborers in "a.
vor OF reform. hold the mass of them
intensely conservative and hopeless Of
Improvement. Did they ever wish to
have slavery abolishedI Yet slavery
would not permit labor to be respected.
i heartily wish that my name had never
been connected with the Presidency. !
sec plainly that it can only result in vexa-
ton and misapprehension. And shall
never shape and groove my opinions to
make myself acceptable TO my party. So
far as the Labor party seems TO me right,
Iapprove and commend its propositions,
but no further for twenty offices.
Yours,
HORACE GREELEY.
+. N. Burdick, Esq, Labor Tribune,
TolUor nnil,ltn1 Dlfla Io1nhin ID,