The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-05-03
Letter Of the Late James w.
Grimes to judge Charles VIA
SON.
"GLloN, SWITZERLAND.

NLlON, SWITZERLAND,
February p, 1871.
"My Dear Judge:-Yours of the 9th
is at hand. l have irrcvocably resolv-
ed to have nothing more to do with
public life. 1 am impelled to this res
|olution both by necessity and inclina-
tion. My physicians, with one voice
warn me against it, and predict that
could not survive the attempt to mingle
in political excitement but very short
time. The truth is, | am terribly
shattered man. l look we'll enough
quite aswell as ever, If not better. NV
appetite is quite good, though nearly
everything I eat disagrees with me, and
my locomotion is perfect without the
aid of cane or other helpr but my left
arm and side lack animation, or rather,
have too much of it. My head con-
stantly affiicts me, and at least half of
my nights are sleepless. This is my
true condition. / am far better than |
have been, but l am not sanguinc
to believe for a moment that man at
my age, blasted as I have been, will
ever entirely recover.
So much as to the necessity for abb
stenation from politics. l am happy to
be able to say that l have used SO much
philosophy as to be able to completely
reconcile myself with the necessity of
position. | rejoice that I have ceased
to have any active part in politics, and
l assure you that no man would be
more happy to get into the Senate than
l was to get out Of it, after the inroads
Of the caIpct-bag knights cf the south.
[ have no doubt about the re-
result of the contest in 1872, if the de-
mocracy make wise nominations; but
they must not give their adyersaries the
advantage of the war issues, as they
did before by nominating Blair on the
strength of his Broadhead letter; nor
will they succeed upon the strength Of
the Pendleton financial theory, which
drives to the republican support thou
sands and tens Of thousands of consery-
ative men who look upon it as sort of
concealed reputation. But the repub-
licans will be overthrown and ought to
be.
1st, Because of the utter failure of
their scheme for the reconstruction of
the south
I'd. Because of their resolve to per-
petuate as long as possible all of the
passions of the civil war, and their con-
sequent refusal to enfranchise the men
in the south who were honest enough to
fight on the strength Of their convic-
tions.
Sd. Because Of their ixexorable reso-
luton to maintain an enormous tariff by
which they have utterly destroyed our
commerce.
4th. Because of the persistent at
tempts of the administration to force
upon us Spanish Catholic negro states,
not only without the wish, but against
the we'll known wish of the people of
the country-all in the interest of a
ring.
5th. Because of the corruption that
is reeking everywhere in legislation, in
the shape Of land jobbing, steamship
subsidies, Chorpening claims and ad-
ministration as in the Cherokee land
sale, the gold corner in New York, and
in various other causes.
My own opinion is that the financial
issues heretofore raised by the demo-
cratic party, are pretty much exhaust
ed, and that they have had a tendency
to weaken, rather than to strengthen
the party. But Of this l may be mis-
taken.
We have been in this quiet mountain
side place, in Switzerland. fer six
months, and shall remain three weeks
longer, when we start for Germany,
where we shall remain at the kissingen
waters few weeks, and then down the
Rhine and through Belgium slowly to
England. We hope to reach the Uni
ted States 1st July.
Mary was entrusted by Yewell, at
Rome, with some scarfs for your daugh-
ter. They were sent home on the U.
s. ship Sabine, and are, l suppose,
awaiting our arrival in Boston.
Mrs. Grimes and Mary wishes to be
remembered to your wife and daughter,
and to you also. Very truly yours,
j. w. GRIMES.