Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-22
Mr.. GreeIey's Letter OF Acceptance.

The following is Mr.. Greeley's reply to the
letter OF the committee appointed by the
Cincinnati Convention to inform him of his
nomination as candidate for the Presidency
NEW YoRK. May 20. 1872.
GentiemeR-I have chosen not TO acknoWl-
edge your letter of the Sd, until could
learn how the work of your convention was
received in all parts Of our great cOuntry.a and
Judge whether that work was approved and
ratified by the macs of our fellow citizens
Their response from day to day has reachei
me through kilograms and letters, and the
comments OF journalists, independent OF
Official patronage and ind fierent to the smiles
or frowns of power. The number and char
act7r of these unconstraine1, unpurchased
and unsolicited utterances satisfy me that
the movement which found expression at
Cincinnati has received the stamp of public
approval and hailed by a maJO ity of our
cluntrymen rs harbinger of a better day
for the republic. | do not misinterpret the
approval as especially complimentary to my
self, nor even to the chivalrOus and justly
esteemed gentleman with whose name, |
thank the convention for assocIating mine
receive and we, come it as a spontaneous and
deserved tribute to that admirable platform
of principles, wherein your convention So
Q .
conviction which impelled and the purposes
which guided its course. platform which,
casting behind 1t the wreck and rubbish OF
WORKOUT C lntunu Gus aud bySDne fedds, em-
bodies in fit ami few words the needs and As
plratIons of to-day though thousands Stand
ready 10 ndemn your every act. hardly
syllable of crltIcislR or cavil has been almsi
at your platform, ofwhich the substance may
be fairly epitomised follows
FIrst-All tue political rights and fran
chises which have been acquired through our
late bloody convulsiOn, must and shilI lie
granted, maintained, enjoyed and respected
ever more.
Second-All the political rights and fran
chlses which have been lost through the con
vulsiOn should an must be promptly re
stored and re-establshed, 81 that there shall
he henceturth no prescribed claims and no
DISTINGUISHED caste wit In the hunts OF our
union whose lonS cstranged people shall re
unite aud traternlse upon the broad bases
ot universal amnesty, with Impartial SUI
frage.
Tnrd-That subject to our constitutional
nbligaaon to MAINTAIN the equal rights Vi
ali citizens, our policy should ann at local
self government and not at centr1liz ItIOa
rhaI the civil authority should be supreme
over the military. That the habeas corpus
shOu a be iealously upheld Is the sAtcgu srd
OF pers NAL freedOm That the individual
citizen Sd luld enjoy the largest liberty con-
sistent with the public order, and that there
should be no federal su5yeTsiOn OF the inter
nal policy of the several States and municI-
rallies, bat that each shall be left free -
enfor the rights aud promote the well be-
ing Of its inhabitants, by sucl means as the
juig nent OF It's own people snail prescribe
FJurth-There shall be a real anu not
Z IN 10 PfvrI
wee OF tue repuO c, T. which end It is in
dispenS5be that the chief dispenser of the
vast official patronage shah be shielded from
the man temptation 70 use his power selfish
ly, By rule incx1rs blv tUrbsd-lng and PEE
cludluZ his reelection.
Fitth-That the raising 0freYeuue, whether
by tariff Or otherwise, sldI be recognize and
treated the peoples Immediate business,
- be shaped and directed by them through
their representatives IN Congress, whose ac-
ton thereon the President must neither
override by his vetOes, attempt TO dictate nor
presume to punish by bestowlDg Offices only
On those who agree with him, OF withdraw
ing it from those who do not.
SixJh-That the public lands must be
sacredly reserved for occupation and acqll-
tion By cultIvat0rs aud not Teck .essty
squanderei on the projectors of railroads for
winch our people have no present need, and
the premStuTe constructor 0t which Is an
uually punging US deeper and deeper IN
sbys,es at loreisn Inic5 edness.
>cvcutn-Ilat the achievement OF these
grand purposes ot universal bsnet-encc Is
expected. and sought at the hanisot all who
uphold them irrespective Of past III iatlons
Elshth-Iha the public iaItf must at all
haz lrts he maintained. ami the national
I credit preserved.
Nntu-Ihat the patriotic dey1teiaees aud
ueztim4 ble services OF our fellow citizens.
+ who soldiers AMI sailors, uphe i the -
and maintained the unity OF the republic,
shall ever be gratefully remembered AMI
honorably requited.
These propositions. 80 ably and forcihiv
presented IN the platform Of your convention.
have already fixed the attention and 1m
msnded the assent of large IN ti1riJy of our
c5unrrymen. who joyfully adopt them as
do, as the basis OF d true, benehcenr, national
reconstruction and new departure from the
+ i-alousIes, striles and mates which have n,
longer ad qIate motives OF plausible pretex-,
1 INTO the atmosp here of Vesce, fraternity and
mutual good will Ia vain do the serseduts
ui decJylug ZtuIz All ms flourish meulc NJ
~ their truucue1us and auerlv iuSst tina
Jae files shall be closed AMI str4iEhteuei. Ia
vain d. The whIpEers 10 Of parties once vital,
because root q IN the VITAL nee Is Of the pure
protest against straytnS and h9ltiug, de-
uoduce men nO-wlsC t err m errors - trHi-
tors aud reueLades and threaten them with
tutduy aud RUN am cont TENT that the
American people have ALREADY made your
cause their Own, fully res lived ,htt tle.r
brave hearts and strong arms shall bear it
On 70 triumph. In these facts, and with
tue distinct unders -andIns that, &c elected, I
snali be the presi lieut., not OF party but of
the Whole people, [ ACCEPT your nomtb atom
IA the cOuh eut trust that the masses OF
our cOun,rymen north ald south are eager
70 clasp hanjs across the bloody chasm watch
has too long divided them, forgetting that
they have been enemies, in the joyful con-
sciOusness that th Y are aud must hencelorih
remain brethren. Yours gratefully.