The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-08-23
LETTER OF GEN. DIX.
ais Reas0ns f0E eoing s0r arant.

LEAR SIR: 1Our IeLbef OF the 18th
inst, asking my aid to procure a
speaker for a Greeley meeting at
Hancock, was sent to me while I was
in New England, and have been
unable until now to acknowledge its
reception. do not understand on
what ground you considered
yourself authorized to address
such request to me. If
you had been familiar with the
course Of my public life, and equally
so with Mr.. Greeley's, Won could
not have supposed me capable of
advocating his election to the Office
Of President of the United States
without imputing to me the utter
abandonment Of all political prinei-
pie. 1 am opposed to Mr.. Greeley:
First-Because / believe him to
be as unstable as water" perpetual
ly Aoundering Ito carry out the
Seriptural figure) amid the surges
of opinion, and deficient in all the
requisites essential to a firm, steady
and consistent administration Of the
government.
Second-Because he has usually
been found among the most extreme
ultraist on the great questions Of
political and social duty which have
been brought under public discuss
ion during the last quarter Of a cen
tury.
Third-Beeause he has been the
advocate land in this instance per-
sistently) of that most unjust and
unequal commercial system which
is destroying our mercantile and
shipping interests, and heaping up
enormous accumulations Of wealth
in the hands of the protected classes,
to the oppression and impoverish-
ment Of others.
Fourth-Because he is associated,
in relations more or less intimate,
with some of the chief pIunderers Of
the city Of New York, Justly war
ranting the apprehension that,
through his completely or his facile
disposition, the same system Of fraud
and corruption which has disgraeed
the municipal government Of this
city may be carried to more infamous
extremes in the administration of
the Federal government; and,
Fifth-Because in the darkest
hour Of the eountry's peril, when a
traitorous combination had been
formed to overthrow the government
he openly counseled the coWardly
policy of non-resistance and an ac-
quiescence in the dissolution of the
Union, whenever the cotton States
should make up their minds to 90.
The coalition which has been
formed to promote the election is
one Of the most extraordinary in the
history Of parties, in respect both to
the discordant elements it embraces
and the surrender Of principles it in
wolves.
The Cincinnati Convention, called
to bring before the people import
ant measures Of reform, nominated
him, greatly to the surprise Of the
whole country, knowing him, in re-
gard to one Of those measures, to be
an implaeable opponent-nominated
him, too, against the wishes and
Judgment of the chief promoters Of
the movement, who accepted him.
either with an avowed or iU-eon-
cealed disgust, which would be far
more creditable to their feelings if
the act Of acceptance were not ir-
reconcilable with their principles.
The Democratic Convention at
Baltimore indorsed and commended
him to the SUPPORT Of their party
not as the exponent of any princi-
pies they have professed, or any
measures they have advocated, but
as known and bitter opponent oi
both-the man who, perhaps, Of al
others has been the most malignant
opponent of the Democracy, i'm.
peaching its integrity, traducing its
motives and villifying its character
The adoption Of such q man q
their candidate for the Chief Nagis
tracy Of the Union is the most con.
spicuous abandonment Of political
principles known to party contests
1t remains to be seen whether the
great body Of the Democratic voters
and the true friends Of reform, car
be made parties to this unscrupu.
lows coalition between political
leaders.
II That General Grant has commit
ted mistakes his most sincere friends
admit. But if his errors had been
four fold more numerous he would
in my opinion, be a much better
Chief Magistrate than Greeley. He
has in that capacity done much fol
which he deserves the thanks of the
country. Above all, he has kept il
at peace, Notwithstanding the eforts
of sensation journals and popularity
seeking politicians to provoke hos
tilities with Spain on the question Of
Cuba, and with Great Britain on
the Alabama claims and the fisheries
If, regardless Of these titles to the
approval of his felloW-citizens, and
of his invaluable services during the
late civil war, they should set him
aside for Mr.. Greeley; if the latter
a mere erratic politician, untried in
any important public trust, should
be elevated to the Chief Magistrac,
Of the Union-a Union which would
not now exist if his counsels hal
been foDoWed-if the man who, oi
all others, has done the most to pre-
serve it should be discarded for
successor so i'll qualified and so un
scrupulously nominated and sus
, tanned, the example would be mos
deplorable in its infence on all higl
motives to political action and Jus
tify the most painful forebodings a
to the future.
/ am respectfully yours,
JOHN A. DIX.
A. B. CoRNwELL, Hancock, N. 7.