Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-08-29
Letter from the Man Who Captured
JEFF. Davis,

New YORK, August 2, 1872.
L. j. Dudley, Esq Secretary Veterans National
Committee Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York:
DEAR SIR: 1 am just in receipt of your
favor of the 1st inst, inviting me to attend
and address the National Convention of Vet
Grams, to be held at Pittsburgh on the 18th
of September, and hasten to assure you
that, as my sympathies are now, and always
have been, heartily enlisted in the cause of
the Republican party and its worthy stand
ard-bearers, shall 'sattend to muster" and
give the best answer possible when my name
is called. Had the canvass now in progress
been conducted with proper respect for the
Presidential Office, or with becoming regard
for the exalted character and great public
services of General Grant, /, for one, might
have pleaded the pressure of business as an
excuse for not participating actively In pub
lie meetings; but, under the circumstances,
do not feel at liberty to decline, nor do
see how any one who has served under Gen.
eral Grant, and known him as l have known
him-a brave and magnanimous soldier, de-
voted above all things to his duty, pure
minded and upright patriot, an unselfish and
honest man in every station of life-can fail
to do his part toward making the Conven-
ton OF Veterans success, and returning
their chieftain to the high Office he now fills so
ably and satisfactorily. There was time
when no man dared to charge General Grant
with corruption, when all eyes were turned
toward him as the nations savior, and when
all lips were glad to sound the praises of his
virtues. He was then no immature or un-
tried public servant, but the successful COM
mander of our armies, who had never abused
or betrayed his trust, never wantonly in njur-
ed fellow-being, and, least of ALL never lent
his influence or his name to an action of
doubtful patriotism. His character has un-
dergone no change since he became Presi-
dent; he is as worthy now of the public
praise as he was when first elected; his vir-
tues have stood the test of civil office; he is
now what he has always been, plain,
straightforward man, who acts in public life
as in private, upon the principle that clear
and sound dealing is the chief honor of his
nature. He hates nothing but what is dis
honorable, fears nothing but what is ignoble
and loves nothing but what is just and good.
In all his trials, whether civil or military, he
has remained "unshaken, unseduced, unter-
rifed." He has never betrayed the country
nor its cause by seeking to make peace at
the cost of broken and dismembered Re-
public. He has never consented to remand
one human being back to slavery, mnch less
four millions. On the contrary, he was the first
of our great Generals to declare openly that he
would never agree to make peace so long as
a single slave should be left in the land.
Notwithstanding his earnest efforts to sup
press the rebellion, he has done more than
any other man, not excepting Mr.. Greeley,
Ito bridge the bloody chasm" between the
North and the South, although it must be
confessed he has shown no disposition to
see it filled with the bodies of our colored
citizens. He is, in fact, a better friend to
the South to-day than Mr.. Greeley; better
Democrat, considered from q Southern stand
point, and a better Republican, no matter
how he may be considered. His personal
and political associations are better, his
character is more stable and his judgment is
sounder. With his actual experience and
success as President, he is better qualified
now than ever, and, trust, will be trium-
phantly reelected.
Every soldier who served under or fought
against him should vote for him, rather than
for Mr. Greeley, who is not only unstable
as water" but has been conspicuously
wrong at the vital epoch of every vital ques-
tion which has agitaIed the country for the
last twenty-five years.
Hoping the Veteran Convention may be an
entire success, remain, very truly yours,
JAS III. WILSON