The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-08-30
BALTIMORE, july 15, 1872.


the 18th of June w2s duly received.
The delay in answering it do not
now regret, as what has since occur
red will enable me to do SO probably
to more advantage than / could have
done before. The question with the
people now is-which OF the two
they will have for their next Presi-
dent, L. 5. Grant or Horace Greeley
The former, during the past three
years, in the judgment of all Impair
tiaI men, has proved his utter unfit
ness tor the office; the latter, during
a period of more than thirty years, as
the editor of leading journal, has
proved himself, in the judgment of
all impartial and competent men, to
be a man OF extraordinary ability,
perfect patriotism, aud incorrup,ible
integrity.
Has not Gen. Grant demonstrated
his uniliness for the Presidency? His
election TO it in '9S was owing TO the
confidence the people reposed in hia,
for what they believed he possessed
good sense-and because of their
gratitude for his military service dur
ing the war. In his good sense, with
the experience of the last three years,
it seems to me impossible that conf
dence can now be placed. His whole
career as President has been full or
biunders, to use no milder term. A
few instances will establish this state
ment:
/. His selection of his first Cabinet
was made without consultation with
any honest and experienced friends,
and without regard to merit. he
nominated as the head of the Treas
ury highly respectable merchant of
New York, in ignorance of the fact
that by the 9Th section of the Act of
the End of September, I789, such an
appointment is expressly prohibited,
and this upon grounds of the clearest
policy-the. provision being that no
person concerned in trade, directly or
indirectly, is eligible to any Office ere
ated by that Act; and after finding
his error, he toolishly requested Con-
gress to modify the provision so as to
enable him to make the appointment.
In this he was properly foiled, al
though his friends constituted large
majority of both Houses. Ia tie APP
polntments he actually made, he
seems not to have been Influenced by
any regard to the fitness Of his ap-
pointees, but, in many instances, by .
wish to show his gratitude for yalus-
BILE presents received.
2 His selection OF his relatives for
nigh and important trusts, at home
and abroad, obviously without ascer-
taining whether they were fit, and his
refusal to remove many of them, after
heir unfitness had been painfully ex-
libited.
3. His negotiation for the annexa-
ion of the Dominican Republic,
through no Minister selected with the
approval of the Senate, and his un-
6gnifed lobbying with Senators 'to
Nocure its ratification; and his i'm
pertinent and insulting message to
Congress, after the treaty was reject
ed, in which he designated the rejec-
tion as an act of '.totty." His usur-
patton OF the war power in threaten
ing Hayti, having the means at hand
OF making good his threat If they
continued their hostilities against
Dominica, and doing this not only
whilst the treaty was under consider
alton by the Senate, but after they
had rejected it.
His open and shameless use of his
power of patronage to support his
personal administration and to secure
reelection. And with this view,
not content with his first appoint
ments, removing them and making
others, not because the legal duties OF
the first were not properly performed,
but because they had not proved
themselves as able to serve him as
fully as he desired.
S. His compelling Secretary Cox, a
gentleman of ability, who faithfully
served his country during the war as
a general officer, and who was admin
istering the Interior Department to
the satisfaction of the country, to re-
sign, because be had refused to toler-
ate the assessment upon the salaries
OF his clerks for party purposes,
thereby countenancing the legality
and propriety of such assessments