The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-26
Hon. James Lyons Letter.
RICHMOND. July %. IS


Dear Sri have the pleasure to acknowl-
edge your letter of the goth, on behalf OF
the Republican Committee of Fredericks-
burg, inviting me to address a Republican
meeting at that place on the Sth proxmo.
am compelled to decline the invitation,
as have done others, although duly sens-
BE Of the honor done me. / have q bust
ness engagement in Richmond on that day,
which will prevent me from accepting it, if
there were no other impedment
But nothing would tempt me to take the
stump this summer except the conviction
I that by that means only can Horace Gree
lev be beaten; and as that cannot be, be-
cause he will be beaten certainly without it,
and if not, any speech from me would be
of little avail, must beg to be excused.
To be candid, as well as serious, how
ever, must say that / am not prepared at
present to take the stump for Gen. Grant. |
s. am a Democrat (by which | mean consti-
tutional Republican, on principle, and not
without hope that the Louisville Conven-
ton will nominate straight-out Democrat
in September, qualified by character and
ability, to fill the high Office of President.
If it does, | shall vote for him. lf itdoes
not. | shall vote for General Grant, and
will then do anything which ! can, with
honor, to promote his election, because L
think him far better man in all respects
than Horace Greeley, and far more fit to
be President Of the nation. One is a re-
nowned warrior, of whom the South may
well say: !" Great let me call him, for he
conquered me, /" who enjoys the respect of
the civilized nations of the world, except the
Conservative nation of Baltimore; whose
great error has been that he has followed
too much the devices and designs of such
men as Greeley and Sumner and Trumbull
and Schurz and Brown, until they have
nearly undone him AM now betray him for
price. q
The other is a renowned ismatic, famous
for nothing but his follies, his farming and
housekeeping, his political venom and
vices. and his total want of principle. A
Fourieriie, a free-lover, (of the McFarlane
order,) and a woman's rights man must be
either fool or knave.
Ifhe sincerely believes in those dogmas
in a state of organized society, he is a fool.
If he does not, then he pretends to believe
''for a consideration" what he does not,
and is knavc.
If the Almighty maker of US all had in
tended that the world should be without
government, and man without property, he
would not have inculcated obedience to
the powers that be-" or denounce the
man who fails to provide for his own family
as worse than an infdel would have said
charity begins abroad, not at home, and
would not have said "thou shalt not steal, !"
as man can steal property only. file had
intended to tolerate free love, he would not
have instituted marriage and denounced
r adultery. If He had intended men and
women to be equal, and women to ride like
Mrs. "Squatting Bear" he would not
b have given Eve as a "helpmate to Adam I;
would have made Adam bear children as
well as Eve, and would not have allowed
side-saddles to be made.
But great as these defects and vices are,
Horace Greeley is stained by another which
far more detestable to me-which makes
as impossible for me to vote for him as to
denounce my wife and daughters. a
IF there ever lived ON earth, in Sparta or
in Paradise, race of pure, spotless, heroic
women, the women of the South arc such.
they gave their husbands and sons, their
homes and affairs, and almost every hope
of earthly happiness to their country and
her cause. and because they did SO, this
. demon of the Tribune uttered and publish
ed in his paper las am credibly informed,
and the proof of it will be exhibited the
following false and infamous libel upon
them:
"The women of the South, nursed by blacks
filled with animal passion imbibe it from
their nurses, and on arriving at the age of pn-
bcrty immediately manifesto desire to crafty
sensnality." EE .aE as
Was ever before, by any mortal or inn
mortal demon, such hateful thought ex-
pressed, such concentrated venom poured
out?! a5a
In the recollections of the great deeds of
our noble dead in the presence of their
surviving mothers, widows and daughters !;
will Southern men, can they, by their
votes, say to this monstrous slanderer,
swell done thou good and faithful citizen,
receive the reward prepared for you by
your suppliant victims since the overthrow
of the hated Confederacy."
Spirits of Lee and jackson! it was a
merciful God who would not allow your
ast hours to be agonized, and your final
repose disturbed by beholding such an offer
ing. When it is made, but one thing will
remain to be done to complete the shame
and disgrace of the South, and that will be
to burst the cerements of the graves in
Southern cemeteries, and carry the sacred
ashes to the Chappaqua Farm to manure its
barren hill sides.
Women of the South forbid it! Women
Of the North forbid it Sisters in sorrow,
sisters in fame, the virtue of woman is your
common property, unite to defend it against
its vilest traducer.
Men of the North, have you no humani-
ty, no brotherly love, that you would thus
degrade us by selecting our greatest revle1
to rule overns?
If you have any, do you think such a
course will strengthen it with US?
But l must stop, my feelings run away
with my pen. The sight of our poor,
bleeding, suffering South, God bless her y
lying at the feet of her worst foe, begging
for favors, is uncomfortable to me-.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
. JAMES LYONS.
MIR. Greeley's Acceptance.