The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-08-01
GREELEY REPUDIATED.

District Court OF this District, and a
few years since tho Democratic cendi'
| date for Governor-has wilton let
ter to Gen. McLaren, Secretary Of the
Republican State Central Committee,
in reply to an invitation to canvass the
State, in which he gives his reasons
for refusing to vote for Horace Gree
ley. The letter embodies the seuti.
ments of man who is too consistent
to give up his party and what he re-
CARDS as its principles, and vote for a
man who, having been one Of the bit.
t"rest enemies Of the Democracy, is
now its candidate. We give the let
ter entire:
DEAR SIR III received last even
ing your favor Of 23d instant, saying
you have been informed that ioteud
| to vote for Gen. U. s. Grant, the Re.
publican can aidate for President and
extending to me an invitation to can
vass the State in behalf of the Re-
publican ticket.
Your information is entirely cor
rect,
All my life Ihave been Democrat
not from interest, as is we'll known,
but from an honest conviction that the
principles of that party were such as
| would most promote the welfare Of our
country. The use Of my name b..
other political bodies has been with
out my knowledge and against my
wishes.
For years I have clupg to the be-
lief that, notwithstanding the blunders
Of the past, 40 honest and faithful al
herence to lis principles by the Demo.
cratic party would be recognized, aud
those principles adopted by the ma.
jority Of the American people in the
future as they have been in the past
Feeling this, I regard the action Of the
Democratic Convention at Baltimore
as the deliberate sacrifice Of everv
principle which has made the party
honorable and useful for the hope Of a
share in present spoils.
1t appears to me that this conven-
ton outraged tho first principles Of
Democracy in refusing to allow free
speech, and disorganizcd and dis
solved the Democratic party by the
adoption Of platform made to order
for its use by dissatisfied Republicans
and nominating as its candidate a
man whose most consistent political
principle has been hostility to Demo.
cratic measures and enmity towards the
Democratic party.
AS a lite cong Democrat I &C.
knowledge the power Of the National
Democratic Convention to bind the
party by the nomination Of standard
bearer true to its faith, and to adopt a
platform consistent with its funda.
mental principles, but, tor one, 1 do
not recognize: the right Of any Demo-
cratic convention to select a Republi.
can candidate, upon a Republican plat.
torn, and make their acceptance the
test Of Democracy.
fad myself then in the position,
80 far as my humble influence goes, Of
being obliged to endorse aud sustain
what in my Judgment is shameless
barter Of time honored principles t'
the hope Of power, or to cndeavor t.,
secure the defeat Of this movement, in
the only manner left to me, by which
| can use my vote and my influence
against it.
Ircgard the lesson which will be
taught by its defeat, as of far moro con.
sequence than the displacement of one
Republican, of at least grand militia.
ry history, and whose administration
has certainly been financial success,
for tho mere substitution of another
whose conflicting views upon
questions involving the very life OF
the Nation in the past give but little
promise for the future Of consistent and
stable action in the Presidential chair,
AS between these two Republican
candidates I much prefer the man who
possesses at least tho dignity of silence
beneath the most bitter and audacious
personal calumnies, to a political gym.
mast who, having heretofore regulated
his life by the wish that "it might be
written on his tomb that he never was s
follower of the Democratic party, ano
lived and died, in nothing its debtor
now astonishes the world by the accept
ing place "upon platform of prinoi
pies which are at once incontestabi,
Republican, and emphaticaNy Demo.
cratic"
AS between these two parties much
prefer the government Of party O.
principle to the tyranny of the rapaciou'
and discordant organization whose on],
claim to support is loud moutbed pre-
testations Of honesty, and whose only
cohesive power must be the hope O
public plumber, and am frank to ad
nit that if the shibboleth of Democra
cy consists in placing in the Presiden
tial chair man who has always been &c
decided enemy Of that party even in it.
: most respectable aspects" I have mis-
understood its principles and loved j
and h0n0red it IN vain.
I am aware that older and more OK
perienced men than myself regard tn,
nomination of Mr.. Greeley by tn
Democratic party us expedient and wis
but wo must each, if we would preserv
our self.rospect, regulate our own action
in political ethics by the dictates of gu
own judgment; aud | shall at leas
have the satisfaction Of knowing that
acted upon my earnest convictions Q
duty, and if this movement proves th
destruction OF the Democratic party
that my voice and my vote were agains
it.
But while these are my earnest sen
timents, as to which 1 havo 20 conceal
ment, my private business and profes
sional engagements are such as to pre
vent my entering into the political Car
va>s.
Regrett'ns that my engagement
have compelled me to state my views s
hurriedly, and thanking you for tn
compliment Of your invitation,
lam respectfully your obedient servan
EDWARD O. HAML1N.