Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-07-03
Correspondence Of the Boston Globe.
Letter from Vice-PresidSnt Will
son.

NAucK, june q, 1875.
SIR. Recognizing, to the fullest extent, the /
right Of the press TO review and =. crit. 4
else the words and acts OF public men, I claim
the right and believe il to be sometimes the duty
Of those so criticised TO yindicate those words /
and acts. Acting upon these convictions, pur- |
pose % notice some adverse criticisms that have
recently appeared in some Republican presses. |
Eight years ago, there was printed at the capital
a Journal which assumed 10 be the organ Of An |
drew johnson and the exponent Of his "policy." |
That journal still lives and seems TO be hugely |
gratifed with the imputed reputation Of being |
the organ of the present Administration. Re-
Gently returned from a short journey in a few Of
the States, South and West, find myself and
trip to have been the innocent cause of extreme
solictude to the conductors Of this assumed or
gan and to those who inspire it, If there be any,
Of which entertain more than a doubt. But
all such solicitude, | assure them, is uncaled
for.
That little journey of mine was but the carry
ing out of advice to take a few weeks of rest be-
fore commenced upon the task l had marked
out for the summer and autumn. Kindly wei
coined by the people of both races, by Democrats,
Republicans and Conservatives, 1 visited col
leges, schools and marts of varied industries.
Being welcomed by people and presses Of every
shade of opinion, said nothing in the twenty
nine brief addresses | made of public affairs or
of party politics. l spoke of law, order, peace;
of industry, material development, education,
temperance; Of justice to black men and of
generous policy to white men. l visited the
graves of Jackson and Clay, of Taylor and Polk,
of CrtteAden Bell and Benton. l visited, too,
a dying ex-Vice- President, and chatted moment
with Mrs. jefferson Davis in the streets of Mem
phis. Never did l make a more innocent or
agreeable journey than was crowded into those
six weeks. But find on my return that which
is Significant" These welcomes from all with
out distinction of race co!or; these brief
speeches, this visit to the couch of a dying man,
that little talk with the wife of the President of
the late Confederacy, were fullof meaning. The
wandering Vice-President' was "too unani-
NOUS" he was "the victim of Presidential aspi-
rations," and he must be rebuked as other gentle
men suspected of like desire had been.
To all this reply that indulge with thousands
of my countrymen the idea that the Presidency
is n lofty and responsible position; that to be
elected to that high Office and clothed with its
vast powers for good by 10000, 900 is an honor by
the side of which uncounted wealth must weigh
as nothing. But Notwithstanding this high esti-
mate assure the organ and all others alike exer-
cised that there is not being in all this broad
land to whom have ever written, spoken, or
even limited that desired, hoped, expected, or
intended to be a candidate. l assure them, too,
that have been so neglectfu, not to say discour-
teOus, as not to reply to letters written me pom
a subject these imaginative ones deem me SO ill.,
teresed in. 1t may soothe their anxiety further if
| | assure them that have neither money nor pat,
ronago nor an organ; that never made prom,
ise in political life of thirty-fve years, to give
office patronage to persons presses for votes
or influence, and that never intend to do so. No
money! no patronage! no organ! Surely this
pitiable condition should console and reassure
if it does not placate, these distressed gentlemen
who see such mighty Influences in money, patron.
age and organs, and protect me from their jeal
ousies and their suspicious.
But there is another offence hardly less heinous
On the morning of my return to New York was
| visitedby reporter ofthe Tribune who PROFOUND
ed several questions concerning my visit, and the
condition of public and party affairs. Those
questions answered frankly as l would have
done for any other paper, and these answers
were published without any revision of mine
They were intended to reach and influence, pos
sible those Republicans who supported Mr.. Gree
ley, and tens of thousands OF Republicans WHIT
aided, last year, by their votes, or by not voting
at all, in losing twothirds of the States we hat
carried in 1872 and in converting Republican
majority of three.quarters of million to a mi
norty of half million. They who do not SC,
that these Republicans of 1872 and those nov
deeply dissatisfied, but who are still proud of the
record the party has made, hold in their hands
the fate of the next Presidential election, lttl,
comprehend the condition of public affairs, ant
and of what is necessary to success. A journa
"A.
eAce dissatisfied Republicans says that the Tri6
une has said sundry unkind things of me, ana i
taunts me with being "the most forgiving o
men," and declares that my actions may be tex
celent Christianity" but it is not "self-respect
or "manliness." l came to the conclusion, eigh
years ago, that life is too short to be spent in re
venging mere personal wrongs and | have beer
for long while forgivng men and presses tina
have said unkind, unjust or untruthful things o
me. expect to forgive those who are so foolisl
as to say untuthful things of me now. The,
need forgiveness and if can act in a spirit o
excellent Christianity can afford to let m,
"self-respect' and my "manliness" take car
of themselves.
am accused, too, of not treating the Prcslden
with becoming respect. Where? When? How
l am surely unconscious of any such purpose
/ have seldom intruded my opinions upon th
President ;Eand whenever have made sugges
tons it has been because | religiously believed
that whatI deferentially suggested would be 70
the credit of his Administration the success of til
party and the good of the nation. My opposition
, to the third term folly has been construed, too
into opposition to the President. But nothing
is more untrue. When saw that issue raise,
| n with 6icoc tr of
party by the adroit representations of its eneme
l took early occasion to say to timd friends tina
there was no real danger; that it was contrary t.
the settled convictions and traditions of the PEG
, pie, and that they would elect no man Presiden
/ for third term. was actuated by no hostilit
to the President, nor by favor to any one desirou
of being his successor l deem the proposition
by whomsoever favored, quite as fatal to the r,
publican party as would have been proposition
to amend the Constitution SO as to elect Pres
p dent for life
Having opposed the policy of reconstructio
when adopted, it is not surprising that the orga
sees little or no progress in the Southern State
and that it criticises for expressing the opir
: ion that there has been progress, and that there
a better feeling than heretofore Having been a
antslavery man for thirty.nn years, and ha'
ing read and thought much of Southern affair
{ L examined with some care the present conditio
of the South. There have been unquestionabl
mistakes, mismanagement, and in some cases co
, ruption on the part of those called to the hig
duty of working out the practical problem of
reconstruction in those disordered and devastate
Commonwealths But with all these mistakes an
: corrupt practices, | saw progress,-slow, but
/. think sure. Had prophet at the close of the w;
n predicted that in the short space of ten yea
there should happen just what has happened, fe
i would have believed him. Then, the colored RAJ