The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-09-02
Letter from Gen. George B. Mcclellan.
A Temperate and Convincing Statement of
the Political Situation.

concur with you. Deeply impressed by
the gravity Of the issues involved in the
approaching Presidential election, believ.
ing that the honor of the country and the
well'being of the people depend in no small
degree upon the result, feel compelled to
depart from the reserve that has become
habitual to me and express the earnest
convictions that press upon me. Under
a constitutional government the formation
of political parties is necessary conse-
quence Of the diversity Of human minds
and interests. Sentimentalists in their
closets may dream of au ideal republic, all
of whose citizens are perfectly wise, yir.
tuous, and, consequently, unanimous; but
such dream can never be realized on this
earth, and VIC must recognize the fact that
political parties are not only necessary, but
beneficial, acting as they do as checks
upon each other. Experience has shown
in all constitutional countries that when
any party possesses uninterrupted power
for very long time, especially when the
minority is too weak to interpose any eii-
cient check upon the actions Of the ma
jority, the tendency is that the leaders
become careless and reckless, forget that
there is any power to which they are re-
sponsible, look upon Office as personal
possession and reward, rather than pub
lie trust, and learn to regard their tenure
as permanent So, too, the Legislative
bodies become inclined to a system of ex-
trayagance, which engenders corruption,
facilitates the formation of rings aud final
ly destroys the prosperity Of the people.
The only sure remedy in such case is
that the people shall, through the ballot
box, place the former opposition in power.
That our country is now in the condition
just described is proved by the universal
and peremptory demand for complete re-
form by the people, without regard to party.
Among Democrats there is no doubt as
to the manner in which the change should
be accomplished. With many Republi-
cans the question is whether they can trust
the professions of their party, or whether
they must take the disagreeable step of
breaking away from old political associa-
tions, by leaving the party under whose
administration all the evils of which they
complain have grown up, and act with the
Democrats, who, from the force of circuus.
stances, must necessarily be reformers. I
have the highest respect for the personal
character and intelligence of the Republi-
can candidate for the Presidency, and be-
lieve him to be an upright gentleman but
it seems to me quite impossible that he
can change the organization and policy Of
his party. The leaders who control and
shape its policy would be the same after
his election as now, and II is idle to hope
for any charge in them, or under them.
1t is now abundantly evident that had
not Democratic House been elected in
1874, it would have been impossible to
unearth the various instances of malad-
ministration that have come to light, and
it is equally clear that until the Govern
ment passes into the hands of the Demo-
Gratis, we shall never know the whole truth,
whatever it may be; and we need to know
the truth us to the past, that it may serve
to guide us in the future. Believing, as
| firmly do, that every consideration of
honesty and sound craftsmanship, every
true national and individual interest, de-
mands the prompt Inauguration Of policy
which shall, in the briefest practicable
time, reduce every governmental expendi-
ture to the lowest point commensurate
with honor and efficiency; regarding the
reform Of the Civil Service in its broadest
sense, and with it the enforcement upon
Office holders Of the conviction that their
only business is to perform their public
duties, and not to manipulate party poll
tics, as an inherent part Of this reform
satisfied that it must be accompanied by
financial measures steadily directed to-
wards the resumption Of Specie Pay
ments within the shortest possible period,
! cannot for moment doubt that these
all important ends viii be best and in fact
only attained by the election Of the can
didate Of the Democratic party. But
questions Of finance and reform are not
the only ones which affect our present and
future. The recent war settled forever
certain vexed questions; for example, the
asserted right Of secession has disappeared
in a sea Of blood; slavery has been abol-
ished, never to reappcar; to the negro has
been given the rights Of citizenship and
suffrage. We have nothing more to do
with these results save to accept them
frankly and watch that they remain in
tact. After many trials and tribulations
the States not long since arrayed in arms
,sainst fha Ganaral Govarno.ont h.vn -