The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-18
VOL. w.
Letter from DR.. Swenev,
RED WING, Oct 18th, 1876.

nED WING, OcC l5ch, 1876.
Mr.. Editor: In your issue of the
llth inst. l was pleased to read your
structures on the article of "Viadex' in
the St. Paul Dispatch of the 9th. Your
answer to that letter at this time might
be copied py ether political papers with
a sense of qualification to their readers
and decided advantage to these papers,
their parties, and public morals; if
they would only state what is true,
leaving out their differences as to mo
tives, intentions, and business actions,
based on veiws of right and legal pro-
priety.
Only one expression in your answer
can demur to, as not coming up to
the standard which, I hope to see
adopted in party organs, when speaking
of political opponents before the peo-
pie for a responsible position, that is:
tell the truth as to their capability,
their honesty, and the principles they
do maintain on questions of national
Importance. Your answer is at fault
in the latter item Of this journalistic
high code of honor. Maybe it is i'm
possible for an editor to be Chevalier
Bayard in his vocation and serve party,
too. As it is, l was sorry that the
whole article did not conform to this
code. 1t would have been a pleasing
oasis in political journalism, having its
origin in a pronounced reform paper,
and doing justice where justice is due.
The expression at issue is when you
say, ave have no doubt Judge Wilder
was opposed to the war;" etc. Are you
sure he was opposed to the war?
What act proves it As l write over
my own name, and l think I know
Judge Wilder as well as any other man,
must say that he was not opposed to
the war. He, as we'll as all good men
deprecates war, but when it was forced
upon the government by overt acts Of
rebellion, he was in favor of an active
prosecution of the war, without politi-
cal or speculative contingencies. In
your article, you rather take occasion
to hit Mr.. Tilden and other democrats
over the knuckles, which is somewhat
out Of the way of doing it. As zone
Of them' my motto was, "The olive
branch and the sword; never cease un-
til secession was put down, without the
loss of the smallest tow-head on the
Florida coast" I know better than
you can know that Judge Wilder was
still more ardent in his Union views.
you oppose him as you say, "because
he is democrat" that is all right.
should then ask you, were we in con-
troversy, what are the essential political
differences of views as basis of discus
sion!
You know, Mr.. Editor, a man may
have opinions to which a majority of
men may not subscribe, and again, to
effect an object every one may not take
the same course, yet all be honest and
right as citizens and men. During the
hot'blood of the early rebellion, have
no doubt some honest men were incar-
cerated in prison for expressing opin-
ions not in consonance with the atmos-
phere of particular latitudes and places,
and yet were the peers in patriotism of
the official catchpoles and complainers.
You doubtless, Mr.. Editor, to use a
Young American,sm, "Know how it is
yourself" For myself, I shall never
get over the odium of having found
fault with the. first call for volunteers.
100000 was my ideal figure, and
short war. With some it was traitor
GUS utterance. Was it, Mr.. Editor i?
As to the charge that Judge Wilder
opposed the bounty tax because of his
opposition to the war, all who know
him know it to be false. His voluntary
private contributions exceeded tenfold
the amount Of the tax to my