The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-09-15
GEN. MCCLELLAN.

Relative Merits of the Democratic and
Republican Candidates. He Is for
TiIden and Democracy, Because
He Believes Reform in Every
branch of the Government
Necessity.
The following letter from Gen. NJ Clel-
Ian to a friend in New York will appear
in the New York papers of Tomorrow
morning:
CoBURG, CANADA, August 16, 1876.
My DEAR SIR-Your very kind letter
of the tenth has reached me, and | quite
concur with you. Deeply impressed by
the gravity of the issues involved in the
approaching presidential election, and
believing 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 ex-
press the earnest convictions that press
upon me. Under constitutional gov
ernment the formation of political par
ties is necessary consequence of the di-
versity of human minds and interests,
Sentimentalists in their closets may
dream of an ideal republic, all of whose
citizens are perfectly wise, virtuous, and
consequently unanimous; but such a
dream can never be realized on this
earth, and we must recognize the fact
that political parties are not only neces-
sary but beneficial, acting, as they do,
as checks upon each other. Expe-
rience has shown, in all constitu-
tional countries, that when any party
possesses uninterrupted power for a very
long time, especially when the minority
is too weak to interpOse any efficient
check upon the actions of the majority,
the tendency is that the leaders become
careless and reckless, forget that there is
any power to which they are RESPONSE
BILE, look upml Office as a personal pos
session and reward, rather than a public
trust, and learn to regard thei1 tenure as
permanent. So, too, the legislative
bodies become inclined to a system of
extravaganza, which engenders cOrrup-
tion, facilitates the formation of rings
and finally destroys the prosperity of
the people. The only sure remedy in
such a 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 reform by the peo-
pie, without regard to party. Among
democrats there is no doubt as to the
manner in which the change should be
accomplished. With many republicans
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 circumstances, must necessarily be re-
formers. have the highest respect for
the personal character and intelligence of
the republican candidate for the presi-
dency, and believe him to be an upright
gentleman but it seems to me quite i'm
possible that he can change the organiza-
tion and policy ofhis party. The leaders
who control and shape its policy would
be the same after his election as now,
and it is idle to hope for any change in
them or under them. 1t is now abun-
dantly evident that had not democratic
house been elected in 1874, it would have
been impossible to unearth the various
instances of maladministration that have
come to light, and it is equally clear that
until the government passes into the
know the whole truth, whatever it may
be; and we need to know the truth as to
the past, that it may serve to guide us in
the future. Believing, as l firmly do,
that every consideration of honesty and
sound craftsmanship, every true national
and individual interest, demands the
prompt Inauguration of policy which
shall, in the briefest practical time, re-
duce every governmental expenditure to
the lowest point commensurate with
honor and efficiency regarding the re-
form 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, Sand not to manipulate party pol
itics, as an inherent part of this reform !;
satisfied that it must be accom-
plished by financial measures stead
lily directed toward the resump-
tion of specie payments within
the shortest possible period, cannot for
a moment doubt that these all-impoIt-
ant ends will be best and in fact only,
attained by the election of the candi-
dates 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 for
ever certain vexed questions; Tor ex-
ample, the asserted right of secession
has disappeared in sea of blood; slav-
ery has been abolished, never to reap
pear; to the negro has been given the
rights of citizenship and suffrage. We
have nothing more to do with the re-
suits save to accept them frankly, and
watch they remain intact. After many
trials and tribulations, the states not
long since arrayed in arms against the
general government have re-esstablished
their relations with the union, and re-
gained their autonomy. Generous cour-
tesy toward a fallen, but most gallant
foe, and selfish policy, alike demand
that we should leave no just thing un-
| done that will restore peace and well
being to the south, re-establish fraternal
feelings in the hearts of all our people
and cause of our recent enemies to be
proud of and love the government of the
union and its flag. The welfare of the
north is inseparable from that of the
south, and our country can never attain
its full force and vigor until peace, pros
perity and kind feeling reign through
| out this broad domain. l believe
that this end can be best
reached by respecting the auto
nomy of the individual states, so long as
| they respect the obligations of the fed
eral compact. Allowed to govern them
selves, public opinion, self-respect and a
regard for their own interests will GER