, 1876-09-30
GEN. MCCLELLAN FOR TIL1EN.
An Appeal 70 I:i> Old Comrades again
10 Stand with kim in the COunfry's
Cause.

Ny DEAR SIR Your kiud letter Of the
I0lh has reached me, and quite concur with
you.
Deeply impressed by the gravity of the
Issues involved in the approaching Presiien-
ual election, believing that he honor Of the
country and the well being Of the people de-
pend in no small degree upoa the result,
feel compelled to depart from the reserve tha;
has become habi'ual to me. and express the
earnest convictions that press upon ne.
Under the constitutional government, the
formation Of political parties j. = necessary
consequence Of the diversity of human minds
and interests. Sln,imeu,Glis;s In their clos
es,s may dream Of an ideal republic, all Of
whose citizens sre perfectly wise, v!rtuous,
and, consequently unanimous but such =
dream can never be realized on this earth,
and we must recognize the fact that political
parties are not only Necessary but beneficial,
acting as they DO a. checks upon each other.
Experience has shown, in all constitutional
countries that when any party possesses uniE-
te-rup,ed power for very long time, espsei-
ally when the minority Is too weak to inter
poso any efficient checks upon the actions Of
the majority, the tendency is that the leaders
become careless and reckless, forget that there
Is any look upon power to which they axe t.
spon-ible, look upon ct!ice as a personal pus-
session and reward rather than = public
trust, aad leara to regard :htir .enUre Is
permanent. So, too, the legislative bodies
IecJme inclined to a system OF e>;raYagauce,
which engeGders corruption, facilitates he
formation Of rings, and finally destroys the
prosperity Of The people. The only sure rem
edy IN such case Is that the people shall,
through the balIot-bOx, place the former oppo-
siri1u IL power.
That orr country is DOW in the condition
j:st described is proven by the universal and
percmp,ory drmand for complete reform by
tie people, " tn t negard to parr,. Amor g
democrats there is no doub, as to the man
uer il which the change should be ac-
compl.shed With many rcuubl:cans the
question IS whether they can trust the pro-
fes-ions Of the party. OF whether they must
take lhe ii-.;rse.h!e step Of breaking away
ir.l oh political associations, by leaving
the Plrty Guder whose administration all the
evils Of which they complain have grown Up,
and act with the dem Gratis, Who, from The
fo-ce Of eircuu.-, -,.accs, must necessarily b
Te.ormtGs.
Ihave the highest respect for the personal
character auJ Intelligence f rbs republican
candidate iyr The Presidency, and believe
h;m to be "a upright gentleman; but it
SEEMS to me quite Impossible that he can
change ihe organization and policy Of bis
pa:ty. The leader, who control AMI sha e
It, policy would b. the same after Ii- election
~ now, and II Is IDLE 20 hope for any chaagl
IL them, yr under them.
1t Is EUw abgndarriy eriient that had no,
democratic House ben elected III 1874, At
would have n impossible 10 uneaTIh The
various instances OF malaG.EIui~,r.tipn that
have come 10 h.hi, and IL = equally clear
tha, uH'll the government passes INTO tn
hands Of the democrats, We shall never know
the whole ,ru b, whatever It nay be; aud
We ned u know tie truth as TO the paSt,
that Il may Ssryt to guide III the future.
Believing, a. l firmly do, that every CON
sirra.i0 ion Of hJn,sty and sound Statesman
ship evely 'rue national and individual in
lei 5 demands The prJInp, ugur.;Ion OF
d p,!.cy which shall in the brief.rt practical
bic tn. reduce every government eIpeldl-
tuTe 10 ine lowest point commensurate with
honor aid Efficiency; regarding the reiOrm
uT ihe evil ~rrviot IL Its brUadr>t -eB-r, suG
will II the entOr eGrnt upon offsgno.irrs os
the conviction hat IheIT ULly Uu>lL. - L 10
II -rtJTIGI tAuIT pub &c GUtI-s, and not 10 man
Ipuiatr party politics. as an inherent p4lt OT |
his reform satisfied that II must BE- accom-
panied by tuAEc,a! IneausureS seadIly d.
Tect,d tJ~a5ds tie resumption Of specie pay
m-Ets within be- shortest possible perIud, l
cannot for a nOmslJ doubt that these all |
impOrtau; eL-s VIA be best, and IL fact only
attained by The election Of the caudidGte Of
ths GemUcr-tic party
But queS ioIs OF finance and reform are
and future. The recent war settled forever
certain vvIeG questions iof example, the a.
serted night Of secession has disappeared in d
sea OF p.oyd slavery hss been abolished.
never 70 Te-appear; to tie negroes has been
g.yen the rights VI citizenship and suffrage
W have nothing more 10 do with these r.
sult-, except 10 aocrp' Them frankly and
watch that they remain intact. After many
trials and rrIbularIOus, the States not long
since arrayed IN arms against the general
government have rs-establl-bed their rels-
tIuus with tie Union, and reGalued thel-
autonomy.
Generous courtesy toward fallen but
most gallant Zoe AID solfi-h policy alIks de-
u.aud that We should leave no Just thlug IN
Guue that will restore pace and we'll ovipS
TO the south. rg-esrablI-h tTaIeTnal feelings
IN the hearts Of al cur people and Cause our
recent enemies 20 b. proud OF aid love the
! government OF the Union and IL Hag- The
/ welfare OF the NYrth i In--parAbie from thai
I OF the South and our country can never attain
/ i;s full force ard yigUr until peace, PrO>Per-
'y aud kind Ive!Iag relgu tbTouEhoui l's
broad domain. l 0e:lere that ILl- end can
/ besr be reached BY respecting the autonomy
I Of the individual State, - long as they Te-
spect the obligations OF he fedzsa! compact.
Allowed 70 govern rheins-lyrs. public oQn-
ION. s-,t respec, and regard Tor their Own
interests viii certainly suffice 10 induce the :
SIutnaIu States 10 place good Iasa IN otn-s
and 10 enforce the laws. While Of the opia-
lon thar federal interference should never b.
re-ortsd 10, except L. Ihe es=es ProvId=t Tor
/ in the constitution, l also think that If any /.
or.,r.yes are committed UPON the righis, p-f-
sons Cr prOPsrty Of any ei'iz=n, whatever H. /
r.e-. y hI,- or black, and the State au,hCri- I
,iss nesl-e, or hesitate to DO theis day, ihe I
I general government shoald urge and aia |
I them IL every legal way 70 eufoEce oEder and /
Justice. and shoaii use all l-g=l and lsgIti- |
mate influence IL that direction
/ Bot / have sufficient faith IN the honor