The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-15
from the Cincinnati Commercial.I
Letter from Col. Donan to Gov. Hayes,
and Reply.
Newport. Ky, February 81, 1911.


Hon r. b. Auyes
sary. Suilicc 1t to say, them an ploce-seeker.
l THINK 1t not improbable that you may haze
Cauedstan Tor a number OF years since the war
one OF the most extreme organs of Southern SEN
timent in the country IL was The paper that ill
io6j-lO. led the movement for the retirement OF
the Democracy from The field in Missouri, which
resulted in the disruption OF The Republican
party in the State, the bolt of Carl ShuZ and
Gratz Brown. and the enfranchisement of 10000
citizens, until then disfrancEised. 1t was TIT
Caaeastaa, too, as you perhaps remember. which
IN 1871, first put up the names OF Greeley and
Brown, and urged the adoption OF the Missouri
passive policy by the South and the National De-
mocracy: anu It was to me 1nat Mr.. Greeley in
October, 1871. wrote the letter Which afterwards
made him the nominee of the Cincinnati Conven-
ton. have more recently edited the Danviile
(Va.) Neaos and the Raleigh IN. c. Sentinet-the
latter the organ Of the Democratic party in North
Carolina was in the Confederate service dur
ing the war: am known throughout the South,
and pretty generally through the North, as a
Southern man of the most exremc cype-a South
ern ultraist, and As such write to you Pardon
the liberty l take; speak from full heart.
There is now little doubt that you will be in
augUrated President OF the United States, and
you will then have, SIR the grandeSt opportuni-
ty ever enjoyed by any man SINCE Washington il
ustFious Pater Patria, whose birth a continent
will celebrate tomorrow. You will go into office
under something OF cloud, but you have it in
your power to dispel every mist and shadow, and
TO shine forth Respondent in the clear sunlight
Of immortal fame. If you rise TO the glorious dig
nifty of occasion such as heaven scarce affords
to any man once in century-if you show your
self patriot instead OF a PARTISAN if, knowing
no North South, East or West you prove your
self President of Republic and not of party
the whole country will rally to your support. the
long suffering South will stand by you as unit
With the exception OF few dozen malignant IA
natics. the entire forty millions of your country
men, OF every creed aud color, will endorse and
sustain you. Peace, real peace will once more
spread her white wings our long discordant
land. True reconstruction. delayed by passion
and by folly through many dark and weary years.
! will at last he effected. TIE Union will be re-
stored in deed and in truth, Union OF hearts
and hands, of interests, sympathies and inclina-
lions, well that of mere territories, noun
tans, lakes and streams. The old fraternai feel
ings that animated American bosons when the
heroic blood OF Virginia and Massachusetts min
ged at Monmouth, Saratoga Trenton and York
town, viii be reawakened. From Maine to Cali
fornia, and from Minnesota to Florida, the altar
fires of lusectiona1 patriotism will be rekindled
Under he influence OF renewed confidence and
hope, business will revive; our languishing in
duStrleS VIII begin to raise their heads; long
baniShed prosperity will return to our stores
and our workshops and. from every village and
hamlet every hillside and valley, from ocean to
ocean, will ascend glad universal hymn OF
thanksgvir s to the alwise and ali-merciful God
of Nations, for the good time coming come ut
last The close of your administration will find
you the idol OF hemsphere-frst in hearts OF
grateful miions-and your name will go sound
ing down the ages. with those Of the few grand
| immortas OF all history, into whose hands Al
mighty God has committed the destinies OF half
| mighty and glorious trust. Posterty will hail
you as & twin immortal, peer in deaths glory
Of that first great Father OF his country whose
coming rendered the 22tl of February sacred for
ever.
GIVE the South long trodden-down, pillaged
and ms dlted a chance and, as an extreme South
ern man. feel no hesitation in assuring you she
will meet You half way, and uphold your hands ill
every effort for the general veal She has suffer-
ed enough. Ii her restoration and paciicaton
are ever 70 come, now is the time. Let her feel
that she is really part OF this Unon-not Il con-
quered dependency, subject to every whim of her
conquerors. Pledge her that the army shall no
longer be used to control her elections: that Fed
erai Interference i'll her domestic affairs shall
cease; and that her people shall be allowed to
manage their home concerns in their own way
and you will have warmer heartier supporters
in Ohio than will be found i'll every township
from the Potomac 10 the Rio Grande.
Surround yourself with counseiors in whose
wisdom and patriotism the whole country las
confidence. Henry Stanberry, OF your own State
is such man, and there many OF them in the
| North. Il such virulent chieftains as Morton
| Chandler, Cameron and Blaine must be rewarded
for services rendered, acquit yourself of the obi
| CATION and earn grateful peoples blessings by
sending them out of the country foreign mis-
SionS-aS far away possible. Make up your
cabinet OF men sage. calm, country.loying and
above suspicion. And II requires no prophets
vision TO predict from your four years term, in
1 finite good to the country and unbonnded honor
l for yourself.
| The eyes OF forty millions of your countrymen
| are turned to you. Jehovah, in his wisdom and
his power, calls you to the high st destiny any
man can ever hope to attain. That you may prove
yourself worthy of it, and of the yeneration and
love OF your whole people, is my heartfelt prayer
and II you do, no one Will more sincerely rejoice
| and more gratefully acknowledge it than
Your late rebel" felow-citiZen.