The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-08-14

Letter from Washington,
Two Remarkable Lctters-Ropublieans smoke Epk.
tllary nynamite-Ar, Garfield Morally Ubligue.
but great MANI

tniAty hynamite-Ar, tarhcid Morally ubli4uc
but great Mani
WASHINGTON, d. C., Aug. :, 1850.
II Is not too much TO say that. the appear.
Ance Of General Hancock's letter Of accept.
ance, followed by the publication of his
remarkable letter 10 Gen Sherman, has pro.
duced a feeling Of depression, almost Of de.
spair, among the thousands Of office holders
here, whose bread and butter depend upon
his defeat. Republicans bad begun to recover
from the shock of what all admitted was 4
singularly strong aud wise nomination. Their
splendid organization, IL not proof against de.
feat, was, a, least, proof against a complete
routiu the beginning Of the campaign. Their
houndless resources, used effectively, had
stimulated the most faint-hearted, il not with
confidence, al least with hope. An improved
action was beginning to be felt in the relubri.
Gated machine. But 70 have their own guns
captured and turned agains, them would have
been TOO much Tor the sieadiest discipline and
most splendid moral.
The chieiest danger to Democratic success
now, Is that the party will trust too much to
tue inVunerability OF their leader. General
Haneock's uuimpeaehable record in war and
IN peace, his uudoubted ability. which makes
hun, even IN private letter discussing ma
uonnl affairs IN most critical period, talk
with the direct simplicity Of a soldier aud the
profound insight OF statesman, has silencud
the argument that he was military man
merely, and unified to measure and weigh
the great questions that modern civilization
propounds to executive craftsmanship. That
argument was futile against Grant, even after
he bad justified il by the most deplorable
presidential term ia our history, and those
who nave been using 1t with inane iteration
against Hancock were the very persons whom
neither the theory nor the practice could con.
vince IN two terms Of Grant, but who endea.
yored to give him third term.
That Gen. Garfield is morally obiique tho
Credit Mobilier and De Golyer episode, but
especially the Electoral Commission history
show l have been taken 10 task for deny.
ing IN former letter, that he was u man Of
great intellect. We Judge intellecis by com.
parison. have seen and heard the Repnb.
llean candidate in various situations during
the last seven years. have also had an on.
potiunity to compare him with other men who
have achieved greatness. 40 called, like
Thurman or been born great, like Don
Cameron or have had greatness forced upon
them like Aeklen, Spencer aud Patterson. of
the Solid South. Compared with the latter
three ! think Garfield is a great man, but as
compared with Thurman, Gladstone and
Gambeita, he is like the combined littleness
of Acklen, Spencer aud Patterson. But my
assertion proves nothing. Well, as Carlyle
said OF the admirers Of great novelist,
Those to whom he is great may, with ali
innocence, think him So" His ablest apollo
gisi, the New York "Nation," was omen in
its contempt OF the weakness Of his letter OF
acceptance. No one has ever supposed that
the fraudulent executive was great man.
aud yet his letter Of acceptance was phalanx
and mach more effective document than
anything Garfield has uttered or is capable Of
uttering.