The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-09
Letter from Gen. Grant

The following brief letter from Gen.
Grant to Gen. John A. Logan, in response
to an invitation extended to the ex-Presi
dent to attend a Garfield and Arthur mass
meeting in New York. has been given to
the public through the Chicago press
Although brief, it is to the point on one
snbject-the right to the free exercise of
the ballot and the duty of having that bal
lot counted as cast. The American mind is
seriously impressed with the importance of
this proposition, and to its vindication the
Republican party is committed. We have
no concealments to make On question of
such vital import, and involving so largely
the liberties of the people and the peace
and order of society. If the next Con-
gress shall be Republican and the next
President Republican, legislation should be
enacted into law which will assure every
man entitled to a vote the privilege of de-
posting his ballot. and the guarantee that
it will be counted for the party or person
for whom it is DIES igned. The shameless
declaration of Gen Wade Hampton in the
Cincinnati Convention, pledging the 13S
electoral votes of the Southern States to the
Democratic Presidential nominee, should be
met by the honest voice of the nation with
the demand upon the legislative and exec
utive departments of the government to
stand between the citizen voter and the red
shirts and white liners and tissue ballot
manipulators, and guard the great deposit
tory of the ballot as the primal source of
Amer lean liberty and the sure guarantee
for the perpetuity of our free institutions,
if to do so require the whole power of the
government as represente0in the army and
navy. No more insidious foe to free insti-
buttons can be conceived, than the vicious
methods adopted and openly encouraged
in some of the Southern States to debauch
the ballot and prostitute the great right of
the elective franchise. 1t strikes at the base
of the very pillars of government, and
throws defiance in the face of its law-mak-
ing power, placing paramount the passions
and hates Of race and section to the Con-
stitution and laws of the country. Such
mockery of election as was enacted recent
ly in Alabama. indicating the methods by
which Gen. Hampton would assure 13S
electoral votes to the Cincinnati nomi-
nees, six months in advance of the election,
has aroused the American people to the de-
signs of the Democratic party and stimu-
lated them as they have not been since
1861, to the dangers which would confront
.el, III
inees Forewarned is to be forearmed. and
no warning could have been more startling
than that announced from the platform of
the Cincinnati Convention by Gen. Hamp-
ton, of South Carolina. 1t was challenge
thrown down to the law-abiding people of
the country of both sections. 1t was a
taunt and an Insult thrown in the face
of the manhood, the intelligence and the
patriotism of the North. and should they
not resent it, in solid electoral vote for
the Chicago nominees, they will prove
themselves unworthy OF the Union their
sacrifices and courage preserved.
Gen. Grant has tersely presented the
great essential issue in this election. and to
IL the Whole country Will be attracted:
MANIToU SPRINGS, COL, Aug. II.
My Dear General L0gam:
left this place two weeks ago for an eX-
tended tour through San Louis park and the
Gunnison country, land hence have only just |
received your letter OF the 2Sth If July.
Will be going east the latter part OF Septem-
per, and will gladly attend any meeting in
Tended to further the success of the ticket
headed by Garfield and Arthur. | agree
with you that it will not do to be beaten