The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-08-14
Tive Remarkable Letters.
(From our regular Correspondent }

tFr0m our regular CorrespOndent.)
WASHINGTON, Aug Z, 1eS0.-It IS not too
much to say that the appearance OF Gen. Han.
cocks letter Of acceptance, followed by the
publication of his remarkable letter to Gen
eral Sherman, has produced feeling of de-
preston, almost of despair, among the thou
sands of Office holders here whose bread and
butter depend upon his defeat. Republicans
had begun to recover from the shock of what
all admitted was singularly strong and wise
nomination. Their splendid organization, if
not proof against defeat was, at least proof
against a complete rout in the beginning of
the campaign. Their boundless resources,
used effectively, had stimulated the most faint
hearted, if not with confidence, at least with
hope. An improved action was beginning to
be felt in the re-lubricated machine. But to
have their own guns captured and turned
against them would have been too much for
the stcadiest discipline and most splendid NOR
ais.
The chIefest danger to Democratic success
now is that the party will trust too much to
the invulnerability OF their leader. General
lIancock's unimpeachab!e record In war and
in peace, his undoubted ability, which makes
him, even in private letter discussing ma.
tional affairs In most critical period, talk
with the direct simplicity Of soldier and the
profound insight Of a statesman, has silenced
the argument that he was military man mere.
ly, and untitled to measure and weigh the
great questions that modern civilization pro-
pounds to executive craftsmanship. That ar.
gument was futile against Grant, even after he
had justified it by the most deplorable presi-
dental term in our history, and those who
have been using it with inane iteration against
Hancock were the very persons whom neither
the theory nor the practice could convince in
two terms of Grant, bu. who endeavored to
give HIM third term.
That General Garfield Is morally oblique,
the Credit Mobilier and De Golyer episodes,
but especially the Electoral Commission his
tory, show. have been taken to task for de
nying, In former letter, that he was man OF
great intellect. We judge intellects by com.
pdTlSOn, nave sccu anu HcdIu tuc iNcpupii-
can candidate IN various situations during the
last seven years. have also had an oppor.
tunity TO compare him with other men who
have achieved greatness, so called, like Thur
man; or been born great like Don Cameron
or have greatness forced upon them, like Ack
len, Spencer and Patterson, of the Solid South
Compared with the latter three l think Gar
field is great man, but as compared witt
Thurman, Gladstone and Gambetta he is like
the combined httleness of Acklen, Spencer ant
Patterson. But my assertion proves nothing
Well, as Carlyle said Of the admirers of grea
novelist: Those TO whom he is great may
with all innocence, think him So" His ables
apologisi, the New York Nation, was open II
It's contempt of the weakness of his letter
acceptance No one has ever supposed tina
the fraudulent executive was great man, ans
yet his letter Of acceptance was phalanx O
lpnnciples. an arrayp splendid promises, and