Year: 1868

AS soon as the nominations by the National
Democratic Convention were announced, disap-
pointed politicians and others, in various localities,
set to work with the view Of organizing third
party, upon the ground that the nominees Of the
Convention were not acceptable These malcon-
tents Immediately recognized the necessity Of se,
curing the cooperation of some of the leading men
of the country, in order to give the movement
headway With this purpose in view, 0. q. Os.
trander, of Danville, Penn, addressed letter to
Senator Doolittle, of Wisconsin. The Senator
reply is brimful of patriotism and stamps him as
man to be trusted. Here it is: ''


WASHINGTON, July 13, 1868.
o. H. Ostrandr, Esq., Danuizs, Rqut::


DEAR SIR: am in receipt of your letter Of the
10th instant, in which, speaking for yourself and
fortyeigh other Conservative Republicans Of your
town, you express 'sense of disappointment and
regret that no better names had been offered by the
Democratic party to lead the Conservative and pa
triotic masses of the people to victory, and the
Radical Republican party to deserving and meritee
defeat. As a gentleman and statesman Mr.. Sey
mour holds our respect, but as a Peace Democrat
we are indisposed to vote for him." and you art
pleased to say, that if my name, among others, hae
been placed ut the head of the ticket, "all would
have gone well, and victory would have been Ger
tain." You desire my opinion upon the situation
and 'the prospects of third party"


I thank you for the confidence thus reposed il
me, and shall not shrink from the responsibility o.
stating frankly my opinion.


do not think the organization Of any third par
ty is wise, or can work any practical good to tht
great cause in which we are engaged. In the yer,
nature Of things when great principles are at stake
there are, and there can be, but two effective po
litical parties 'He that is not for me is agains
me-" in politics as well as in religion, is truth
upon which every wise man is compelled to act.


What, then, is the great and paramount issue
What is that great and objectionable wrong fo
which the Radical party is now arraigned ane
should be overthrown?


It is substantially this:


In violation of the CONSTITUTIONAL violation
pledges made and often repeated, from the frs
battle of Bull Run to the end of the war pledges
to the North to get men and money; pledges es
pecially made to the Democracy to get their sup
port in the field and in the elections pledges made
to the South to induce them to lay down then
arms and to renew their allegiance and pledges tt
foreign powers to prevent intervention-in viola
ton of oil these solemn pledges, upon which VI
invoked the blessings Of Almighty God upon ou1
cause, and by which alone we gained strength II
master the rebellion-in violation Of the natura
and inalienable right of the civilized men Of ever,
State to govern themselves and in violation of the
clear provisions Of the Constitution, which leaves
to each State for itself the right to regulate suf
fage this party has, without trial, by er post fac
to laws, disfanchised hundreds Of thousands Of tn
most intelligent of their citizens and has forced
upon ten States and six millions of our own Anglt
Saxon race the universal and unqualified suffrage
of seven hundred thousand ignorant, and, in th'
main, halfcivilized negroes ...........-


This is the great wrong for which that party il
arraigned at the bar of public Judgment and TO
which it should be overthrown.


To consummate that great wrong, they have a
bolished all civil government, and civil liberty
in these ten States;


They have established FIVE absolute military des
potisms, wherein all rights to life, liberty, ant
property are subject to the will Of one man;


They have kept the Union divided; .


They have prevented the restoration of industry


They have kept down the credit Of the Govern
ment during three years Of peace, to point 81
low that to the shame of every American, the 81,
per cent bonds Of the United States sell for onl!
70 in gold, while the bonds Of Brazil, bearing only
four per cent. interest, bring over 80 in gold;


They have encroached upon the just rights o
the Executive;


They have threatened the Independence of tn
Supreme Court; ..-~


They have uDjustly, and without cause, impeach
ed and put upon trial the President himself, and b!
every species of denunciation, and even by threat
of assassination, have endeayored to force the Sen
ate to convict him, in order to place in the Execu
tive chair one who will use all its power to consum
mate that gigantic wrong against the Constitution
against our pghted faith, against civilization ant
against our own race and kindred.


The Convention in New York met for the pur
pose of organizing to overthrow the party in powe
for this great wrong, and to restore the Union ant
the Constitution and the rights Of the States, ant
OF all the States under it. Now, I do not say th'
nominations made at New York are the very bes
that could have been made for that purpose.
/ The elements to be organized into victoriou
army were four fold. To use military figure
there were four army corps to be organized int
one grand army:


First. The great Democratic corps.


Second. The War Democratic corps.
Third. The Conservative Republican corps.
Fourth. The Civilized Southern Corps


The first, or Democratic corps, was fully organ
| lied, with ranks well filed, but not in suf6cien
numbers to secure the victory. ........


There was the War Democratic corps, which
supported Lincoln in 1864; but which, in conse
oucnce of the great wrong above mentioned, wa
ready to sever itself from the Radical army unde
General Grant; and there was the Conservative
Republican corps, of which you are pleased t.
speak of me as leader, who, for the same reasons
were ready to join the grand army, and do all ii
their power to bring success to our cause
The two last are the recruiting corps. They
hold the balance of power. As matter of policy
had the first Office been given to chief OF the 9th
er, it would have made our victory more easy, Il
not more certain.


Everybody knows that the result Of this contest
is to depend upon the important question, whether
we shall be able to recruit those two corps in suf
cient numbers, and carry them to the hearty sup.
port of MIR. Seymour. If we can, victory is with
us. If we cannot, victory is against US


In my judgment, it is our duty to do so. The
very life of the Constitution is involved and, with
it, the rights of the States and the liberties of the
people.