Year: 1868

UTICA, N. ", Aug. 4. 1868.
Gentlemen-When in the city of New
York, on the 11th ult, in the presence
of vast multitude, on behalf of the
National Democratic Convention, you
rendered to me it's unanimous nomina-
tlon as their candidate for the Office OF
president of the United States, stated
had no words adequate to express my
gratitude for the good will and kindness
which that body had shown to me. Its
nomination was unsought and unexpec-
ted.


1t was my ambition to take an active
part, from which / am now excluded, in
the great struggle going on for the res
toration of good governments; of peace
and prosperity to our country; which is
bearing us on to great political change,
and find myself unable to resist its
pressure.


You have also given me copy of
the resolutions put forth by the conven-
tion, showing it's position upon all the
great questions which now agitate the
country.


AS the presiding officer of that con-
vention, 1 am familiar with their scope
and import; as one of its members, / am
a party to their terms. They are in ac-
cord with my views, and l stand upon
them in the contest upon which we are





them ont in future wherever / may be
placed, in political or private life. /
then stated 1 would send you these
words of acceptance in a letter, as is the
customary form.


l see no reason, upon reflection, to
change or qualify the terms of my ap-
proyal of the resolutions of the conven-
tion. have delayed the mere formal
act of communicating to you in writing
what thus publicly said, for the pur-
pose of seeing what light the action of
Congress would throw upon the interests
of the country. Its acts, since the ad-
journment of the convention, show an
alarm lest change of political power
will give to the people what they ought
to have-a clear statement of what has
been done with the money drawn from
them during the past eight years
Thoughtful men feel that there have
been wrongs in the financial manage
ment which have been kept from the
public knowledge. The congressional
party has not only allied itself with mil.
itary power, which is to be brought to
bear directly upon the elections in many
States, but holds itself in perpetual
session with the avowed purpose of
making such laws as it shall see fit.


In view of the elections which will



therefore, not adjourn, but took a recess
to meet again if its partisan interests
shall demand its reassembling. Never
before in the history of our country has
Congress thus taken menacing atti-
tude towards its electors. Under it's in
fluenee some of the States organized by
its agents are proposing to deprive the
people of the right to vote for presiden.
tial electors, and the first bold steps
have been taken to destroy the rights of
suffrage.


1t is not strange, therefore, that
thoughtful men see in such action the
shape the policy of the Republican par
ty, motives stronger and deeper than
the mere wish to hold political power;
that there is a dread of some exposure
which drives them on to acts so desper-
ate and so impolitic.


Many of the ablest leaders and jour
nails of the Republican party have open
ly deplored the violence of Congression-
al action and its tendency to keep up
discord in our country. The great in
terests of our Union demand peace, or
der, and a return to those international
pursuits without which we cannot main |
tain the faith or honor of our govern
ment The minds of business men are
by uncertainties; the hours of
toll of our laborers are heightened by !
the cost of living, made by the direct
and Indifferent exactions of government;
our people are harrassed by the frequent
demands of the tax gatherer.


Without distinction of party there is |
a strong feeling in favor of that line of
action which shall restore order and con- |
fidence, and shall lift off the burdens
which now hinder and vex the industry
of the country. Yet, at this moment, |
those in power have thrown into the
Senate chamber and Congressional hal,
a new element of discord and violence. |
Men have been admitted as representa-
tives of the Southern States, with the
declaration upon their lips, that they |
cannot live in the States they claim to
without military protection.


These men are to make laws for the
North as well as the South; these men,
who, few days since were seeking as
suppliants, that Congress would give
them power within their respective
States, are to-day the controllers of the
action of these bodies, entering them
with minds filed with questions and de-
mands that Congress shall look upon
the States from which they come as in
conditions of civil war; that the MAORI
ty of their population, embracing their
intelligence, must be treated as public