Year: 1868

TO hon hFohceS r BtotF'


SIR: A few days after the nomina-


tions were made by the convention


which assembled in New York on the


4th instant, / had conversation in


Washington City with General Cush-
ing, of Massachusetts, in which that


eminent iurist and politician said:


"The simple question to determine


at the election is, shall General Grant


or Frank Blair be President for the


next four years, for if Seymour is
elected he will not live year.


The announcement, confess, star


tied me. 1 knew General Cushing's


intimate knowledge of Governor Sey-
mOur, and that he never INDUCED in
an idle remark. 1 had also heard it
frequently stated that the Governor
had declined the acceptance of public'
places in consequence Offailing health,
but l had not supposed there was any
cause for serious apprehensions in re-
gard to his physical or mental cOndi-
ton. Recently developed facts, how
ever, and the softer deliberate opinions
of those who know him intimately,
render it not only possible but proba-
bic, that in the event of his and your
election, the responsibility of admin
istering the government would soon
devOlve upon you.


1t therefore becomes a question of
the gravest moment to look back into
your record, and ascertain what
manner of man you are," and what
security peace and good government
would have in you. l propose to per-
form this duty from time to time, at
my leisure moments.


The first inquiry which naturally
arises is: Why was the nomination of
the New York convention conferred
upon you? Why were all the Demo-
Gratis of the West passed by that you
might be selected? Not certainly be-
cause of your Democracy. If you
ever were a Democrat, you were the
worst acting one ever saw. But you
never were a Democrat, and have
spent your whole life in abusing the
Democratic party. You do not now
claim to be a DemOcrat-only an Op-
ponent of the Radicals" the reasons
for which will appear in the sequel.


You were not made a candidate be-
cause of your services during the war,
though some of your partisans have
the foolish audacity to claim for YOU
that those services were more import
ant to the country than Grants! And
Thomas Ewing, of Kansas, was unan-
imOusly presented by the soldiers and
sailors who had assembled in New
York, to the Belmont convention, as
their choice for Vice President. Not
only was their request refused, but
they were turned away with cold in
4 Il l. 4. r i
to you as their candidate in any pos
sible contingency. Neither your war
record, your talents, or your private
virtues had attracted their attention or
captivated their admiration. Aside
from few followers in Missouri, no
body had ever thought of you in con-
nectiOn with any great Office. In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eve,
as 1T were, you bounded forward to
consequence, and to use the language
of Junius in one of his letters to the
Duke of Grafton: " From whatever
origin your influences in this country
arises, it is phenomenon in the his
tory of human virtue and understand
ing. Good men can hardly believe
the fact; wise men are unable to ac-
count for il: religious men find exer-
else for their faith, and make it the
last effort Of their piety not to repine
against Providence"


One who read your letter of accep-
tance, hardly knows which to be
startled at most, the boldness of your
assurance or the indecency of your
language. Striking out on the direct
line OF revolution, yet assuming to
yourself great purity of purpose and a
lofty patriotism, you have betrayed
your design by the care you have
taken to conceal it. To obscure your
own atrOciOus object you assail Gen.
Grant as inviting the people to a
- feast of despOtism and DEATH" when
you are inviting them to a new feast
of blood. Even despOtism would be
preferable to that anarchy you would
turn loose among them to pile up the
dead on the dOOT-sills of the North for
the benefit of the PrestOns and the
Hamptons and the FORESTS. into
whose service you have entered, and
who brought you forward as a candi-
date, while their garments are still red
with the precious blood of our mar
tyred soldiers who fell in defense of
their cOuntry's flag, which these trai-
tors were endeavOring to strike down.
and the Union with it. 1t is enough
to appal the stoutest heart to look upon
this scene of national debasement and
shame. Verify there is but one step
between this people and another civil
conflict. The most noted rebels are
already debating the national candi-
dates, and you embraced each other
with all the cordiality of old political
friends, professeedly entertaining the
same views and purposes Of govern
ment. How would the British states
men, how would the statesmen of any
country on earth, except our own, ap-
pear in an assembly with traitars, con-
federating with them to seize the
on their Joint account
and for their joint benefit?


One of the most remarkable features
of your letter is its total want of mod
esty. Hear! heart