Year: 1869

My FRIENDS AS you insist upon it, l
suppose I shall have to submit. If you
shall repent, say but word and | will
relieve you. Since 1 have been confined
here, l have had leisure and have taken
pains to collect some statistics which |
had expected to use during the canvass
To-day my physician has ordered ne to
be more auiet--to take less exercise-
and gives me little hope that 1 shall be
able 70 leave the city before the election.
As you desire that shall give my views
on political questions, l will have to ask
your indulgence for whatever want OF
form or conference there may be, as put
these facts and reflections together with
out further preparation.


l ask your impartial attention-1 ask
you to hear me without prejudice. l Will
say nothing in the way of fact or argu-
ment which I do not believe to be true


have strong convictions. You know
I am bound by strong party ties; but l
am happy to believe that you know also
that love my country, ano that hold
every opinion, every party tie subordi-
nate to my desire to promote its welfare
and the happiness of its people. Many
of my acquaintances, Of my relatives, of
my friends, differ widely from me. They
are members of the Republican party
am glad to possess their personal good
will and confidence. I am glad to have
such pleasant social relations with them,
that even in this little company l find
some of them. 1 frankly confess that l
covet their good will. am sorry we
differ in opinion. The differences is hon
est. l can not question their motives.
1 have full confidence in their integrity.
l respect their judgment. l would not
say one word to wound their suscepti-
bility. We have the same interests and
the same duties. We have the same
country to love, the same liberties to
preserve, the same Government to main
tain, the same posterity to provide for,
the same history to answer unto. They
know that freely concede to them the
same patriotism, the same sincerity, the
same sense of responsibility, which |
believe they accord to me,


can not agree with Gov. Hayes, that
all the vexed questions of our national
politics are wisely and happily settled
the ''great questions of liberty and union
and reconstruction of the Union have
been made safe. y


| can not agree that retrenchment, hon
esty and economy have been introduced
into the management of the Federal ex-
penditures.


lean not agree that the debt has been
decreased, and is decreasing, as he states
it.


| can not agree that the burdens Of
taxation have been reduced, and thell
weight upon the people has been light
| ened.


l can not agree that sound judgment
and freedom from bad influences have
been brought to the exercise of the i'm
mense power Of the Secretary of thu


Treasury.


l cannot agree that business is active


that enterprise is active; that vigor anc


energy and industry are bountifully re


warded, that employment is abundant


that daily toll is fairly compensated


that commerce on the ocean and on thu


land is prosperous, and, therefore, cal


not serenely, as does our worthy Gov


ernor, turn my face from all question


of Federal politics, and look only a


State affairs.


1t ought to be so. If it were MOTTO
the schemes Of consolidation; if Stat


affairs were left to State management;
Federal affairs were kept within the scop
, of constitutional provisions, it would b
so.
i But cannot pretend to believe wha
1 know to be false. | cannot say tha
the Union is restored when Virginia an
Mississippi and Texas are under Militar
Governors, and Georgia is without rel
resentation in Congress.


, can not say peace is restored whe
/, Justice is administered by drum-hea
court martial