Year: 1860

New YORK, May "a.


The following letter has been addresse


by Mr.. Seward to the gentlemen of th


Central Republican COMMITTEES, who invite


him to attend meeting for the ratification


OF the proceedings Of the National Conven


ton:


AUBURN, May 81, go.
| GENTLEMEN IL will not affect to coHcea


the sensibility with which / have received


the letters in which you and so many othe


respected friends have rendered to me ex
Pressions of renewed and enduring conf


dence. These letters will remain with m,
as assurances in future years that, although


| was not unwilling to await even fol
another age the vindication os my political
principles, yet they did nevertheless re
ceive the generous support Of many good
wise and patriotic men Of my own time.


Such assurances, however, made nuder
the circumstances now existing, derive
their priceless value largely from the fact
that they steal upon me through the chan.
nels of private correspondence, and alto
gether unknown 10 the world. You will
at once pe.ceive that such expressions
would become painful to me, and Justly
offensive 20 The country. if l should be nj
lowed to partake in any public or conven-
tional form of manifestation. For this
reason, if il were respectful and consistent
for your own public purposes, / would
have delayed my reply to you until could
have had an opportunity OF making it yer
bally next week, on my way to Washing
ton, after completing the arrangements for
the repairs upon my dwelling. rendered
necessary by recent fire.


The same reason determines me also 10
decline your kind invitation to attend the
meeting in which you propose some dem
onstrations Of respect to myself While
so justly considering the nominations
which have just been made by the Nation
al Convention at Chicago. At the same
time il is your right 10 have frank and
candid expression of my own opinions
and sentiments on that important subject.


My friends know very we'll that while
they have always generously made my pro.
motion TO public trusts their own exclusive
care, mine has only to execute them faith
fully, SO as 10 be able at the close Of their
assigned terms to resign them into the
hands Of the people without forfeiture of
the public confidence.


The presentation Of my name to the Chi
cago Convention was thus their act, not
mine. The disappointment. therefore,
theirs, not mine. II may have found them
unprepared. On the other hand, have no
sentiment either of disappointment or Of
discomfort, for who. in any possible case,
could without presumption claim that
great national party ought to choose him
for its candidate for the first Office in the
gift Of the American p oplef l find in the
resolutions Of the Convention a platform
as satisfaction to me as il it had been
framed with my own hands; and in the
candidates adopted by it, eminent and
able republicans, with when have cor
daily co-operated in maintaining the prin.
ciples embodied in that excellent creed


1 cheerfully give them sincere and
earnest support. trust, moreover, that
those with whom have labored SO long
that common service in noble cause has
created between them and myself relations
Of personal friendship unsurpassed In the
experience Of political men, will indulge
me In confident belief that no sense OF
disappointment will be allowed by them
TO hinder or delay or in any way embarras
the progress Of that cause to the consum.
nation which is demanded by the patriotic
regard TO the safety and welfare Of the
country, and the best interests Of mankind


(Signed) WM II. SEWARD.