Year: 1872




GENTLEMEN AND FELLow-CITI-
zENs: If have delayed answering
your communication Of July H.
which was duly placed in my hands
by your committee, it is not because
the proper course for you seemed
doubtful, but because I wished to re-
feet upon it and be aided by the in
formation which time might supply.
Since then Ihave carefully considered
the inquiries you have addressed me
and listened to much on both sides,
but my best judgment is in harmony
with my early conclusion. l am
touched by the appeal you make. Ii
is true I am the friend of your race,
and I am glad to be assured that in
your opinion have held constant
course in the Senate and elsewhere
as the special advocate Of your rights:
That course by the blessing of God [
mean to hold so long as life lasts. :
know your infinite wrongs and feel
for them as my own. You only dc
me simple justice when you aud a
belief that my counsel at this critical
iuncture of your citizenship would be
free from personal feelings and par
tisan prejudice. In answering your
inquiries 1 can have no feelings ex-
cept for your good, which I most anx-
iously seek, nor can any prejudice Of
any kind be allowed to interfere. The
occasion is too solemn. Especially is
there no room for personal feeling or
for partisan prejudice. No man OF
party can expect power except tor
the general welfare. Therefore they
must be brought to the standard Of
truth that they may be seen in life
and act. You are right in saying
that the choice for the Presidency is
now narrowed down" to


PRESIDENT GRANT OR HORACE GREE


LEY.


One of these is to be taken; and
assuming my acquaintance with both
and my observation of their livesyo
invite my judgment between them
asking me especially which of the two
Judging from their antecedents as
well as present position, would en-
force the Constitution and laws Sc
curing your civil and political rights
with the most heartfelt sympathy and
greatest vigor. Here I remark that
in this inquiry you naturally put
your rights in the foreground. Sc
do /. Believing most sincerely that
the best interests of the whole coun-
try are associated with the completest
recognition Of your rights, so that the
two races shall live together in un-
broken harmony. also remark that
you call attention to two things: Tho
antecedents" of the two candidates
and, secondly, their present posi-
ton" You wish to know from these
which gives assurance Of the most
heartfelt sympathy and greatest vigol
in the maintenance Of your rights
In other words. which, Judging from
the past, will be your truest friend
The communication with which you
have honored me is not alone. COL
ored fellow-citizeps in other parts o
| the country-I may say in nearly
every State of the Union-have made
similar request; and some complain
that I have thus far kept silent.
am not insensible to this appeal; but
if my opinion is given, it must bt
candidly, according to nv conscience
In this spirit / answer your inquiries
beginning with the


ANTEcEDENTs OF THE TWO cANDI-


DATES.


Horace Greeley was born to pov
erty, and educated himself in aprlnt
ing Office. President Grant, tortu
nate in early patronage, became ca
! det at West Point, and was educated
at the public expense One startee
| with nothing but industry and a char
acter; the other started with .nili
tary. commission. One was trained
as a civilian, the other as a soldier
Horace Greeley stood forth as a re
former and abolitionist; Presiden
Grant enlisted as a pro-slayery Demo
trat. and at ahe election aaf Jawe