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Gen. Mcclellan For Tilden

Gen. Mcclellan For Tilden image
Parent Issue
Day
15
Month
September
Year
1876
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

GonuBO, Canada, Aug. IC, 1876. Mï Dkab Sib : Your very kind letter of the lOth ha roaohod me, and I quite conciu' with you. Dopply impresaed by the gravity of the issues iuvolvod in tlie approaching Presidential eleetiou, bolieviug that the honor of tho oountrv and well-beiug of the people dopeud in no mail dogreo upon the result, 1 foei compelled to dopart from the reserve that haa become habitual to me, and expres the caracul conviotions that press upon me. Under a oonstitutional Government the formation of political parties 19 a nooensary oonsequonco of tho diversity of human miüds and interest. Sentimentalista in thoir closets may dream of an ideal republic, sllof whose citizens aro perfectly wiae, virtuous, and, conaetjuontly, unanimous; but mieti a dream can ñovor bo realized on tliis earth, and we must recognizs tho fact that political partios are not only nccosaary, but boncücial, acting as they do aa cheoks upon each other. Expcrieuce lias 8hon, in aft constitutioual countries, that when any party poaaeeaea uniuterrupted power for a vory long timo, eupecially when the minority is too weak to iutermwe auy ofücient check upon the actiona of tho majority, the tendency ia Uiat tho lcadera beuome careles aud reoKieas, forget that there ia any power to which they aro renponeible, look upon ónice ae a personal poaaeaaion and roward, rathev than a public trust, and learn to regard thoir ion ure as poimaneut. So, too, the logialative bodie becomo inclined to a eystem of oxtravaganco, which engendoro corruption, facilitatcs tlio formation of rings, and ñnally doatroya the prosperity of the people. The only ture remody in auch a cae, is that tho peoplo i:hall, tiiüugh the ballot-box, p'.aco the formor oppowition in iiower. That our country is now in tho condition juut described, i pröved by tho universal and perr emptorydemand for complete reform by the peoplo, without regard to party. Among Demócrata there is 110 doubt as to the manner in which the change should be accomphshed. With niiuiv ltopublicans the quostion ia whether they can trnet tho profosttionB óf their party, or whether they must tako the disagreeable step of breakiog away from old political aoaociationa, by leaving tho party onder whoae adminiatration all tbs vil of which tbey Complaiu have grown np, and act with tbe Demócrata, who, from the force of circumatancea, tnust noceaaarily be reformers. I havo tli o highcst respect for tbe personal charactor and iutelligence of tbo Jlcpuljlifsn candidalC for the Presidency, and believe bira to be an upright gúutlc!u ; bui it Heem to me quito impostiible tbat be cüi cboigc tho ort;:uii.!ition and policy of bis party. Tha ladern wlio control and shape ita poüiiy ould be ttio am aftor bis election as now, id it ia idle to hdfJO ís any chango in tbem, r under tbom. It is now abundantly evident tbat had not a democratie House Deen elected in 18f4, t ould have been impofjsible to unearth the arions instanoes of maladministration tbat íaYe come to ltght, and it b cquallyclear that ntM tbe Government passes into tbn'handa of ie Demócrata, We sball never know tbe thole tröth, wbatever it muy bo ; and we need o know tbe trulh as to tbe pat( tbt it may erve to guido na in tbe future. Bolieving, sa I üriiííy do, that every considration of boueaty and sound tstteamanship, very true national and individual intefost. demanda the prompt inauguration of a poliep bieb Hltall, in the bnofost practicable time, educe every govsmmental expenditure to tbe oweat pölnt cfmmensufate with honor and fliciency ; f egarding tho reform of the civil ervice in ita broadeet aeneo. Rnd with it the nforcomeut upou office-boldors of the coniction that their only business ia to perfortn loir pnblíc dutiea, aiid not to manipúlate party oliticx, as an inherent part of this reform atisficd that it must ko accompanied by finanal meaauroa atoadily direotod toward the; esumption of specie paymëiifó witltin the ïorteat posaible period, I can not fot tnpment doubt tbat these all-important ends wlll e beat, and in fact only, attained by the elecon of the candidato of tho Democratie party. Bat questions of nnance and reform are not 10 only ones which affect our present and uturö. The recent war settléd forever certain vexed ueation ; for oxample, the asaorted right of eceasion haa diaappeared in a sea of bloei ; lavery haa been aboliahed, nevcr to reappear ; to the negro has been given the righta of citienship and snffrage. We have uotbing more 0 with tbeae resulta, aave to accept them raukly, and watcb that they remaiu intact. After many trials and tribulations, the States not long aiuco arrayed in arma against the Genral Government, have rc-eatablished their reationa with the ünion, and regaiued their utonomy. Generoua conrtesy toward a fallen, bnt moet tallant foe, aud aelflsb policy, alike demand bat wc abonlil leave no juat thing nndone that will restore poaco and wetl-being to the tioutli. e-establish fraternal feclinga m the hearta of H our people, and cauae our recent enemies to e proud of and love the Government of the Jnlon and ita llag. Tbe wol f are of tbe Nortb ia inseparable from that of the Bonth, and our ountry can never attain ita f uil f orco and vigor lutil peace, prosperity aud kind feeling relgn .hroughont ita broad domain. I believe that tbis end can beBt be reached y reapecting tbe autonomy of the individual States, so long aa they respect tbe obhgatioua of the Federal compact. Allowed to govern themaelves, public opinon, aelf-reapoct and a regard for tbeir om iiirests will certainly auBico to induce the Southern Btates to place good men in office and to inforce the laws. Wlule of the opinión tbat ?ederal iuterferenco sbould nevor be resorted ,o, except in the caaes provklod for iu the couBtitntion, I alao think that, if any ontrage are committcd upon the rights, persons or proporty of auy c tizen, whateverbia race, wbetLcr white or black, and the State authcrities ueglect or hesitate to do their duty, the General Government uhoold urge and aid tbem ia every lega way to euforee order and justico, aud sboulc uae all its legitimste inrtuence in tbat direc'-ion. Bnt I havo anfneient faith in the honor anc ability of our Southern bretbern to believe that, when left to thomaelves, they will well know how to enforce just lawa, and aecure tho rightf of the humblest of their follow citizena. ín Mr. Tilden 1 am ronficlont that we have a caudidatO poasessing all the requisitos that the exigencies of the timea demand. In a long career he bas givon the surest proofe of abili ty and iutegrity. It i a very easy thing to preaoh reform to an opponent, bnt a very different affair to carry it out in ono'a own party. This Mr. Tildón has had the rare courage and ability to do. Againít great obatacle he com menced and carried througb the Hercultau taak of fightóng corruption and purwuing tii plunderera in bis own party, and it is alniOH superfluous to aay tbat tlie oourago, (.nerjiy untíring perseveranco and acumen he displaye in tboae memorable contesta, prove tbat b possesses in a mot eminent degree the quali ties so mnch neoded in our Chiof Magistrale il the present crisis of our affaira. In regard to all queations of finance n reforiii we have the aure criterion of bis paa to enable ua to forrn positivo convictions aa t hisi f ut ui e. In bis handa may b9 aafoly left the taek o awarding libpral justice to tbo South, whil jealou8ly guarding the rigbta of tbo North, anc the iesoes decid6d by the great struggle ended 1 truet and believe, for ever. When elected, I boliove he will enter upoi tho dutios of nis high ofiico witb the aiu-l purpoae of serving bis country faithfully, anc with no lower ambition than that of devoting every faculty to the glorioiw taak of rondemi; the nation prosperous at homo, honored anc respectcd abroad. I would like to nppeal t thoae who in civil life have honored me wit their frieudahip and aupport, and especiall maat earneatly to those men to whom I hav never appealed in vain - my comradee of th war - and to aak tbem to atand once more wit mo iu our country's cause, in a civil contes now, as formerly in a doadlier struggle, anc aupport to the uttermost the election of Mi Tilden to the Presidency. I believe that the isauea now at stako ar similar to thoso for which we fought - tb honor and well-boing of the nation. I am ver tmly yours, Geo. B. McClellan.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus