NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
May and June 1864
From The Missouri Democrat, Tuesday, June 7, 1864.
BY TELEGRAPH.
REGULAR AFTERNOON DISPATCHES.
FROM NEW YORK.
JOHN C. FREMONT AND THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.
His Letter Accepting the Nomination.
NEW YORK, June 6.– In a long letter accepting the nomination for the Presidency, General Fremont says if the Convention at Baltimore will nominate any man whose past life justifies well grounded confidence in his fidelity to our cardinal principles, there is no reason why there should be any division among the really patriotic men of the country.
To any such I will be most happy to give a cordial support. My own decided preferences to aid in this way and not be myself a candidate. But if Mr. Lincoln is re-nominated, as is believed, it would be fatal to the country. To endorse the policy and renewed a power which has caused us the lives of thousands of men needlessly, and put the country on the road to bankruptcy, there will remain no alternative but to organize against them every element of conscientious opposition, with a view to prevent the misfortune of his re-election. In this contingency I accept the nomination at Cleveland, and as a preliminary step I have resigned my commission in the army.
This was a sacrifice which gave me pain to take, when I had for a long time fruitlessly endeavored to obtain service. I make this sacrifice now only to regain liberty of speech, and to leave nothing in the way of discharging to my utmost ability the task you have set before me.
With earnest and sincere thanks for your expressions of confidence in regard, and for the very honorable terms in which you point me with the action of the committee, I am, gentlemen,
very respectfully and truly yours,
J. C. FREMONT.
John Cochrane has also written a letter accepting the nomination for Vice President.
