E 671 
 .L98 
 Copy 2 
 
 ^^ I^ETT-EJl^ 
 
 TO THE 
 
 People of the United States 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Present Conoition of Public Iffairs 
 
 By JOHN A. THAN. 
 
 WASHINGTON: 
 
 UEPUBLICAN BOOK AND JOB OFFICE PRINT. 
 
 1872. 
 
 'M^^- 
 
Class 
 
 Book ^^ ^ 
 

 TO THE 
 
 
 People of the United States 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Present Condition of Poblic Jffairs 
 
 By JOHN A. THAN. 
 
 7 
 
 
 ,i? 
 
 \^ t » 
 
 WASHINGTON: 
 
 REPUBLICAN BOOK AND JOB OFFICE PRINT 
 
 1872, 
 
^ 
 
 
 
LETTEE FROM JOHN A. THAN TO HIS COUSINS. 
 
 Dear Cousins : 
 
 I wish to address you some few observations on the present condi- 
 tion of our affairs, in the belief and hope that they are of such a 
 character, in the relation which they bear to your interests, and the 
 prosperity of the entire community, that you will deem them of suffi- 
 cient importance to merit, at this juncture, and invite your earnest 
 attention and mature consideration. 
 
 Our mutual and respected relative. Uncle Samuel, as you know, has 
 been very anxious about his notes and bonds which he was obliged to 
 issue in order to carry on that heavy suit which some of our ill-advised 
 and hot-blooded relatives brought against him, when they endeavored, 
 by the almost obsolete wager of battle, to eject him, bi et armis, from 
 his rights in The Family Estate, and to maintain his rights, and pre- 
 vent this great wrong being successful, all his faithful relatives and 
 friends had to come to the old man.s aid, which great numbers oi' 
 them did, testifying by their acts their faith in the justice of his cause, 
 even unto death. 
 
 Happily for ourselves, and even for these misguided relatives of 
 ours, and their heirs, they did not succeed in their efforts, and after 
 wasting a vast deal of their property in this mad suit, throwing all 
 their business into confusion, and nearly breaking the old man'» 
 heart, whom they so sorely tried and fretted and brought deeply into 
 debt, the final decree was in favor of Uncle, sustaining him in the 
 management of *' The Family Estate," and obtaining a perpetual in- 
 junction upon these relatives, from the court of last resort, from ever 
 again attempting to disturb him or his heirs in the possession of, or 
 title to, ''The Estate." 
 
 Upon obtaining this decree. Uncle at once set to the work of repair- 
 ing the damages which " The Estate " sustained during the trouble, 
 by opening the roads and highways, replacing the fences, and restock- 
 ing the farms and plantations, and filling up the public stores; and 
 seeing the unhappy condition to which these misguided relatives had 
 reduced themselves, he, through his then Manager-in-C hief, the great 
 Abraham Lincoln, and his Leaders of the Forces, tendered them his 
 hand in forgiveness, and as a pledge of future amity forever, gave them 
 every assistance to encourage them and to assist them to recover their 
 former condition of prosperity, in making new crops and getting 
 them to market, and giving to those who wished to avail themselves 
 of it new farms and plantations much more productive than their old 
 settlements, beyond the great river running through the western side 
 of "The Estate," of which privilege many of the young folk availed 
 themselves, and are now, by merely attending to their business, get- 
 ting along better than before. 
 
 But the costs of the suit which our Uncle had to pay were very 
 great, and although he has paid off a very large amount since the 
 close of the litigation, there is still a great debt due on the property, 
 and his Chief Treasurer has lately succeeded, by extraordinary good 
 management and fidelity to Uncle's affairs, in obtaining from the 
 creditors a long time for payment of the balance, and such a reduo 
 
ticn of interest as will make it much easier for us and our children to 
 to pay the amount. But as it is a very heavy debt, and we will have 
 to pay it all in gold, according to Uncle's agreement, and as true 
 friends of his we must keep up to his word, which he is so careful of, 
 and we all have to be very industrious and economical of our expenses^ 
 as Uncle and his Treasurer are, so that we may be prepared to meet it 
 when pay-day arrives. 
 
 In connection with these family affairs I have to allude to a fotmer 
 law suit, in which our family was embroiled, with a distant cousin, 
 several years ago, who lived far away from "The Estate," but was 
 then very proud and overbearing to our folks, and when Uncle was a 
 young lad acted as his guardian, and treated him rather severely; 
 and although Uncle was then very spry and anxious to learn many 
 things which this Cousin John had his own children taught, he would 
 not permit Uncle or any of his young cousins, or the tenants on "The 
 Estate," to learn, or allow them to make many things which they 
 wanted for their own use, or even to trade with each other for certain 
 goods, or carry them from one store to another on "The Estate," but 
 ordered and compelled them all to get them from his own big work- 
 shop and storehouses across the water, from whence they had to be 
 carried in Cousin John's own ships, and not in Uncle's or any of liis 
 nephews' here. 
 
 When Uncle came of age he thought it only right that he should 
 have the management of his own "Estate," as it required great 
 looking after, and was not improving as much as it ought to do, or 
 made as much of as it might be. He remonstrated with Cousin John, 
 and often mildly requested him to give up "The Estate" into his 
 own charge and let Uncle manage it in his own way the best he could 
 for himself, and his numerous nephews and nieces and the tenants; 
 but this Cousin John would not listen to, and although Uncle had 
 able lawyers, who undertook to plead for him without fee or reward. 
 Cousin John was so fond of the j^ower he held that he would not give 
 it up, but endeavored to rule Uncle and manage " The Estate " at his 
 own mere choice, and thus made it so very disagreeable and harassing 
 to Uncle and his nephews that they could not bear it, and had to 
 appeal to the Court of Nations against him, and after a very long and 
 expensive litigation, during which the family often came to blows and 
 many lives wei'e lost on both sides, yet Uncle's cause was so just that 
 he gained many friends who came to his help during the trial, and 
 with the ever Illustrious Washington as his (Jeneral-in-chief, he at 
 length prevailed, and Cousin John had to remove his care-takers, 
 baililfs, tax collectors, and soldiers away from "The Estate," and 
 leave Uncle to manage it as he and his nephews thought best for theii' 
 own good and benefit; and having at length, after this great struggle, 
 obtained possession of "The Estate," they entered into a written 
 agreement how it should be managed for the future, so that there 
 should not be any misunderstanding or trouble about anybody's 
 rights or duties on " The Estate," endeavoring to follow the paternal 
 advice of the great Patriot, "to frown indignantly on any attempt 
 at the separation of the Union, to discard local attachments and sec- 
 tional animosities." 
 
 The expenses of this long trouble had left Uncle very low in cash, 
 and there were a great many things wanted on "The Estate " for its 
 proper cultivation and the comfort of the people which were not to be 
 hcvd ready-made unless they were bought at the great storehouse of 
 
5 
 
 Cousin John and others across the seas, which took a great deal too 
 much of the little money which Uncle had left, and he found that if 
 it went on that way much longer he and his family would always 
 be poor and never have any means laid by for a rainy day, and would 
 be forever depending on them for these necessaries; and being of an 
 independent spirit he wished to be able to help himself and furnish all 
 his family from his own workshops and stores. So he commenced to 
 think about this matter, and in the course of a very short time he 
 found that he could obtain from ''The Estate " every thing that was 
 wanted for the family, and by a little care and industry he had a 
 great number of his relatives taught to manufacture those articles 
 which were so needed by them, and thereby gave a great deal of em- 
 ployment to many people in making implements and machinery of 
 various kinds for the proper cultivation of "The Estate," and for 
 weaving the cotton and the wool, and manufacturing many useful 
 articles which theretofore they had to bring from abroad; and many 
 were employed in building ships ; and all this Uncle succeeded in 
 doing through his own and nephews' talents, and by their skill in 
 inventions to meet the wants of the people; although Cousin John 
 was very much opposed to it, and went as far as he could to prevent 
 it, for he would not permit Uncle or any of his cousins from this side 
 to view his mills or manufactories lest they might imitate them; jjor 
 would he allow any of his own people who had been taught how to 
 run his machinery and weave cloth to come to Uncle's "Estate," 
 although they were often without work or money to buy bread; but to 
 prevent them coming would place them in jails and prisons, and even 
 went so far at one time to send one of his confidential agents over the 
 great waters to endeavor to induce and persuade Uncle and his 
 nephews not to make any iron for his roads, but to allow him, Cousin 
 John, and his people to make it for him, and stated that if Uncle 
 would not do so and cease making iron that Cousin John would be 
 very much vexed and displeased. This did so rile Uncle and several 
 of his nephews that they plainly told this agent that they would do no 
 such thing as cease making what iron they wanted, or anything else 
 which they pleased to make, which they needed, and that they did not 
 care how much Cousin John should be vexed; that they could mind 
 their own business, and let Cousin John mind his. Uncle did not 
 like such an interference with his family affairs, and thought it too 
 bad that he should be dictated to in his own house as to how he should 
 manage them, and the matter was much spoken of in ''The Family," 
 who of course almost all coincided with Uncle in his views, and re- 
 sented the insolence of the meddlesome agent, who had to return 
 home, fortunately for us, unsuccessful in his efforts to shut up a great 
 number of our workshops, which, if he had succeeded in doing, 
 would have caused much distress to a great number of our Family 
 who were employed in those industrious pursuits, and who, when 
 fully employed, are generally comfortable and well to do, and inde- 
 pendent in their manner, as Uncle wishes all his nephews to be; but 
 who, if unemployed for any time, grow careless, and in having to ask 
 for work or employment, lose their manly and independent character 
 by having to appeal to other members of the family for support, which 
 spoils their good feeling and self-respect. 
 
 Now, my dear kinsfolk, I know you will agree with me that we all 
 aught to help each other on "The Estate," as it is for the good and 
 
benefit of all that eacli one should be employed iit and doing some- 
 thing that does not require all that he produces by his labor for his 
 own mere support, but each should have a surplus over from a diversity 
 of productions, something to sell or exchange with his neighbor foV 
 that which his neighbor wants but does not make or produce himself. 
 This creates good feeling and fellowship between The Family, for then 
 they arp all constantly working, as it were, for the general and com- 
 mon good, and not merely for themselves alone, and by doing this they 
 enrich each other ; and by thus coming together and trading from the 
 most distant parts of "'I he Estate," tliey mutually benefit each other 
 and know^ that they are of the same "Family," and like the father 
 who shewed his sons how they should be united together, and that by 
 being so they covild not be injured by enemies, he shewed them how a 
 bundle of sticks when tied togetlier could not be bent, but which, sep- 
 arated, could easily be broken to pieces, thereby exj)laining how they 
 should always be united by friendship, and thus defeat all the machina- 
 tions of their enemies. Other people and nations may say to us : Let us 
 filone supply you with such and such manufactures ; we can sell to 
 you much cheaper than you can manufacture them at home for your 
 own use. But it is a great fallacy to state that any price paid away 
 from "The Estate" can bo cheaper to us than what we pay to our 
 kinsfolk in it, and it will not bear the test of close examination. For 
 although we should pay our cousins on " The Estate" ten times the 
 price for the article which they manufacture, and which we want, than 
 what we could buy it for in a foreign country, yet in the end it ifs 
 cheaper to us at that rate than if we got the foreign article at one 
 tenth the price, for It enables our cousins here at home to buy from us 
 that which we make and which they want ; whereas, if the monBy was 
 paid away to go over the sea it might never return to us in any shape 
 or form ; and by keeping our money on "The Estate" we will be 
 enabled to meet Uncle's notes and bonds when the day comes round 
 to pay them, which we would never be able to do should we pay out 
 all that comes to us in trade, as well as what is obtained from the pro- 
 ductions of "The Estate," without obtaining any solid return for it 
 from abroad. The j)ay-day will come round in the course of years, 
 and we should begin now and prepare for it, and endeav.or to retain 
 some of the produce of our precious mines, which now finds a way 
 to leave us in a constant stream for superfluities which might, to a 
 great extent, be dispensed with without lessening the comfort or hap- 
 piness of the family, amounting in the last year to over sixty millions 
 of dollars more than we received in return for our exports, and which 
 in itself should convince any one gifted with common sense or patriot- 
 igm tliat if with all the precautions now in force to protect us from the 
 competition of the underpaid and overworked poor helpless artisan 
 of foreign countries, that we have actually paid out that enormous 
 sum for foreign productions in one year, how rapidly would all our 
 manufacturers be ruined and the working men idle, and the nation 
 impoverished, if these barriers for their protection are removed, and the 
 country left entirely to the competition of the unscrupulous foreign 
 trader. In our national copartnership it is absolutely necessary that each 
 partner should not only study to perform what is for his own interest 
 and benefit, but that of his fellow members. We are, it is true, a very 
 extensive and numerous copartnership, but nevertheless each member 
 is bound to contribute all he can to the general fund, and if he can 
 'ibtain any article which he requires from any branch of the great store- 
 
houses of the partnership, it is not right or just that he should with- 
 draw any part of the partnership capital in coin to pay for that which 
 he wants to huy over the seas from a foreign firm, when he can obtain 
 the s'lnie on "The Estate;" even although it may apparently cost a 
 hiizher fi«^ure it will virtually conduce to his own benefit to purchase 
 at home ''for it enables the seller thereby to meet the general expenses 
 of carrying on the management of the "Family Estate," and paying 
 off the debt incurred during the troubles. Now, dear kinsfolk, in this 
 connection there is a question ahout to be proposed to you very soon 
 for your consideration, and in which you are deeply concerned. It is 
 tins • You of course remember that before the troubles Uncle had with 
 our Southern relations he and his nephews engaged in the shipping 
 ti-ade had the finest and most superb fleets that had ever been built. 
 But during these troubles many of these splendid evidences of the skill 
 and taste of our people were destroyed by fratricidal hands, and sunk, 
 blackened, shapeless masses, in the fathomless deep, and their places 
 have never since been filled. The spirit of change and improvement 
 has substituted in their stead vast floating castles of iron, propelled by 
 iminense engines and machinery that move like things endowed with 
 life and reason, and which, although used and employed in the various 
 streams of commerce flowing from our shores, have been built abroad, 
 and their revenues, which are immense, and are received and derived 
 from our industry, are all carried away from our shores to foreign 
 lands without leaving us any adequate value m lieu thereof. I am 
 sure that you will agree with me that this state of aflfairs should be 
 altered and that some eftbrt should be made to encourage the build- 
 mo- of such vessels by our skilled artisans for our own use. Some may 
 be^'so foolish as to say to you that our people have not the skill or that 
 we have not the material here to build them ; but that is not the fact, 
 for we have both, with our mountains teeming with every metal useful 
 or nrecious, and having the men and minds skilled in all the arts of 
 oonstnieting from the inert mass the magnificent engine, that, skim- 
 mine over the land or seas like a thing of life against the opposing 
 elenients of wind or wave, conveys freights and cargoes far richer than 
 those of • ' Ormus or of Ind," carried by the argosies or galleons of old, 
 and who can also forge it either into the ponderous anchor to hold a 
 siiin of-the-line, or temper it to the elasticity of the tiniest spring, or 
 ffive it the keenness of Damascus steel. Our cousins from over the 
 Sea endeavor to persuade us not to make the attempt, as they say that 
 thev can do it cheaper for us. But, my friends, it would not be cheap 
 at any price, for what we would pay to them would never come back, 
 and they will not take any pay but gold, whereas our own people will 
 build them for our own Treasury notes, and we can keep our gold to 
 T5av the debt, which is the only true way to economize or manage such 
 affairs They endeavor to persuade us that it is not a work adapted to 
 us • that our proper employment is agriculture alone, and that we 
 should leave manufactures and ocean steamship building to them ; but 
 vou or I cannot be persuaded to this, for we know better, as we have 
 ieen what our people have done heretofore with wooden ships We 
 believe that they can do equally as well with iron as they have at Phil> 
 adelphia, and what is being done there can be done at any other port 
 on "The Estate ;" for where there is a will there is a way. It is true 
 that "The Estate" is very large, and requires many hands to work it, 
 and we absorb into our family a vast number of people, whom our 
 friends over the wat»r keep supplying us with eveiy year, and to whom 
 
s 
 
 Uncle gives farms and homesteads without price where ,,nd.v fi ' 
 own vine and fig tree, they can live in x^eaof^ wUi,^^ ' "°^^ *^^^"' 
 them afraid, and to those who needTteSt^^^^^ *^ "^^^^ 
 
 have received at home. But ve y manv also ."^^ i ' they may not 
 mechanics and in handicraft wor^ and worWs nf^ ^"^ skilled in 
 metals and these people want to wo^k at tlTeir trades • 'IZ T^ "".^^^ 
 all such work as what they can perforni from I Ix'*'^^ '^ ^^ ^^^^ 
 
 these people who come hei4 to woSwii ^''\''?^ *^'^ ^^e^"' then 
 
 and wL'then will Wn^s^u^pol^'^^'dTmpToy t^^^^^^^ 
 will not want them to work fV him for f i i ^^eny The farmer 
 plow ; besides, he would no hav^ an^iarket ^o^r^"^" i * '^'^\ ^* *^^ 
 which is the best and always the onf/sZ one ?!Ti^''''^"^^ at home-, 
 were stopped, and this is the cormon sensri7jfp n AY ™^»"^^«tures 
 what they called free trade • that if f ^ f ^^\^ J^^ *^'^ argument of 
 reason th^t it is nomilally cheap^^^^ But sul o/ ^'^"^ ^^'^"? '''' *^^« 
 end, be our ruin, and l^ave us altogether ^el^^^^^^ T""^'^^ ^" ^^'' 
 
 eigners ; whereas now, every peoX anH f^«H^ ^.f ''! ^^P^^^ents on for- 
 ing for greatness and power and safe fvf^n f^^-^'^ '^^'^"^ '''- ^^ok- 
 and encourage their hLrmaniLture^ofX Z'T ^S^^'^««i«»' ^^^ 
 the casting of great machinerv that o^n^^tT^P''"'^^''^^ ^"^i"^' ^^'-^ 
 iron road Is wSl as over the Jreatdeen .7/ *.^^"^^"d« «f tons on the 
 the mine for those treasures^^hiclt KSu^^^^^^ ?^^"*^'" ^'^'^ 
 
 ployment and profit to thousands of industrious and .?.i '"'"' ^''" ^™- 
 
 Is it not, therefore, far wiser and hpffpr X n 2. 'Stalwart men. 
 Estate" that those vesseirwe require for 1 ""l^ *^^ ^^™^^^ ^^^ "^"»- 
 here than that we should send the monev al^-n *7-^' -^'^^^^ ^' ^"^» 
 pose? We have here the iron wSod .Lt n?f ''' "^-"^ ^^" *^^* P^^" 
 excellence, and the skill to put tLr Ma^fi? ^P^'^f^^' ^^^surpassed for 
 be surpassed by any people.^ And whtfth''^';^ shipshape that cannot 
 this debt of Uncle's, there will be Tn ^ ^"^^ ''^"'^^ ^'^""^ to pay 
 
 our children's handsSomeelit. "'^' ™^"" ^° ^"^ ^^"ds or in 
 
 Now, as to the management of ^'The "Rcsfofo n wi 
 was worried so badly by the former tronhl.. ^ a.^ '^'^ ''^^ ^^^le 
 
 cousins, he had to call tThiraM ve?v m? ^^"f ,d. ^y these mistaken 
 nephews, and he fortunaely found amon^^lf ""^ ^"' ""^ ^"'^ ^'-^^^^k*' 
 tious and brave leader, who althou-wT f T."" P^'^^«»t, wise, cau- 
 had early retired to lead a qu?e ^d^ u'o^^^^^^^^^^ *^v^/'^' ^^ ^"« ^^^^^^h, 
 
 hisf-xmily;amanwhohadnrerstiriXm^^^^ 'i^- '" *^^^ ^^^^^" 
 a leader who, by his own strength of ^^'''' "''''^'^ ^" political strife : 
 tentions to cease, and by hi S sele'^iron ^?TP^"«^ '^^U «^lfi«h con 
 brought order out of confusio^ Lh .?f ^ ^^ -^"^ supporting officers 
 finally conquered a peace and wW *^'' F^.^^ ^''""^^ ^"^ ^^bors ho 
 thefil^tto\howb7hireiampir?w^ ^''^ ^f" obtained he was 
 banding his troops? uXtTirsl ado J n^^^^^ hs choice ; for, dis- 
 
 fareweU and sent them to theLhomrth! Capitol, he bade them 
 occupations; and putting S a?lT; *^^^'« *^ resume their peaceful 
 his own modest insiSof a comm^ ^^ ^J^"' ^'^ *^<^k off 
 
 habiliments of a citifeHvinr.TpvoS^"^ assumed the peaceful 
 many whose glory it ^s to def w\! T^^ "^""'^^l'^ *^ ^^ followed by 
 tha/they maf lea^d lelr'Lt' V'^thT'ctf^^^^^^^^^ ''^^^''^^^ f --' 
 nations. Uncle having found him so faithf ?1 S f '^^^'5'' P^^'P^® ^^^ 
 of self-aggrandizemeilt, selected him as J^htfTf' ^^^"^ ^"^mbitious 
 Estate " for four years • an«1 x.- w V ^"*^^ Manager of '*The 
 
 the people, " Le\SUe peaie f' ^nd hTTf -^V' .^^^^ ^^« ^^^^ *<^ 
 
 that happy idea to its fullest eitenfiust a^i^"^^^^^^^ 
 
 ot< cAVKiir, just as he intended to move oj) 
 
9 
 
 those fortifications at Fort Donelson when he said : ''I will move on 
 your works." The greater part of that term is^now passed, and we 
 all know iiow faithfully he has administered his great trust. Under 
 his peaceful guidance prosperity has returned to the workshops of 
 "The Estate ;" every industry has been encouraged, the blessings of 
 peace he has endeavored to perpetuate by wise and cautious counsels, 
 and under the fair administration of the laws in the courts of justice. 
 An attempt to renew the family troubles has been suppressed, and the 
 unruly boys have been persuaded to return to their works of industry 
 and seats of learning ; and peace and quiet reigns where there were 
 brawls and depredations on quiet i^eople. 
 
 Some serious differences that arose with Cousin John across the 
 waters during the troubles we had here at home were-, after great laboi 
 and the unceasing persuasion of his wise administrator of those 
 affairs, brought to an understanding for peaceful settlement and 
 arrangement, with a prospect for payment of the damages which had 
 been suffered by several of The Family, in the loss of their ships and 
 other property. 
 
 Uncle's messengers sent into foreign lands have been everywhei-e 
 met with respectful greetings, and people from afar off have come here 
 to obtain our friendship and learn our laws, habits and customs hy 
 sending their Ministers of State and their young men and maidens to 
 be educated with ours. Neighboring people i^etition to be received as 
 members of tlie family, offering to merge their rich possessions and 
 valuable lands into the * ' Family Estate, " " the Garden of the Tropics, ' ' 
 praying us to give them the protection of our laws and flag, so that 
 ''they might enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit happiness," preserved 
 from the bloody ambition of the invader and the revolutionist in their 
 lives and the products of their industry from the rapacity of the free- 
 booter ; a people honest, peaceable and tolerant ; hospitable to the 
 stranger and willing and inviting iis to come and share their lands, 
 unsurpassed for productiveness, an offer so seldom made in the history 
 ,of man that it is most remarkable, and more surprising that any cause 
 should operate to prevent it being accepted. A land blest with a genial 
 climate, as favorable for the health of man as any other on the Globe 
 in the same latitude, liaving capacious and safe harbors and bays, 
 capable of sheltering the navies of the world, and with a soil unsur- 
 passed for fertility and producing in abundance with little labor all the 
 commodities peculiar t^ the Antilles, (which we now purchase in 
 immense quantities for ready money from other countries,) and requir- 
 ing for their own use in exchange large quantities of our manufac- 
 tures, both in machinery for agricultural purposes and textile fabrics 
 for clothing, and thus having a diversity of productions and require- 
 ments demanding a mutual interchange of them, and returning thereby 
 the benefits arising from trade and commerce. But as heretofore, 
 when proposals were made to add to the Family Domain the great 
 territories of Louisi.ina and Florida, with the accompanying rights 
 of the exclusive privilege of the navigation of the great river, the 
 ''Father of Waters," and its numerous tributaries; and of Texas, 
 more extensive than many kingdoms ; of California, and its mountains 
 of wealth and command of the commerce of eastern Asia, there were 
 very many without foresight of the great benefits which would arise 
 to our people from these acquisitions, or so totally devoid of tiiat 
 patriotic ambition with which nature has gifted most men — that is, to 
 tiike a becoming pride in the extension and increased greatness and 
 
10 
 
 power of their country when obtained through just acts — who pro- 
 tested and labored against the accomplishment of these triumi^hs of 
 our statesmen, one o/ the many arguments made use of against the 
 acceptance of Louisiana having been that it was so distant from the 
 capital that our people who would move into that region might for- 
 get their country, its government and its laws ; so tliere are people 
 now who in the same spirit are adverse to the peaceful acceptance of 
 the acquisition of this garden of the Indies, where the coffee and the 
 sugar, and all other trojiical productions grow almost spontaneously, 
 and who, though desirous to be considered advocates of freedom and 
 republican laws and principles, have in this case labored to arrest the 
 tide of our civilization and the spreading of our laws, and deny to 
 those people the benefits arising from a just Government, the safety 
 and protection thereby afforded to their industry, the increase of 
 knowledge and education by those in want of, and thirsting and pray- 
 ing that they may be vouchsafed these blessings, and who also endeavor 
 by false statements and misreprespntations to cover with odium the 
 patriot who has advocated the accei)tance of this measure by our people, 
 and designate him almost as an enemy, who, if successful in this act, 
 would thereby confer a benefit not only on his own country, but also 
 on others ; who look up to our laws and institutions and government as 
 the great exemplification of human rights, and throughout the whole 
 world, wherever any of our family now travel, they are met with 
 all respectful kindness and attention. Does not this speak trumpet- 
 tongued for the wise management of "The Estate" and the fam- 
 ily, by the Chief and his assistants ; and withal the Chief is found in 
 the Mansion House unaltered and unchanged ; his demeanor is now 
 the same as before he was taken from his quiet home to fill the highest 
 office id the gift of Uncle and his relatives ; there is no assumption of 
 power or superiority to any other member of the Family ; but ever 
 mindful of his duty, and in his grave and thoughtful demeanor, becom- 
 ing his high office as the head of this great family in the reception of 
 the representatives of foreign kings and people, or of the humblest 
 citizen, he symbolizes the simi)licity that should mark republican 
 institutions. Under his guidance, with the care and wisdom of his 
 Chief Treasurer, the money affairs of " The Family " are restored to 
 a condition of prosperity even greater than they were before "The 
 Family" troubles. Every member of "The Family," the tenants, 
 and even temporary visitors from the far east of Asia can find con- 
 stant employment at remunerative rates. "The Family" credit was 
 never better. The " Chief" says that trade and commerce and manu- 
 factures must flourish and be protected, and hence day and night the 
 thunder- rolling reverberations of immense machinery arc heard over 
 the land, throbbing unceasingly, except on the day of rest. The 
 great ships to traverse the vast deep are being built to carry our glo- 
 ricms flag to the remotest parts of commerce. The institutions of 
 learning, aided by fostering legislation, are filled with the bright and 
 happy youth preparing to take their positions in the ranks of indus- 
 trial pursuits. The red children of the forest are carefully looked after, 
 protected, fed and educated, and the way already opened for them to 
 become members of "The Family" as citizens of our nation. The 
 song of freedom is heard over the entire Estate, and to those ever 
 memorable words of the great and good Chief, Abraham Lincoln, 
 " With charity for all and malice to none," 
 
II 
 
 Our present Chief, Ulysses S. Grant, has added the equally great 
 sentiment of — 
 
 "A thorough enforcement of every law; a faithful collection of 
 every tax provided for ; economy in the disbursement of the public 
 money; a prompt payment of the public debt ; a nsduction of taxation 
 as rapidly as the public credit will admit of, to be so arranged as to 
 afford the greatest relief to the largest numbers ; honest and fair deal- 
 ings with all other people, to the end that war, with all its blighting 
 consequences, may be avoided, and this without surrendering any right 
 or obligation due to us ; a reform in the treatment of Indians, and in 
 the whole civil service of the country; and finally, in securing a pure, 
 untrammeled ballot, where every man entitled to cast a vote may do so 
 just once at each election, icithout fear of molestation or proscription 
 on account of his political faith, nativity, or color.''^ 
 
 A Bill of Rights — a second declaration of great, true, honest, repub- 
 lican principles — which is now cast in letters of gold on the adamantine 
 page of history, never to be effaced so long as our (iovernment remains 
 and civilization exists supreme among men ; and this he has endeav- 
 ored faithfully to carry out to the exact letter, "on that line," all the 
 time as unfaltering and unwavering as when he forced the fiery vol- 
 cano at Vicksburg — ^insuring to every citizen, wherever he comes from, 
 the blessing of true liberty, which it should be the pride and duty of 
 all good citizens to aid in protecting 
 
 lie has faithfully endeavored to have the laws executed in the spirit 
 of that declaration, and if his honest intentions and determination ex- 
 pressed in those enduring words have not been fulfilled the neglect can - 
 not be charged to him, but rather to the imperfection of all humau 
 efibrts of government and administration of laws, which cannot be 
 completely perfect, or entirely free from error or mistake. Perhaps 
 obstructions have been left in the way of their execution; but if so, let 
 those only suffer the obloquy who, to gratify their feelings, have op- 
 posed in their just execution the will of the people. 
 
 Of course, his actions, his motives, his expressions, have been bit- 
 terly and wantonly assailed, for it l.s not possible for any Chief Officer, 
 elevated to the high office which he fills, to be free from the breath of 
 calumny; for even the illustrious patriot, Washington, could not escape 
 that penalty of his greatness. 
 
 But a conscientious, calm, and unprejudiced examination of the 
 eouse of the present Chief Magistrate will clear him of the false charges 
 which unprincipled partisans and demagogues have endeavored to 
 assail him with, not only for the purpose of injuring the great party of 
 freedom which is represented in him personally, and with which he is 
 entirely identified, but for the gratification of disappointed ambition, 
 vanity — perhaps envy or mere personal dislike. 
 
 The great Washington watched over and guarded the cradle of lib- 
 erty, and saved it during the tender years of its infancy. 
 
 It was baptized in the blood of the great and good Abraham Liu- 
 0oln. 
 
 Let us retain Ulysses 8. Grant to protect it during its confirmation. 
 
 Yes, let us unanimously recommend Uncle to continue this faithful 
 Chief in office for another term, so that he may complete the reforms 
 which he has so happily begun. There is no other public man who 
 has had the opportunity of obtaining the experience so necessary for 
 the proper exercise of judgment at this crisis of our affairs in the man- 
 agement of the duties of this great office, or one that has the confidenoo 
 
12 
 
 cf so many of ''The Family." To change now would be to cause 
 great confusion and jar in our affairs, that are in such a prosperous and 
 flourishing condition, but which still require the skillful care and guid- 
 ance of the experienced hands which, after those terrible attempts at 
 iiestruction, have again set this vast but simple machinery in motion, 
 and which are designed to guide the vessel of State for the next decade 
 into a secure and safe harbor. 
 
 If we who believe in the wisdom of re-electing him were now to 
 nominate another candidate in his stead, our opponents would imme- 
 diately seize upon that act, and make use of it in their arguments 
 against us, as showing that no reliance could be placed upon our rec- 
 ommendations or selection of any candidate, when we would not rely 
 on our own judgment heretofore so often expressed and believed in all 
 confidence, when by our own act we admitted a mistake and set aside 
 our first choice, and would thereby admit that all our professions and 
 statements relating to our leaders were erroneous, and could not in 
 any manner be relied upon. 
 
 We should not give oui*** opponents such a vantage point as this 
 over us. 
 
 At the termination of the next official term she will be so firmly an- 
 chored that, under the blessing of the Great Ruler of the Universe, all 
 i^ectional animosities shall be forever buried, and domestic peace shall 
 thus be insured to us. Then may we permit this faithful Chief to re- 
 tire to the domestic quiet of his family home, which he so much loves, 
 amidst the well-earned applause of all good men. "In unity there is 
 safety and strength, but in dissension there is weakness and danger." 
 
 Let us then be united on these great and all-important questions ; 
 and, with such a leader — as wise in council as his namesake of ancient 
 days — in the tented field, as cautious as Fabius, but with the valor of 
 Washington, inspiring his followers with the same spirit with which 
 his own soul is animated, we may defy a world in arms ; and, with the 
 motto of ' 'Unity and prosperity and protection to American industry, ' ' 
 the majesty of the people will be symbolized in the Magistrate they 
 select for the administration of the laws. 
 
 In which expression of the public will of all true and loyal members 
 of "The American Family" they will be joined heart and hand, in 
 friendship and in truth, by 
 
 Your ever faithful Cousin, 
 
 JOHN A. THAN. 
 
 February, 1872. 
 1508 Sixteenth street, 
 Washinsrton Ci 
 
 5t, t 
 
 Dity.) 
 
I 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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