Carl Schurz

“ How shall we stand before the people, if we now adopt the very same principle in opposition to which our party was originally organized? We are bound to conquer in 1860, if we stand to our colors and do not throw away our chances by a tricky and inconsistent policy. ”

“ I have been traveling all over Pennsylvania, New York and New England lately, and outside of the large commercial cities I have not found one single Republican who did not scorn the idea of receding from a single principle laid down in the Chicago platform.
The public sentiment, even among so-called conservative men, is rapidly settling in favor of a prompt and vigorous execution of the laws as against the seceders, and every man in congress who bends his knee now is sealing his political death-warrant. ”

“ The change of public opinion in favor of vigorous and decisive action is most encouraging. Even timid men want no longer to hear of a timid policy, and our Republican compromisers, if they should succeed in bartering away our principles and our honor, will have to face a storm of popular indignation, which in the delusions of their puny statesmanship they do not dream of. ”

“ Corwin has submitted resolutions yielding the liberty of the territories, yielding our principles in regard to the Fugitive Slave law and to the admission of slave states, yielding everything we have been contending for. It is incredible, and yet it is not impossible. But is it true that a majority of the Republicans in that committee, as is stated, can assent to such propositions? Is it possible that they can trample under foot everything that is dear to their constituents? ”

“ The Crittenden resolutions voted down in the senate committee, Lincoln standing on the Chicago platform as firm as an oak, the fire-eaters fluttering, the effect of Ben. Wade’s speech upon friends and opponents,—all these are things which cannot fail to encourage even the most timid. We are looking with the intensest anxiety for the report of the Committee of Thirty-three. As soon as that is made, then we shall have arrived at the decisive crisis, which will put the mettle and generalship of the Republicans in congress to the test. ”

“ Everything is gained if congress does not close and compromise Mr. Lincoln’s administration beforehand. Every thing is lost if the moral power of the Republican party is frittered away before Lincoln goes into office.
Press this policy upon the attention of our friends and let the voice of the people be heard in the halls of congress. I have thought of writing a speech on the crisis if I could get somebody to deliver it in congress. ”

“ Now, I want your advice, my dear judge; tell me openly, whether in your opinion I should put a stop to it by declaring my intention not to be a candidate, or whether I shall let the thing go on.
What effect had Douglas' decapitation on his Democratic friends? My impression is, that he will not be nominated by the Charleston convention and that he will gradually destroy his chances North and South by carrying water on both shoulders. Do you not think so? But Douglas out of the way, and the victory will be ours in 1860 unless we destroy ourselves by bad management. ”

“ What right had they to demand the votes of the people, if at the aspect of the first difficulty they find in their path, they are ready to throw away the victory gained by those votes? Let them know, that the people want to have an end of it, and an end of them too, if they should wantonly fritter away what is the fruit of an arduous and earnest struggle of many years. Let them know, that the Stock exchange does tot rule the popular heart, and shall not rule those who are commissioned to represent the feelings of the popular heart. ”

“ I deem it of the highest importance that the Republicans should drop their defensive attitude and resume the aggressive with resolution and vigor. Action, action is the great secret of success, and if ever a time called for it, it is now. I do not understand the men who, when the decision of one of the vital questions of the age is within their grasp, stand there chickenhearted and cast about for small contemptible expedients. ”

“ Lincoln's intentions than any other man in Washington, and you or Doolittle may easily ascertain from him what Mr. Lincoln means to do.
I repeat that I shall be perfectly satisfied if the Administration offers me nothing, but if they do want to send me abroad, I wish they would give me timely notice of it, so that I may make the necessary preparations in the way of collecting information, etc., etc. If I do go, I wish to go as the best-informed man who ever represented this government abroad. ”

“ You have heard of our municipal election here. We have made large inroads upon the Democracy and if our Republicans had believed in the possibility of victory, victory would have been ours. The whole work was done by a few young men. The old stagers did not move. I venture to predict, that if Douglas is not nominated at Charleston and the Chicago convention gives us a good Republican candidate, Milwaukee will give us a majority next fall, and the Second ward will be the Republican banner ward of the city. Seward stock is rising in the West. ”

“ You have learned the result of our judicial election. To be defeated is bad; but to see Republicans rejoice over it is worse. I did, indeed, expect that Sloan would be elected by a small majority, but I must confess Dixon’s sweep does not surprise me very much. ”

“ In short, there was foul play, discontent, disaffection, treachery everywhere; men who had worked to get Sloan nominated and voted for him in the convention, turned right against him as soon as his letter appeared, and our opponents found in the apparent make-up of the thing a new ground to place their batteries upon. Thus the thing was done. Meanwhile we have to rally for a new battle. The Democrats are no stronger than they were before, and, whatever may have happened, the state is sure for the Chicago nominee by an increased majority. ”

“ And suppose we find one, where is the place for that man? There is, I think, no German in the state suited for the position of lieutenant governor. They might think of the treasury, but can they discard Hastings? There is no German Republican, as far as I know, who would be fit for atttorney general. Where, then, find the man, and if the man can be found, where the place for that man? There Randall's friends are at deadlock and they know it. I think that this matter if calmly explained in an informal meeting of the delegates before the opening of the convention might decide the contest. ”

“ Corwin cannot be in earnest with these resolutions, that they are introduced merely for the purpose of gaining time. But even in that case, their very introduction is an act of degradation, a slur upon the moral sense of the people.
The policy of the true and firm Republicans, in my opinion is this: Let our men in the committee offer amendment upon amendment; let them discuss every proposition at length, make speech upon speech, motion upon motion, so as to prevent the committee from making an early report. ”

“ I am distressed to find myself tied down to this tame lecturing business,—to be obliged to devote my time and energies to the poorest of all occupations,—making money,—while the time ripens for great decisions. ”

“ The Bates movement is dead in that state: it has worked only mischief and nothing else. All true Republicans seem to have turned their backs from it, From what I have seen there I am led to believe that we can turn about 10,000 German votes that were formerly Democratic,—perhaps a great many more. That, it seems to me, is the only way to carry the state. There is a very strong demand there for the German translation of my Springfield speech; the Indiana members ought to send a good supply to the southern districts of their state. ”

“ Now whatever course thé German Republicans may pursue in this election makes no difference to me and should make no difference with our friends in this matter. But now is the time for the true and wise friends of Col. Schurz to take care of him, and not allow him to be sacrificed. He is a man of noble impulses, and of the highest order of genius. ”

“ Europe is now in a dissolving state, politically, and now, as old governments are decaying and new ones springing up, now is the time for this Government to take advantage of this general confusion. Therefore we want men of general knowledge of persons and things and of energy and activity. ”

“ We all feel deeply anxious. God grant that all goes well. Whatever the result may be, do me the favor to send me all the particulars you can gather.
You have learned of the result of the judicial election in this state. Yesterday I wrote a letter to Potter about this very matter, and I think he will show it to you—if he survives. This morning the official returns are coming in, and Dixon's majorities are coming down so wonderfully that there is still some hope of Sloan's election. ”

“ I think the best way to manage things would be to have a kind of informal consultation, a committee of the whole before the vote is taken, and to discuss matters there. I saw Randall yesterday and had a talk with him and several of his friends. He thinks he can get the nomination, but he seems to be a little troubled about the election. There is one thing that puzzles them very much. Their opinion is, that a ticket can hardly be successful without there being a German on it ”

“ There are two fields of action in which most can be accomplished. The one is France. The mission to Paris is of so prominent a nature that the custom to send an old, deserving man there seems to be a very just and proper one. ”

“ CARL SCHURZ AND HIS POLITICAL CAREER IN WISCONSIN.
BUT for the strength given the party by men of German birth and descent, the Republicans of Wisconsin would be in a helpless minority. The ascendancy of the party in this state may be said to date from the time when the Germans began to cut adrift from the Democratic party. In the early days of statehood, the German vote was solidly Democratic, and the German press was likewise strongly Democratic. Along the lake shore, and in the city of Milwaukee, heavy Democratic majorities were rolled up with the help of the German voters. ”

“ After sulking in his tent awhile, he went on the stump for Abraham Lincoln, and made many effective speeches in the eastern states. He was named as minister to Spain by President Lincoln and left Wisconsin never to return to the state as a resident. He resigned his foreign post to enter the army, but after the war went to Missouri, which state he later represented in the United States senate.
The accompanying letters from Carl Schurz to John F. Potter are given in chronological sequence. They will be found especially interesting as giving a clear view of the man’s sincerity in politics. ”

“ But like men of that character he needs some men of strong practical good sense to act for him at this juncture, which is perhaps the crisis of his life as well as the crisis in our Republican battle so far as Wisconsin is concerned. The people, if the German Republicans should as some anticipate, bolt Randall, will place these two facts in juxtaposition, and no explanations will ever separate them. The German Republicans urged Mr. Schurz's nomination for governor. The convention by a large majority nominated Randall for governor and unanimously tendered any other office on the ticket to Mr. ”

“ The German Republicans bolted the nomination of Randall, and the inference whether right or wrong will be irreparably drawn in the popular mind that the Germans bolted because a German was not nominated for governor. It will not remove the inference to say they would accept Hanchett or somebody else. Nothing could do so much to rekindle into a flame all the elements of American Know-Nothingism among our people, and Mr. ”