HANCOCK STREET, 8th October, 1855.
MY DEAR SIR,--Your invitation for to-night, after a journey to
Newport and back, reached me only yesterday. It finds me already
engaged, so that I cannot join my fellow-citizens in the proposed
ratification at Faneuil Hall of the nominations lately made by
the Republican Party of Massachusetts.
In my heart I have already ratified those nominations. On some
other occasion I hope for an opportunity at Faneuil Hall to do
the same by public speech.
Meanwhile accept my Godspeed for the good cause which we seek to
promote, and for the Republican Party which is its organ. The
cause is blessed alike in itself and in its influence on all
who espouse it. No man can exert himself for Freedom without
feeling better than before. The party is so entirely in harmony
with prevailing opinion, it is such a natural and inevitable
expression of the existing state of things, it is so clearly
the offspring of the aroused conscience of the country, that it
begins with auguries of success. Already it draws into its ranks
good men from all sides, who, forgetting the things that are
behind, press on to the things that are before.
Believe me, dear Sir, very faithfully yours,