The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Jacob D. Cox, February 3d, 1871
TO JACOB D. COX[1]
Washington, Feb. 3, 1871.
I regret very much not to have seen you when you were here. I should have been very glad to have a conversation with you on matters in which we have a common interest. I have to thank you for the very kind letter you wrote me some time ago. You understand my position perfectly, and your approval of my course is a great encouragement to me. I appreciate it highly. The Republican party is drifting into great dangers. You know as well as I do that tinder this Administration a great many things are as they ought not to be. To cover up and conceal all that is bad would be a course at the same time immoral and impracticable. To attack existing evils in order to cure them is a task which requires more moral courage than you find among the common run of partisans. And he who is bold enough to attempt it will soon find his motives suspected and his party-standing imperiled. And yet it must be done, or the cause we have so zealously been fighting for will drift upon the rocks.
I have made up my mind to go on, without regard to my own political fortunes, preaching the doctrine that a party like ours cannot be successful without being honest. And I am confident, we shall have a good many converts to that faith before the next Presidential election.
There is an attempt being made to create the impression that the Republican party can be successful only if General Grant is renominated. Tell me, do the people of Ohio think that the fortunes of the party depend on one single individual? I think it is time that all, who think not so, should speak out frankly and loudly. Nothing can be more demoralizing than to identify a cause with a person; and nothing can be more dangerous at the same time, when that person is in a fair way of becoming a heavy load to that cause.
I send you by this mail a speech on Civil Service Reform which I delivered about a week ago. Of course, there is no hope of carrying a plan like that which I propose in the present Congress, but we can in any event work on public opinion. When you have read the speech, will you be kind enough to give me what suggestions occur to you on the subject? They will be very valuable to me.
I send you also my speech on the San Domingo question.
- ↑ Secretary of the Interior, 1869-70.