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    JOHN DUDLEY⁸ PHILBRICK  (PETER⁷, NATHAN⁶, JAMES⁵, EBENEZER⁴, JAMES³, JAMES², THOMAS¹)

    This letter was written by John Dudley Philbrick.  He was a life long Democrat but his letter seems to refer to the political divisions within the Democratic Party in late 1864..  The upcoming November elections was a race between then President Abraham Lincoln and Democratic challenger George McClellan.  McClellan had lead the Union Army of the Potomac in the early battles of the Civil War against the Confederates.  Though loved by his men, most of his campaigns ended in disaster for the Federals.  By 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant was leading the Northern troops to victory and, perhaps because of that, many of the Union soldiers voted for Lincoln instead of their former General.  Lincoln defeated McClellan with 55% percent of the vote.  The following is a transcription of John D. Philbrick's letter. 

Boston, Oct. 5, 1864 

Dear Sir, 

I send herewith a copy of this morning’s “Advertiser” containing a speech delivered by George Sennott last evening at Roxbury.  This Mr. Senott is a Massachusetts man.  I have known him for many years.  He has been a life long Democrat, & has written some hard things about Governor Andrew in past years, and he was formerly very severe on Senator Sumner.  He is a man of brains.  He understands the political history of the country.  In the last Presidential election he was a strong Douglas man.  Up to this time he has not acted with the Republican Party.  Now I hope you will read his speech and ponder over its truths.  He tells us that the present Democratic Party is just the party which is opposed to true democracy.  Belmont the Jew Banker who is agent for the great house of Jew Bankers in Europe, and who is spending vast sums of money to secure the election of McClellan, hoping thereby to bring about an assumption of the Southern Debt by the North, & this put many millions into the pockets of the banker of his house, this Dutch Prince, who rides in [a?] coach - & four with servants in livery, this man is one of the great lights of Modern Democracy.  This was not I save Hill’s Democracy.  This was not Jackson’s or Jefferson’s.

Have you sold your pasture?  I rather hope you will not buy a farm at the mountains.  Your great object should be to give the best chance to your children, that [locality?] may be good for crops, but it cannot be the best for the children.

Yours very truly, 

John D. Philbrick

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