Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-17


The New York Legislature Governor
Seward.
The constitutional limitation of one hundred
days having expired, the New York Legisla-
ture has adjourned. 1t has been distinguished,
or rather, it has been notorious, beyond any
Legislature which has been convened in Al
bany since the establishment Of American in
dependence.
When the Legislature assembled, there was
or twenty members opposed to the election Of
Governor Seward to the Senate of the United
States. That this majority was broken down
and destroyed, and through Its destruction the
election of Seward effected, is known to the
people Of the whole Union. How it was de-
stroyed is known only to few of the leaders
of the Seward faction, although it can be easily
surmised, from the reports furnished by the
Albany papers, Of the extraordinary scenes Of
bribery, corruption, and knavery Of every de-
scription, enacted during the session, at the
capital Of the State.
In the first place, Mr.. Lituejohn, elected by
the American party as an opponent of Seward,
was brought over by the Speakership and the
bestowal of an Office worth 1915, 900 per annum
upon his brother-in-law, DR.. Thompson. Then
bargain was made with the Temperance men,
that if they would vote for Gov. Seward, his
friends would vote for the Prohibitory Liquor
Law. Then various other bargains were made,
by virtue of which the friends and relatives
of certain doubtful members were to be re-
warded for the votes of the latter, with sundry
fat offices in the gift of the Executive. The
whole session, from its commencement to its
close, was thus a continuous and disgraceful
scramble for the spoils, and for the consumma-
ton Of corrupt bargains, the equal of which
was never before witnessed in this country.
Governor Seward processes to be philan-
thropist-a friend Of the whole human race
an asserter Of the rights of " down-trodden hui
manity"--a sort Of moral Quixotte andredresser
of wrongs in general, wherever they exist. He
processes to be governed by law higher than
the constitution, and to look with compassionate
contempt upon the faulty Of Washington,
Madison, Marshall, Webster, Clay, Pinckney
and other great and good men who held the
opinion that the constitution was to be rever-
enced and obsyed by every citizen, without
regard to any private religious, or conscien-
tious scruples he might entertain in respect to
certain Of its provisions. In the estimation
of himself and his followers, he is holier than
Washington or Marshall, than Webster or
Clay. They were "old fogies." He is the
prophet Of the new political Jerusalem.
From the friends of man of such pretcn-
sions the public has a right to expect at least
decent regard for the code of political morals
which is acknowledged by all civilized ma.
tons. 1t has right to expect that he will
not attempt to destroy the purity of the legis-
lative body, for the purpose Of promoting his
own advancement, or for any other purpose.
1t has right to expect that he viii show at
least an outward regard for the principles of
that constitution which he has solemnly sworn
over and over to support Such expectations
the public has right TO entertain, but such
expectations viii never be realized. From the
day when Governor Seward formed the deter
mination to become President Of the United
States, to the present, he has annually devel-
oped a greater proclivity toward an unsound,
corrupt, and demoralizing policy than has been
evinccd by any public character in this coun-
try since the time Of Aaron Burr When a
man embarks on such course, he seldom re-
treats or changes his tactics He believes that
the same unworthy acts--the same dema-
goguical tricks-the same resort to corruption
will prove as effectaal in the future as they
have proved in the past As Seward was yes
tcrday and is to-day, so therefore win he be
tomorrow.
Gov. Seward is now the acknowledged head
and leader fthe Northern Free Soil party. BY
many he is expected to be its next candidate
for tho Presidency. But he is too sagacious to
accept the nomination. His most intimate
| friends gave out the word, after the defeat Of
Gen. Scott, TINT Seward would not be q candi-
date until after the census Of 1860 was taken
it being confidently expected that that census
would show so great an increase in the foreign
population Of this country as to ensure his
election beyond the probability Of a doubt For
it Is, as our readers arc generally aware, on
the foreign vote that Seward mainly relies to
make up for the loss which would be certain to
enuro to the old Wing party Of the North, were
he TO be selected as its standard bearer. The
rise and astounding progress Of tho American
party were not then dreamed of--that party
which has already COMPOUNDED the hopes and
destroyed the aspirations Of SO many dema-
gogues, and which is destined, under Provi-
dence, to confound and destroy the hopes and
aspirations Of many more-Gov. Seward among
| the number.
But tho arch-agitator Of New York is not
| yet disheartcned He admits that the Ameri-
can party will sweep the country at the next
Presidential election, in 1866, and that the
revolution now in progress will be successful.
Then, he confidently expects a counter-revolu-
tion--a reactionary movement as powerful and
as rcsistlcss as the revolution itself Upon the
wave Of this reactionary sea he expects to be
borne triumphantly into power In the inte-
rim, he viii remain comparatively passive
4 r. H..