New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-24
The Political Parties Of the Day.
cpEECH OF VIM. II. SEWARD,
n,uve,ed At Auburn Oct. n, lsj6.

an NOT man of ungratcful disposition. we nave
a coumon memory of many long and incement
political storms through which we have passed. not
aItocether without occasional alterations ana
xenarations. You therefore can readily conceiVc'
without the use Of amplifcaton on my part, now
profoundly gratifying it is to me now to see not
only general Frightening Of the skies auspicons OF
the triumph Of the political principles which have
cherished through so many trials, but also troops
and crowds and clouds Of friends, more numerous,
more earnest and more cOniiding than those by
whom was surrounded in the most successful and
happiest periods of my life
Ifpolitics were indeed as many seem to suppose,
merely an uncertain sea- bounded by rich ports aud
haveus tempting private adventure, should not be
one of those who, standing on the beach, would be
melting INV fellow-citizens to trust themselves on
hoard Of this craft or Of the other. If politics
were as others seem to think merely game cum
pingly compounded of courage, accident and
skill in which prizes or crowns were to be won
by the ylctors for their own glory and graf
cation. | certainly should not be found among
he herads Of the contestants on either SIDE If,
again, politics were only forum, in which social
theories without immediate bearing on the welfare
and safety of the country were discussed | might
then be a listener, but should not be disputant.
But, although politics present these aspects to
superficial observers they nevertheless far more
serious and practical. They are in reality, the
regulation and direction Of the actual life OF the
American people How much of individual, dome'
tic and social happiness depends on the regsla,ion
and conduct of only one single human life How
vastly more of human happiness depends, then, on
the regulation and conduct Of the whole nations
thousand fold longer life
Since have come up before you on this occasion
with these sentiments you will not expect from me
either humorous, exaggerated, passionate or Prcju-
dcial speech, but will calculate examination
of the merits of candidates fer public favor and of
the parties by whom those candidates are respect
lively sustained.
1t is not nv habit to speak largely of candidates.
I refrain for two reasons. First, because, being
necessarily brought INTO personal combination or
conflict with public ReD, my Judgment concerning
them is liable TO the bias OF partlaiy or Jealousy.
Secondly because il is not the habit OF parties in
our country to select unfit, unworthy or unreliable
men to be their representatives. Whatever may be
tie personal merits demerils ola candidate, he can
not act otherwise, If he be chosen, than as an agent OF
the majority TO whom he owes his place. The real
merits OF the party by whom candidate is preferred
and inquiries concerning the personal character,
conduct and dispositions of candidates are los, on
false and delusve issue You can try the truth of
this position at once by inqurlng OF ~homsoever
sssals the character of the candidate Of your choice
whether he would give his support to that candl-
date abandoning his own, if all his objections cOald
at once be removed Your opponent if "A candid
man. would probably answer i'll the negative.
But the case is quite different with political par
ties or masses of citizens. nation acts at any
one time through the consent and activity, not of
all its members, but of only majority who deter
mine what shall be done not only for themselves,
but for all the citizens. BY our individual sui
frages We express our choice whether one class OF
citizens. with peculiar policy and peculiar princ-
pies, shall rule the country directing 1t IN course
of their own. or whether different mass with
different policy and principles, shall conduct it in
a different direction. | shall, therefore, discuss the
existing parties freely. You shall Judge whether L
perform this duty with moderation and candor.
In the first place, l must ask you to notice the
fact that American society is now IN transition
state, so far as political parties are concerned
Two or three years ago, the American people were
divided into two wedefned, distinct and organ
lied parties-the Wings aud the Democrats. To-
day, instead of these two parties, we see three
masses uncertainty defined, and apparently at least
quite unorganized, namely, Americans, Democrats
aud Republicans; and We see portions OF these
easily detached and passing over to the others,
while a very considerable number of citizens stand
hesitating whether to JOIN one or the other, or to
stand aOof still longer from all.
Such transition stage, although unusual, Is not
unnatural Established parties are built on GER
tain policies and principles, and they will remain so
long as those peicies and principles are of para
mount importance. They must break asunder and
dissolve when new eXigences bring up new aud dit
terent policies and principles, and the transition
stage will last until the paramount Importance of
these new policies and principles shall be generally
felt and confessed.
In a healthy and vigorous republic, the transition
stage have described cannot last long, because, In
the absence ola firm and decided majority to direct
its course, il would fall under the management of
feeble and corrupt factions, under whose sway it
would rapidly decline, and speedily perish. Our
Republic God be thanked is yet healthy and Wig
Orous, and already see that society is passing
out of the transition stage Ia the ancient aud proper
condition. This condition is one which tOlerates
two firm and enduring partes-no less and no
more. There must be two parties because at
every stage of national life question of
national conduct paramount to all others presents
itself TO be decided. Such question always has
two sides, right side and wrong side but no
third middle side. All masses which affect neu-
trality, as well as all masses which affect to stand
independently on questions which have already
passed and become obsolete, or which have not vet
attained paramount importance, are crowded and
crushed IN the conflicts between the two which
occUpy for the time being, the whole field of con.
test.
Ifsuch an emergency has now occurred, present
ing a vital question, which society must divide
into two parties, and if those parties are found aow
in the political arena, then we are nov individually
to decide whether to identify ourselves with mass
a