New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-11-06
THE CONTEST OF TO-DAY.
SPEECH OF Mr. SEWARD,
Delivered at Rome on Friday, October 20, 1883.



WI, ee,.t,r Seward arose s., I'D with cutha.
,. eh--rs Iors cor;i-u-d and osn rpeased Tie spoke
suts.s n.sly az foio~s;
r,.,uvy.Crrrzt.s: Personal in;eregts necessarily
u,nre Themselves under free government WITH AL
poaral or public transactions. Such Interests, how
eyer. are sub. roirate and temporary while pohcies
and s,,,ocipl.s survive and endure IL haS been my
cus:om u erefre always 20 refrain IRON discussion
Of l-rsopal Questions IN connection win poItHAl
outs. depsrt from this rule ia the present case be-
co,,. an Obliged 70 know although have tired TO
l i,crar. Of the fact that doubts are entertained
by portion Of TIE Republican electors OF oneNs
Coaav, whether they cannot, consistently with Tue
interests Of the cause # Freedom, permit the rrtnrn
Of Democratic neu Der 10 the House Of Representa-
tive. from tbs Congressional trict. Ii Will appear
nsit, enough in q sequel that such result cam Ut
vi,lv b. permitted even If there we're no other req
sun than Ill, fact that the member 70 be returned Is
r. D.uocrnt Bat Il -eergs me Ia be- not only not
iu,u-orer but also du;y which ONE the republican
csuc ate. to say more.
Think thu; 1o one Questions my own fidelity to
The cause Of human freedom throughout The period
Of nv connection With public sf.irs. Cheers. Your
hind r,sr,,use enables ne To assume this. During all
that period Mr. q. 4. Mattesor, your present Repre-
sentative M Corere-s has been inu s,ey connect ID
yift ne. bear III hi oehaf willingly and gratefully
the ,e.tmory that at Washington, AT 81 times and u'-
der ali circuu stances he has been faithful. further
te,,f, that he has been able ana efficient there.
perform pleasing duty moreover, in declaring here
IN tie pr.seroe If his coDsttuer Is, taat always and
pp9er ALI circuu stances Mr.. Mstteson rendered me
the ,,upaihy support and aid of trusty reliable and
devoted friend. 20 ~, urber and declare tnat being
Acquainted with ih, fgcis and circumstances Of the vote
of censure which parsed upon him III the House Of
Repres, natives my conviction at that time, as
il IL my CONVICTION nov that that vote was unsusalned
by ary adequate evidence, M just and partial,
political and psrti,an and dictated by the hostility of
the slave interest IN retaliation for the vigorous
and successful resistance TO that Interest which he
had made. II was natural under such crcun-
stances Mr.. Met'esnu Should desire and think he had
a c.nim upon tie Republican electors OF his District
for n reIOminstion and - reelection, which would
prove a popular viudcHtipn against n Judgment IN
Cured in their service, but ct course hat
auuI many elements which entered into the question
q. a nomination FIR member of CUng at the coming
q, elton. The Republican electors of Oneida were
re rully the judges upon the whole question, embrace
ing all IT. details desiguedly AMI cautiously
framed from interfering with the discuss of that
subject b-cause Jealous Freen IN coud not and ought
not la til rate sucil Interference from any quartet
And the electors from district in this State have
a special claim upon me Ia practice non.intery
III such personal contests and conflicts. You have
decided that tie interests ut the IN tits distrc
vii b. best promoted by tic election of her mem.
Der of the party. Mr.. Roscoe C)nklng. Ii Il my duty
10 ecquIesce III that decision and do acquiesce IN il
without regarding the subject open for review or
further consideration. As il has been pleasant for me
To- bear my testimony in behalf of Mr. Mate son. 80 il
is al occasion Of sincere pleasure 10 speak terms of
the highest respect aud esteem for the gentleman
whom you have nominated to be his successor Mr..
COIkling, AZ you are aware, has been known To me
81. IL. horn. i arpl
certainly lie WAS reared in the town in which | live,
and Bis parents and family have been for bear twenty
five years among my most intimate personal friends.
| saw H. lis childhood and early youth the Indications
that high order Of genius and talent which he has
since developed among yourselves. While remarked
those indications with pleasure, i. would he unjust to
Hthhold the further confession that when divisions
occurred which carried many friends into AMI
Associations divergng from mine, Mr.. Conklng re-
NAMED III tie course which thought WAS the wise
ana true ore, and peIseveringly adhered to my own
iortui IS in political lie.
After b aIing this testimony of Mr.. COnking, il re-
mans for me to declare, that earnestly and with my
vbole heart deere the return Of Roscoe COnklng TO
the House Of Repre- sertatives. First because the
choice ia between hin true Friend ot Freedom,
and arotler who il my judi ment will be uGfaithful
to that cause de- not reflect upon the personal III
tegrty OF the opposing CANDIDATE, but say he belongs
to the Democratic party Of tue State OF New York,
which is laithess to that cause. II he should accept
service in that cause, he must be untrue To the purity
tween that and that party, know reason 10
suppose that he would choose the distinction of mar
I, ON for Freedoms sake. Secondly, desire Mr.
kings election because he sill bring into the dis
charge of his high trust true devotion 10 the cause
of Justice aud humanity, well ~ confessed aud sd-
perior ability. Such men will be wanted more III the
Con gress of 1889 and go than ever before.
entered Con grsss as preventative Of this State
in lS49. Tie State had then thrty.foar mbers in
the House ~ Iresenta,es. 'Ot these thir y three
were returned by the srbe political organization which
q, uierr, the trust upon myself and all were pledged
To the sane policy viz: the exclusion Of Slavery from
the territory If the Unted by the extension Of
the Wimo Prnvso over tie Territories JUS, then ac-
quired by tue oisnembernent Of Mex o. Tie thirty
fourth member was Democrat, but the overbearing
force of public opinion forced hin into association,
30 that, practically, the entire delegation from the
State " 5 committed to that policy. Seven or eight
months ELAPSED. Gen. Taylor the CHIEF Of the party,
fell a pnuc seized upon Il party and the country,
and tie EXPIRATION 81 that short period only fourteen
of the RepTes lfstives Of NewIork remained firm in
the field. then said tbs decentralization will have its
time bot within tue period Of ten years the people of
WORK VIII overcome this oismay. ~ the expirt
ton OF that tine, they will again acknowledge the
Higher Law which is OILY to say, that there is God
IL Heaven; aud they ~ill then be ready 20 strike
blow for Freedom and Humanity, by which all will be
recovered which has been go siIanees-ly betrayed
and lost; That period Las passed That blow IL to
be struck in the Congress Of 1889 and 90. la
g that great battle cot fe-s that desire the County
Oneida 10 send its abest and strongest man, stand
ing within the probabilities Of election al the prcs
ent juucture for lie win be wanted there You have
decided that Roscoe Conkling is that man. Let him,
therefore, pray you, bdeec'ed.
telow-c citizens the time for decisive action is ct
hand TIE season for argument has passed shall
therefore coLile myself Ia the duty of presenting
three incidental topics to your corsideraiion The
first " be TO Indicate as unders and il, the stage
o. the contest with the Slave power at which We have
arrived. S-coud The issues tor which contend
Ig; aid thirdly, tie way Of the battle.
First, The stage Of the contest To which We have
arrived. II is commonly supposed that in the
hottest part # tie bs'tle but this l deem grave
error. We have IN fact, only completed the organize
ton OF our army in the Free States. But this is an