The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-12-02
speech of Hon. VIM. HI. Seward.

Thursday Morning, December 2, 1858.
Speech of Hon. VIM. HI. Seward.
We publish to-day, on our first page,
the able and striking speech delivered
by Gov. Seward, at Rochester, N. Y,
on the 25th of October. There has
been no speech delivered for long
time, that has attracted such very gen.
eral attention as the present one. 1t
has been the subject of much comment,
favorable, deprecatory and denuncia-
tory. In the proposition held by Mr..
Seward that the "United States must
and will, sooner or later, become either
entirely a slaveholding nation, or en-
tirely free-labor nation" which is but
the result of philosophical analysis of
the elements of the two systems, and
conclusion warranted from their past
history, the Northern slaveocrats have
discovered the rankest treason, and are
ringing dissolution charges upon it as
Justify as though it were call to arms
for the overthrow of the federal gov
eminent, and none have been louder in
their denunciation than the little heb
damedal up at Cassapohs. In view of
this fact, we thought it fitting that our
readers,-who must have seen the bra
, zen Misrepresentation put forth from
week to week by the National Demo-
crat and kindred sheets,-should see
what Mr.. Seward really did say.
Mr.. Stewards prediction that, sooner
or later, either Slavery or Freedom will
: prevail in all the States of this Union,
is based upon these facts: Slavery was
once almost universal, but it is now
only local and exceptional, having been
| overcome by free labor, with which it
came in contact. Slavery once existed
in every European State, but is now
confined to Russia and Turkey, both of
which powers are moving toward its
eradication. In this country slavery
3 fell by contact with free labor in all the
, New England States, New York, New
:. Jersey and Pennsylvania. Arguing
J. from these historical facts, Mr.. Seward
Il discovers an antagonism which there is
e no reason to claim has ceased, but
many reasons existing which prove its
!. continuance. And while he confidently
"believes and hopes that this country
p will yet become a land of universal
il freedom" he does not expect that il
9 will become so " otherwise than through
[. the action of the several States CO
d operating with the Federal Govern
~ ment, and all acting in strict conformi
4 ty with their respective constitutions.
+ There is nothing very blood-thirsty
reasonable or revolutionary in this
u Gov. Seward proposes no illegal cru
: SADIE against the South, he leaves then
= to their own action, under their owl
is constitutions. He has belief and hop,
in success, because the history of tn
~ e past is crowded with lessons of success
He has faith to believe that freedom
n. would in the end be triumphant. Blu
E. in its progress it would do nothing in
compatible with the constitution or wit
. the sovereignty of theindividual States
10 Thus it is seen, that so far from in
timating the dissolution of the Union
~ Mr.. Seward virtually takes the positio
TO that the Union can not be dissolved. S
" firmly are the States bound together
It. so intimate are their political associs
tons and interests, that Mr.. S. doe
IN not look for a dissolution, even shout
20, 10 that dire calamity come upon us whic
. he regards as possible, the univers:
IS prevalence of slave labor. Mr.. Sewar
d. treats the unityof the States as a fxe
ne fact, and their ACKNOWLEDGMENT as a
a impossibility. This is the position t:
It ken by Mr.. Seward-a position whic
m as the Louisville Journal says, was t:
ic ken by the great Clay and his comp:
70 triots without, in the least, supposin
~ that they were reasonable disunionist
j. 1t is position which, fairly viewed
will meet with the appreciation of a
o. sincere anti-slayery men.
We hope that our readers will Civ
this speech careful perusal, and the
H. will find in it re-iteration of ides
ed and opinions, long entertained an
n; sometimes spoken by him they wi
~ find the same precision of statement
nc richness of illustration = bold declar
ad ton of convictions = rare political i
of sight, and consumate polish, that cha
acterize all his public efforts.
"a ~ tits said that in his forthcor
on ing message, the President will argl
or very strongly the construction of IL
RS. Pacific Railroad. This new zeal is e