East Saginaw courier., 1859-09-22
SPEECH BY GOV. SEYMOUR.

1t Is great deal easier 10 uenounce
other people for their sins than to reform
ourselves-it is great deal easier to OBJ
tain political power by inasming the pas
sions and prejudices Of our neighbors,
by denouncing men a thousand miles
away, than it is to gain influence by gov
erning our walk in life by the principles
of Justice, or the dictates of sound
patriotism. (Cheers.) Is it not too true
that the reverse of this has been hurtful
to the morals of our people--and hurtful
to the pulpit, of which / speak with all
reverence, and to the holy doctrines which
should issue from the sacred desk
(Cheers,) Is it not too true my rebubli-
can friends, that rife for Kansas or
curse for the South has weighed more in
the political scale than private virtues or
public service? Tremendous cheering.)
Whence comes slavery? We have seen
who prolonged it. Now, my friends, do
you ever stop. to inquire who upholds it ?
It is sustained by the firm Of "Weaver,
Wearer g. Planter" and two of the part
ners living up North. (Cheers and
laughtcr) Every one, knows that but
for the looms of New England and Old
England il could not live day. The
loudest denunciations against slavery are
made by men with cotton shirts on their
backs. The most fervent pulpit eXhor-
tations against slavery come from men
who wrap themselves for repose at
night in cotton sheets, who lay their heads
upon cotton pillows, and go to sleep
thanking God that they are better than
the men "down South" | was called
upon some years ago, while Governor Of
New York, by deputation Of Qualers
from Great Britain, to lay before me a
"testimony" against slavery. AS they
wished, listened to them. We after
wards fell into a conversation, and the
question arose why the people of Europe
we so oppressed and burdened so heavily
by taxation. We attributed it to the
! differences in their language-the great
number of nationalities, divided by i'm
a2inary lines--the petty jealousics and
slrifes, and consequent necessity for main
tanning large standing armies. We then
spoke the blest condition of Europe if all
these rival governments could be moulded
: into ono, speaking common language,
having common sympathies, with no
custom-houses TO annoy, and no standing
! armies to threaten and my Quaker
friends warmed with enthusiasm at the
glorious picture, and expressed the earn.
est wish that such day might dawn, foi
with it would come the true millennium
"But," said l. "when all this has been
achieved, supposed some man should rise
upin England, and say that all this genia
fellowship among the nations, this com
munty of interest and Of language, shall
be destroyed, unless serfdom be abroga
ted in Russia, and polygamy in Turkey
What would you say regarding sucl
a man :"~.1 u armvrr0 10 rtr
"Say," said the Quaker, ave woulC
say that he deserved the anathemas Of al
: good men, as a traitor to the interests o
mankind, for doubling that God, in hi
own way and in his own good time, woul'
work out remedy for all these wrongs.
; "Now," said 1, "my friends, when W
drew this picture of Europe il was no
all fancy. / described the bread Ian
n which extends from the Atlantic to til
Pacifc-from the great lakes to th
: Gulf of Mexico. Go two thousand mile
over this land, and no custom-house sha
!, stop you-travei to its fartherest limits
and you shall see no standing armies-yo
shall hear common language and sha
l. feel common sympathy. Then you sha
of know whatit is to live upon great, broa
continent, where there is brotherhoo
: unalloycd by your hatreds and antipathic
,d Why, therefore, do you come here
teach us the language of strife Z" Lon
Z and loud applause.) t