The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-09-12
SPEECH OF SENATOR SEWARD,
Dslirsred at Detroit, September 4th. 1860.


Fe!loLr- Cit,sea,:
We claim that our political system il q Judi
cious one. and that we are an intelligent and
virtuOu. people. The Government ought. there
fore, not only to secure respect and good will
abroad, but also TO produce good order. con
tentment and harmony al home II fails to at
tain these ends. The Canadians certainly neither
envy nor loyeus. All the Independent Ameri-
can powers, from the Rio Grande 10 Cape Horn
while they strive 10 construct governments for
themselves after our models fear aud many o.
them hate us. European nations do indeed re-
/ we're our constitutions and admire our progress
I but they generally agree in pronouncinC us in
! consistent with our organic principle, and ca
PRECIOUS The President inyeghs against cor
ruptlon among the people. The immediate
representatives, of the people in Congress charge
/ the President with immoral practices. and the
President protests against their action as suhyer
sive Of the Executive prerogativc. The House
Of Representatives organizes itself convusivclv
amid confessed dangers of popular commotion.
/ The Senate listens unsurpriscd. and almos,
without excitement. 10 menances Of violence
secession and disunion. Frauds and violence
/ IN the Territories are pallatcd and rewarded
| Exposure aud resistance To them are condemned
/ and punished, while the Just. enlightened and
reasonable will of the people there though con
stitutionaly expressed. is circumvented. DISC
/ beyed and disregarded. State. watch an xously
| for unlawful intrusion and invasion by citizens
OF other States while the Federal courts fail 10
| suppress praeies on the high seas. and even on
our own coasts. The Governments Of the Tn
! ion. courts and subnias to State espionage OF
/ the Federal mails, while the States scarcely at
tempt To protect the personal rights Of citizens
OF other States. peacefully pursuing harmless
/ occupations within their fraternal Jurisdictions
| Are the people satisfied and content? Let
| their several parties and masses answer. Ger
! tainly you. the Republicans of Michigan as
well as the Republicans throughout the whole
Country. are not satisfied. But YOU are inter
! ested in a change of administration. and there
! fore perhaps prcjudiced. Ask, then. the Con
! stitutional Union men, few and inefficient in
! deed here. hut numerous aud energetic else
! where. They an not satisfied. II they were
| they would not Ire engaged. a. they are now,
| in hopeless attempt TO organize a new party.
without any principles at all. after their recent
| failures TO combine such a party on obnoxious
| principles. But they are also interested and
possibly prejudiced like the Republicans. Ap-
| peal then To the Democratic party. which en-
| Joys and wlelds the patronage and power OF the
| Federal Government. Even the Democrats are
no less dissatisfied with the Republicans. with
| The National Union men. with their own admin
Stratiion; 81 with each other and as think, even
satisted. Its masses want a suppression Of the
| African slave trade. and an ciicctual exclusion
of slavery from the Territories. so that all the
new and future States may surely be free States
| The South isnot satisfied Its masses. by what
| ever means. and at whatever cost desire tht
| establishment and protection of slavery in The
| Territories. 20 that none Of the new States may
! fail to become slave States. The Eat is dis
| contented with the neglect of It's fishery. man
utacture and navigation and the West is i'm
! patient under the op ration Of nationa. policy
| hostile TO liz agricultural. mining and social
developments. What government in the world
iui ours, has pcrSistently refused TO improve riv-
crS construct harbors. and establish light-hous-
| o.. for the protection of its commerce. New
I and anomalous combinations of citizens appear
| in the North. justtylng armed instigators OF
| civil and servile war in the South. devising
| means for the disruption and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
| Of the Union. 1t is manifest. that we are suf-
| iering in the respect and confidence of foreign
| States. and that disorder and confusion are
more iiagrant among ourselves now than ever
| before.
| do not intend to be understood that these
| evils are thus far productive of material euf-
| icring or intolerable embarrassment, much less
than the country is. as So many cXtravaganl
persons say. on the high road TO civil war or
| dissolution. On the contrary, this fair land
| we live in is SO blessed with all the element.
of human comfort and happiness, and its citi
| zcns are at once 10 loyal aud wise and 30 vel
surrounded by yet unhroken guarantees of civ
il and relig igioIS liberty. that our experience %
! mi>rulc at the very worst never becomes 50
painful a. to raise the question how much more
! of public misery we can endure but II leaves
us at liberty to stop ROW a. always heretofore
I 81. e
prosperity and honor, we can secure by the
practice o. greater wisdom and higher virtue
Discontcntment is the wholesome fruit Of a dis
coyery of mal-administratOn and conviction
of public error l. here at least always sur,
harbinger Of political reform.
| Martin Van Buren,. they say l. writing n re
view of his own ifr and our time. for posthu
nous uses II it is not disrcspectful, l should
like to know now the conclusions hc draw
! from the national events h. has seen, and o
which he has been an important part; for h
j. shrcWd observer, with Advantages Of larg'
and long experience To me it seems that th'
| last forty years have constituted period o
signal anil lamen'abe failure in the effort. o
statesmen to adjust and establish Federal pol
lev for the regulation ot the subject of SLAYER,
: i'm it, relations to the Union. In this vie,
| regard il as belonging To the Office of
: statesman not merely 10 favor an lmnedat
and temporary increase OF national wealth. an
= an enlargement Of national territory, but ais
to fortify so far a. the pr. scrbed constitution
| al limits OF bis action may allow. the influence
| Of knowledge and humanity 10 abate popua
prtiUdices aud passions. by modifying or r.
moving their cau>e-; To ascertain and dI-clo-
: the operation OF general laws and 10 study an
| reveal the social tendencies of the age. and b
: combining the past with the present. while CIV
inc free play all the time 10 the reciprocatin
:, action of the many co-eEisting moral forces.
| develop that harmonious system which actuall
- prevails il the apparent chaos Of human affair
and so to gain something in the way Of ass
D rance ss 70 the complexion Of that futuri'
! toward, which. since our country is destined
| endure. and inssmuch a. We desire that
nav b. immortal, our thoughts are 20 vchei
, entity driven even by the selfish as well as
Y the generous principles OF our nature.
| have understood that John Quincy Adam
the pure>t and wisest statesman that | er
, knew. died despairing Of pesceful solution
the prOmblcm OF slavery, on which he was
u intcntly engaged throughout his public servlc
= II we may Judge from the absolute failures
Nr. Van Buren. Mr. Polk, Mr. Pierce a1d n
L buchanan in the respect have mentioned, a.
f we take into consideration also the syste
p which Mr. Calhoun. Mr.. Benton. Mr. Clay al
Mr. Webster Eevcrally recommended. and Viii
have subsequently, failed 70 be adopted. we N
| perhaps conclude that the difficulties o. esta
= lish.ng satisfactory and soothing policy ha
| overtasked even our wise.t and most emlne
50 statesmen They certainly have been neit5
Incapable nor selfish men. No age or count
has been illustrated by public characters