Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-11-09
HR. sEwARD's SPEECH At Y. Y.

II 4 y r T. =
Friday evening last, Mr.. Seward made a
speech 70 a vast c7ucourse Of citizens in New
York city. Like all the speeches of that
eminent statesman, it Is remarkable for its
calmness, its avoidance Of little points and
personalities. and It's breadth of view lie
closed it with a reference to the disunion
threats which Of late have filed the air.
But they proceed TO tell US that if We
Do not concede 70 their demands they will
secede and dissolve the Union. Shall we
then surrender? That involves the ques-
/ ton whether they will secede and dissolve
the Union if we do not. What then is it
we propose to do which they require ne not
TO do? Why, it is simply to vote for the
man we prefer, or for the three men, or the
norman, that they prefer. CHEERS and
laughter). Is there any offense in that p
Why, that is just what the constitution SAYS
we may do ; and iuasmuch as there must be
necessarily difference between US, the con-
stitution requires every man not to vote for
the man some one else wants elected, but for
the man that ne himself prefers over every
body else. (Cheers.) Well, they say that.
nevertheless, they must take off9nse. Weask
why This IS our right. Why. then.
Will you dissolve ? They reply, I'VE will
dissolve because Mr.. Lincoln and Republi-
can Congress will commit aggressons upon
US after they are elected VERY well, we
say, but is it not prudent and is it not rea-
soneble to wait until he is elected first. and
until he commits the aggressions or attempts
to do 1t Cheers They answer, NO,
we cannot afford TO wait for an overt act.
because the overt act may never be commit
ted Laughter and cheeis)-or, if il should
he committed, we should be too much de-
moralized, and we could not resist and vim /
dicate ourselves Well, will not argue
the latter point cheers)-but do believe
better OF them than they proclaim of them-
selves. l know their manhood, their spirit,
their courage and their chiYalry. and know
enough OF human nature TO know, also, that
he who waits until an overt act is committed
before ne strikes back, will be able to recover
his rights thousand times sooner than he
who strikes before any overt act is commit
ted. (Applause.) But why should We ex-
pect that President Lincoln and his cabinet
and Republican Congress, will commit az
gresslons upon the slave States? They could |
Eot do it cOnstitutienally and what ,hev
cannot consttutionally do cannot be done in |
this country. cloud cheers Besides. who |
are these men who are to commit these m
constitutional aggressions They are citi- |
zens of the United States, chosen BY their /
fellow citizens; if not altogether the best.
yet from the best of every part OF the free |
States Are they less likely to be honest,
ana just, and wise and prudent statesmen
than the men selected from the same constit- !
uencles who have heretofore filed the seats
f Congress?
"And what is our duty To threaten
ack agaln-to illuminate menace for menace
and denunciation for denunciation? No,
but to listen with patience, with kindness
with iraternal feeling and sympathy for |
we 90 not expect men to hear our arguments
ana our arguments are much harder to bear
than their threats. daughter. do not
thinK these threats, before election, ere eyi-
dences OF revolution and disunion after cleo
tion, Tor the simple reason that 1 have al
ways found that man who does intend 70
strike fatal blow does not give notice ~
long beforehand. Laughter and applauseA
or ten, nay twenty years, these threats
have been renewed in the sama lon,uooo
and the same form about the first dav Of
November, every fourth year, when it han
senaI 20 come before the day Of the presi-
u " election. a man intoxicated NAV
:Hrea'en' Dut ne never knows what he will
% wneh ne becomes sober. daughter
% al the world knows that no sober man
can tell what he may do when he suffers
nimseif TO be overtaken with intoxication.-
man In passion never can tell what he
VIII 90 whan he is cool, as everybody knows
Tom his own experience that be very often