Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-12-04
Ex- Governor Seymour On the Importance
Of Preserving the Democratic Party.

The following IS an extract fIom late /
speech of Ex-Governor Seymour. of New |
Yolk, at his residence 10 Utica. The Cover
nor says:
We believe can best promote the inter
est Of our country by preserving GER time 1
honored organization. II has been so closely /
identified with the history aud progress of i
our country that its dissolution would seem
like the severance of the last boud which /
holds cur country together. l know that 1
lnaDy q our citizens aud those for whom I
entertain a strong personal regard, h1sc
uDited il this movement with belief that /
they should secure greater degree VI uniGy !
OF action among our people They felt that 4
past divisions should be overlooked l appeal .
to them if these expectations aud hopes have .
been realized. Has this movement produced (.
unauimiry of purpose or has it caused coufu- !
sion Has it made fewer parties Or more par
ties?
We do not object to this organizl alton that
its members or it, nominees hold different
views in the past. but we DO not object it that
they hold discordaut opinions now we do not
object to it that they held different purposes
heretofore, but tha: they are parsuing differ
ent oi jets at this time. The election Of its
tickets will lot carry harmony and unity of
purpose to your State Capitol. but disccrd
aud confusion. Its very authors have ad-
mitted that this movement was q great mis-
take Il IS simply garty which Is all Uuion
and 10 harmony +; 1t agrees with regard 10
Offices aud disagrees with respect 70 principles
OUe wig OF ihls organization Is conservative
aud patriotic; the other is violent and TevO-
luiiouaTY. Some of It's nominees have svo1-
ed the most extreme doctrines OF Secession
lists of The South, others agree with ultra
4 Abo,itionists of the North. Which class wili
prevail II they are placed in power priu-
ciple will be settled. no contest will be ended
Controversies will begin with their advent to
place.
| appeal to the conservative aud patriotic
men who have joined that organization if
they are acting wisely aud well afiiIating
with these whose principles aud pursuits they
detest. OF in placing In ,fnce men whom they
believe TO have been Instrumental IN causing
this war and who Go not hold one purpose
as to the future in common 10 themselves.
Are they not contributingto bring about the
very evils and calamities which they wish
to avoid If they succeed, what Influence
will any conservative or patriotic nan have 10
the State? their nominations are suppor-
ted most cordially by every j'urnaI and every
class OF men who lave not ouiy Oeen vindIc-
tive. violent ami revolutionary iu the past,
bu; are also viadictive, violent and revolu-
tionary now.
/ l implore the patriotic conservative men.
/ who have hereto!uEe acted with 4his organiza-
tion for conservative purposes, to pause and
+ pOuder, and see If they are not about 20 fall
+ iuto lie hauds of those from hOm they differ
/ most widely. This movement is not ouly
I dangerous but absurd. There is usually at
I tacied TO the travelling menagerie5 of our
/ country an exhibition called the happy fam
/ lily, where animals of the most opposite
( character are peBned together IN Que cage.
we admire the skill which seems TO sub
due their natural instincts 10 rend and 6es-
troy each other, aud are surprised TO see birds
beasts and reptiles living in apparent har-
no0y This may 90 for one of the curioSi-
ties of museum. but it wi, not answer for
the Government of State 1t will be found
that The passions AID prjudiees Of of men
are not easily subdued. aud our political
happy family" wili b. fouad to be lot only
bluuder but disaster.
But is the proposition of our Republican
friends, that they will dissolve their organi-
zarion and that we shall give up enrs. quite
fair aDd equal? Their party is bat thing
of yesterday 1t. grew out of q sectional
passion or prejudice. 1t never embraced
our whole country within It's organization.
Its first victory is associated with the ruin of
/ our land Ii they wish TO abandon il let
them do so, but let them not attempt TO COW
F er that abandonment by proposal that we
/ shall give up party which Is ideniified with
the greatness. the progress and the power Of
our naticn,
/ 1t has been well said by one Of our towns
( men. that II an American citizen returning
4 from abroad aad igDorent OF the events Nbioh
3 I. IL
should hear that civil war was raging here.
( his Grst exclamation would be: Then the
/ Democratic party was defeated at the last
Presidential election :" We believe that our
success at this time Will strengthen the
Union men of the South. We believe that
the dissolution of the Democratic party would
discourage them We mean, therefore, to
emulate the example Of our brethren in
. PeDbsy ylvania. ard strive to place in power
/ not lY harmonious State A4mioistTat ation,
bdt one that will have the confidence OF pat
, Tiotic men 10 every section of our country
We are willing to support this war as a
Deaus of restoring the Uuion. and because VIC
regard it as harsh but a necessary remedy
for the evils of the day. But we will not
carry it on 10 spirit of hatred. malice or
revenge. Wha; our views be with respect
to slavery. We do not regard it as the cause
of the controversies. We hold that the con
troversies of the day 90 not grow so mucl
out of the institution Of slavery as from th;
existence at the South OF vast numbers of th.
Afr lean race. that abolition of slavery would
not end the contest. but would be the com
mencement of a lasting. destructive terribl,
domestic conflict. We know that the peopl,
of the North would not consent that 4. 600
600 of free negroes should live in their midst
that they would not agree to the abolition o
slavery If those manumItted slaves were to b