Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-09-30
SPEECH OF
H0RATI0 SEYMOUR.

HORATlO SEYMOUR.
10 answer to objections against the ne
cessity of keeping up the organization Of
the Democratic party. we cannot do better
than % publish the following extract from
the speech of the Hon. Horatio Seymour,
upon bis nomination for Governor at the
convention held in Albany on the 10th o:
last month:
MIR. President, having uniformly and de.
cidedly expressed my unwillingness TO hold
any othclal position at this time. | did no,
expect my name wauld be brought before
this convention. The nomination YOU have
mace SUBJECTS me to great Inconvenience,
whatever may be the result Of the election
/! came to this convention expecting to aid
IN placing at the head of the t! cket the
name OF one whom / feel to be more Fl, than
myself for that honorable position. But,
SIR, whatever may be the injury to myself
1 cannot refuse nomination made in !
msnner that tanehesng hsart and f;lls me
win stiil stronger sense OF my Obligations
to this great and patriotic party. In adj
dition to my debt of gratitude to partial
friends, | am impeled by the condition of
our country, to sacrifice my personal wish
es and interest to its good.
Two years have not passed away since a
convention, remarkable for its numbers
patriotism, and intelligence, assembled at
this place to avert if possible the calamIties
which athict our people. In respectful
terms, 1t implored the leaders of the polt,-
cal party which had triumphed at recent
election to submit to the people of this
country some measure of Cancellation which
would save them from civil war. 1t asked
that before We should be involved in the
evils and horrors Of domestic bloodshed
those upon whom it would bring bankrupt.
cy and ruin, and into whose homes it would
carry desolation and death. should he MI,
lowed &c speak. That prayer for the rights
of our people was derided and denounced,
and false assurances were given that there
was no danger. The storm came upon MS
with all its fury, and the war so constant
ly and clearly fOretold desolated our land.
1t is said no Compromise would have salts
fed the South. IL we had tried them it
would not now be matter of discordant
opinion. 1t these offers had not satisfied
the S1uth, they would have gratified loval
men at the North, and would have united
us more perfectly.
An attempt is made to close the ears of
our republican friends to our appeals, be-
because we act as political organization.
Can we do otherwise? Would not the dis.
2ersion of this ancient party, identified as
1t is with the growth, greatness and glory of
our land, be looked upon as CALAMITY.
even by our opponents? Did not a shadow
tall upon our country when it was torn
apart at Charleston and do not men of all
parties point to its disruption as one of the
causes of this unnatural war? Is If not
Just we should have representation in the
State and national government proportion.
ed to our contribution to our armies and
the Treasury? If we elect all ofour ticket
at this time, we shall have no more than
our proportional share of political power.
1t may be SAID we should meet without re-
gard to political organizations. and romi-
nate officers. This destroys the object Of
such organizations. They would cease to
be projections against abuses of mower or
the Inroads of corruption. Let the two
great parties be honest and hpnora BILE
enough to meet in fair and open discussion
with well defined principles and policies.
Then each will serve our country as
well out OF power as in power. The vigi>
lence kept alive by party contest guards
against corruption or oppression. This
watchfulness is most needed when unusual
expenditures of money present unusual
temptations to the corrupt and selfish.
For another reason we cannot disband
our organization. The Union men of the
border and more southern States, without
distinction of party, implore us not to do so.
They tell us triumph of our party now
would be worth more than victories upon
the battlefield. 1t would reassure their
friends, it would weaken their opponents.
Every advantage gained over abolitionism
puts down the rebellion. While they and
we know there are many just and patriotic
men in the republican party, it is still true
that its success gives power and influence
to the violent and fanatical, and that their
party action always goes beyond their par
ty platform.
Every fair man admits there is no way
OF correcting abuses but by a change of
political leaders. Tie republican partv
demand this when they charged abuses
upon democratic administration. They
should concede the principle now.
Experience shows that frauds practiced
by political friends are not punished by
men in power. 1t is conceded that gross
frauds have been committed in different
departments of government that they
have brought distress upon our soldiers, de-
feat upon our armies, and disgrace upon
our people. But not one man has been
punished, or made to feel the power of that
prero gative which is claimed to be an irci>
dent of war-corruption that has done more
to destroy the national pow sr than armed
rebellion has gone unscathed. The senti-
mel who slept upon his post has been sens
fenced to Geath-the official who closed
his eyes to frauds which destroyed armies,
is quietly removed by and with the advice
of the Senate, and represents the nation g
character at the capital of friendly pow
er ! Citizens in loyal States who became
the objects of suspicion or of malignant as
saults, who have been seized at their
homes. dragged to distant prisons without
trial and without redress, while each con-
victed plunderer walks freely and boldly
among the people he has robbed and
wrOnged. Maladministration demands
change Of administration.
At this time issues should be fairly and
bOA4iJ II &c W uiouDhDE 10 DC UliS-
taken, but it is disgraceful not to be out
spoken. Let this war at least settle ques
tons of principle, A few months will de-
eide who is right and who is wrong now,
a. the past two years have shown who
were right aud who were wrong heretofore.
We are in favor of the rights of the State,
as well as Of the general government; we
are in favor of local self-governmebt, as
we'll as of national jurisdiction within its
proper sphere.
While we thus meet as a political organ
ization, it is not for partisan purposes
We can best serve our country in this rela-
tiOnship. The President of the United
States will bear witness that he has not
been pressed or. embar' e,ed by US. We
have loyalty responded TO every call made
on US by constituted authority. We have
oteyed all orders to reinforce our armies
When we were in power we denounced the
higher law doctrine-the principle that
men might set up their wills against the
statutes of the land-as reasonable. We