The New York herald., 1863-08-13
/ The eu.rrs, Between Pre.,d.n, lAaeoln


and Governor Seymour.
The quarrel between the Chief Magistrate of
the United States and the Chief Magistrate of
the State Of New York, as developed in the
correspondence between them, which we have
published for the last two or three days, is Of
character to cause the deepest modification
and alarm to every patriot in the land. 1t
seems to he the quarrel Of Marius and Syila Of
Caesar and Pompey-a quarrel precedent to
riots in Rome and civil war in the provinces
The two highest officials in the republic the
one the President and the other the Governor
of 'the Empire State" instead Of showing an
accommodating disposition for the sake of the
common cause which both profess to have at
heart, are doing their utmost to drive matters
to extremes-to bring about a collision be-
tween the federal and State authorities, and to
involve the loyal States of the North in the
horrors of anarchy and civil war.
The bone of contention Is the Conscrip-
tion act. Governor Seymour holds that it
is unconstitutional. II is, however, con-
stitutional enough to come within the
strict letter Of the fundamental law; but 1t
| is one of the most odious enactments that
ever was passed in any country-free or
| despotic-a law that could not to-day be pass
ed in England, whence we have borrowed our
laws and institutions which could not have
been passed in that country for the last one hun
dred and fifty years. Not since the days the
Tudors aud Plantagenets could such an intole-
rable law have been carried in Parliament
| The attempt to impose similar laws upon the
| English people resulted in the overthrow Of
| the Stuarts and series of terrible civil wars
which lasted for fifty years, resulting at last in
the triumph Of liberty and the overthrow OF
| despotism. So foreign is the idea of a compul-
sorry service in war to the genius Of the Anglo
Saxon race, and the institutions which it has
| adopted, that there is no word in the English
language which signifies conscripton this term
being an importation of recent date.
Like pettifogging lawyer, Governor Sey-
mour not content with the odiousness of the
law adopted by Congress, which would have
| given him political capital enough, insists on
its unconstitutonality, which is like 'straining
at gnat and swallowing camel" or grasping
at shadow and letting go the substance. The
President, on the other hand. well aware of the
injustice, odiousness and unpopularity of the
law, insists upon carrying it out, though the act
itself leaves it discretionary with him to do
So and though it must be evident to him, as it is
to all, that more men and better troops can be
raised, and raised faster, by volunteer enlist
ments and proper bounties than by compul-
corv dvoft What 10 tho co,,en IF thic rocLlooo
! obstinacy on the part Of two men with such
heavy responsibilities weighing upon them-men
| who ought to set an example to all others Of
cordial unity and self-sacriGcing spirit in this
hour of national peril. II is the near approach
of the Presidential campaign, which distorts the
vision of politicians and blinds them to every
consideration but that which will contribute to
their party triumph at any cost. President
Lincoln and Governor Seymour are both seek.
ing to make party capital out Of the Conscrip.
ten law, with view to employ it in the great
contest which is to come off in the next year
and they are forcing on the loyal States fear
full issue, which may deluge them in blood and
leave us Without any republic to elect Pre-
sidsnt over, long before November, 1864 II
bloody riots, anarchy and confusion should
arise out of this quarrel, God and the country
will hold to rigid reckoning the two actors
who are playing political roles so full Of peril
to our domestic peace and the very existence Of
the nation. -..-,vs.. s.-.s.
SPEAKER or NEXT C0NGREss-NOMNATIo OF
FERNANDO WooD.-It is now settled fact that
there will be a majority in the next Congress
opposed to the policy of the administration.