Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-08-06
A Paraphrase of Gov. Seymour's
speech To the Rioters ufNew York
From the Hartford Comant,l

Dear Fello'o Citise.S. Gentlemea and Ia
dies:
The Governor o New York has come
all the way from Albany to address You
on this interesting occasion, Please listen
TO me, then, for a moment, can never
forget that the vote Of this city made me
Governor of New York Be assured,
therefore, my dear friends, your wishes
and principles are sacred with me,
shall oppose Mr. Lncolns draft with all
my power; Of that you may be assured.
Several days since sent our mutual friend,
the Adjutant General of the State, to
Washington to inform Mr., Lincoln that he
must stop the draft 4; AID | am greatly
surprised that he presumes to press it
farther. My messenger plainly told him,
as now tell you, the Government has no
right under the Constitution, TO raise an
army by draft in sovereign State. So
Judge McCunn, of this city, with whom
have held consultation, says he shall de
eide in his police court; and so an able
statesman of an adjoining State, who has
forwarded me his opinion (Hon. William
f. Eaton, of Connectcut), holds. The
government may, 1t is true call on the
sovereign States through their Governors,
for the militia, but it cannot raise an army
by draft. have carefully read over the
Constitution of the United States several
times, nd cannot find any clause to that
effect, and we all know, and you, gentle
men and laoies, very well know (tor the
topic has often been discussed and decided
in your primary meetings. that any power
not expressly given in the Constitution, is
reserved TO the sovereign States.
Now, the Constitution says nothing
about this draft 1t is, then, an act of
palpabe tyranny and oppression, and if
! think the people will sustain me, | shall
not allow i IN my State.
Should | succeed in my effort, the re-
suit will be very beneficial to You and me
in several particulars. Allow me, how
ever, dear fellow citizens, to suggest if
you are not in danger of carrying matters
to a possible excess. Clearly you have a
right to resist the draft at all events ; but
then doubt if this authorizes you to kill
all the nj gers--to murder, rob and burn
Unfortunately. Murder | think, in
this case may possibly be manslaughter-
Had this course been confined TO Union
men. should net think it worth my time
to trouble you but to kill niggers, mere
~ because they are black, is, ! think,
pressing the thing TOO far, and ay bring
suspicion on the purity of your patriotism
and principles 1t Is true, before my cleo
ton, did declare, on many public occa-
sons, the Government was in fault for not
making more vigorous efforts to put down
the rebellion (pardon the so much-abuse
word), | am still of that opinion, and |
say again, am for putting down this re-
belion at all events, but then | am OPP
posed to raising an army.
If you ask, then, how shall the rebel
lion be put down, | say that it is none of
my Enthusiastically not at the present
time may consistently favor a measure,
but oppose the execution Of 1t. | have
the best reasons for such distribution
, Certainly am in favor Of the Union, and
opposed to secession, but am equally OPP
posed to maintaining the one or using
means to suppress the other, Fellow citi-
zens, will say no more about the matter
al the present time. 1t is ge' ting late and
YOU must be weary from your protracted
labors, if | may Judge from your appear
ance. Let me, then, as your father, re-
qnest yoIs all to go straight home and re-
tire to bed
Do; gentlemen and ladies, | beseech
you do this without delay, as otherwise
YOU NAV be involved in trouble. | know
the honesty of your motives, aud how care
full you are in all You say and do; and [
know assuredly. that the man is base
liar who ventures to impeach your motives
or dares to insinuate that ruin, revenge or
plumber have anything to do with this af-
far. Oh, my good friends h.ten, | be-
seech you, listen to the council of your
own Governor, who is, and ever will be
your abiding and grateful friend and lea
der Great applause and ne cheers.