Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-10-31
Tho 9tates.,tlitarl
Extracts from the Great Speech
GOV. HoRAT1o SEYMOUR
Delivered in the City OF Buffhlo.
on the Evening of October
...... 26th, 1863. r.tryr


on the Evening of October
..... 26th, 1863. e-t1yr
/ - ,a..I a
l sincerely regret that Governor Bramlette ia
not here to-pight to speak to you. wished
you to learn from the lips Of patriot OF Ken:
tucky that the language Of those who love and
NEAR, to uohold the Constitution, and intend to
preserve the Union, is allke, uttered by men
from the North or the South, from the East or
the West. You would have found that thal
distinguished man who lives In community
particularly effected by the war In which we
are engaged, and who has stood up With others
abreast Of the tide Of secession, was in full &C
cord ami sympathy with us who meet here to-.
night to utter words which we hope may be
calculated to preserve that Union Of our land
which We have so much at heart (Cheera.)
In his absence will address you briefly In re-
gard to the great question of the day. Our land
Is afflicted with civil war of proportions un-
exampled in the history Of the world. The
fame of great conhsgration is tapping up the
blood OF our citlzens; 10 destroying the properly
OF our people; is isoariylng mourning and de6th
into our homes, and threatens the very fabric
of our Union. Under circumstances like these,
my friends, when We assemble together, we
ought to come up with an honest purpose to
take that course q. the coming election which
shall be calculated to advance our couutry's
good, to make our nation once again what II
was q few years bince--the envy and admiration
ly, at times like these, when 60 much is at stake
and when there is every reason why men should
be calm, dispassionste, thoughtful, aud patriot
Tic, ne are all OF US too prone to give way to pas
| sion and prejudice. You hear from some quar-
ters only the language Of fdenunciation, Of abuse
appeals to passion, where there should be argu-
ments addressed to cur consciences and our con-
yictions OF duty. Let ue meet the questions we
are to discuss tonight with an anxious purpose
| to discover where the right is, and, having suc-
ceeded in that, boldly, manfully, patriOLcally,
to sustain and maintain it. (Cheers) Nov,
in the discussions which are going On In this
country, there are certain points upoa which all
men are agreed. Let us at the outset ascertain
what they are, 30 that we may more clearly un-
derstsnd the nature of the dissgreements which
exist between US. All men agree in this--thas
if this war 10 prolonged for certain period OF
time, with continually Increasing debt, that
there must come time when It will reach an
| amount that will oyorwhelm us With national
bankruptcy. Men may not agrso 90 to what
that surn may sbe--one may say tWo thou
sand millions, another three thousand mill
lions, and perchance more eengune
man still,r may fix the amount at four
thousand millions, but there. 10 no man
who does bot sgree that there ia an amount OF
public indebtedness which, II fastened upon us,
must bring upon us the calamity and disgrace
OF National 'bsnckruptcy There 'is another
point Of agreement, There isno nal who does
not admit that If this war continues on for o
certain period. Ii must overWhelm us wish ma
tiensl ruin. Then here are two points on which,
although we may differ % to the amount or
time, We essentially agree--tMo events that all
admit must bring upon us individual and ma
tioual ruin. All agree that We muss bring this
| war to . succesaful issue before we have been
overwhelmed by these national evilsJ We
agree, too, that the exigency is great and the
peril 80 imminent that We are bonnd 10 put
forth every exertion 10 save our country from
these calamities which lie in our pathway, aa
soon as may be. We say to our Opponents, we
are ready with you to lut forth every effort of
physical power-we consecrate ourselves and
all that we have for the salvation and perpetu-l
alton Of our country. In al solemnity esy it,
with heart full Of love for my country; with,
desire to sacrifice anything and everything.
for Its preservation and its happiness With oil
solemhity say ", that here again, as We nave
beteEs done, do We dedicate ourEelvea 10 this
most holy and patriotic work Of saving the fair
land Of ours from ruin and disintegrati0n. Now
In this We are agreed Where, then, COM
mences the point of diyergenoe2 rWbtrs do
20 farther than they, and agree to add one fur
ther influence against rebellion--that of oaa-
oiliation. (Gfeat cheers) I'VE deere TO put
the North upon platform upon which all can
stand, 30 that we shall present one undivided
and unDroken front. We will not only bring
oil the powers Of force against the rebellion,
but We will do more than that--We will carry
disunion into i,s ranks by extending tosthem
In this hour when victory has crowned uss and
when IL 10 great and msgnaniliohs TO do 30,
every induoement that honest and honorable
men can offer to them to return 10 the Union.
(Cheers) In this We differ from our political
opponents; We do not refuse to exert one single
energy less shan they; We propose to bring TO
bear those Influences which the history Of the
world, your own good Judgment
| teaches you is essentialt to bring TO a succeeds
ful termination any contest, whether between
individuals or nations. (Cheers We feel
that upon this point, tserefore, we hold high
or ground than is held by those who stigma.
tize us aH being untrue to onr country. Why do
they sHgmatise US thus. They would hardly
make that imputatlon against the hundreds
and thousands who have gone forth from the
Democratic ranks TO battle for the flag of our
Union. (Great cheerlng.) Why tben2 Ia II
because we are willing not only to sustain our
soldiers In the feld, to sacrifice property and
life, but that wo say that, moro than this, we
will sacrifice upon the altar Of onr country our
pride and passions, when pride and passions
stand in the way Of our success1 (Cheers.)
But this 10 not the onlyqpoipt OF difference.
lWhowill not eoncede that unless there is more
energy, more skin, more judgment exhibited,
than has heretofore smsrked the progress Of
this war, we are coming to certain deatructiop7
A man may float along the beautiful river that
runs BY your city, IN safety, for time; but If
he continues, day after day, to float idly along,
and allows the time to pssa by when he can
reach the margin in safety, he will find himself
at last in sight Of that mighty cataract whose
name 10 famous throughout the world, and will
hnd himself Within the swift vortex of its
waters which will whelm him in utter destruc-
tion. So with our nation, unless we put forth
every exeriion not only OF material power bat
OF wise atsteamanship, Of Cbrlstian, consider
alton, Of pstriotic ssofi6ce of passion and
prejudice, we too shall 6pd, alaa, too late, that
the period paat when We 6an resctie ourselves
from the dangers. that, lie In our course.
(Cheers,) The party 10 the, most true TO the