The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-10-01
speech Of Gov. seymour at the
Scxs York state Convention.

some of whom | see here before me now,
assembled in this room for the purpose of
irving t. avert the war which now affllcts
our land. We. sir, saw the coming storm;
we most respectfully invoked that party
which hal just achieved great political
triumph to pause and unite with us in
efforts 10 avert calamties which we feared
would shake this government to its very
foundation. Our fears were derldcd, our
PRAYERS were mocked and we were told
that we were no true men because We fore
saw what Is now taking place-a bloody
and devastating civil war. Ow sad has
been the intervening period. How many
men have been carried down to bloody
graves. How many homes filled with
mourning. How much distress, of misery
and agony has been felt throughout this
then free, and great, and prosperous land
of ours. We meet again toni ght. when
the war i'll It's progress has brought
u t. another Of It's stages, and once more,
Mr.. Chairman. on behalf Of the Democrat
ic party Of this State, | stand up here to-
night to appeal most earnestly and re-
spectfully to our Republican friends again
to unite with us and save our E.nd from
Yet greater calamities. But | will not
dwell long ON the dark side Of the picture
Sad as it has been some great good has
grown out &c the struggle We have
learned at least TO value our Union Alright;
and those who but three short years since.
hcapea upon us words of scorn because we
pleaded for it and would save it. and stig-
snatze1 us as t Mon savers" are to-day
glad to come before the people and claim
to be the particular and especial friends of
the Union. (Cheers.) For this l am
grateful although think this recognition
of the truth OF our position might have
been made IN 4 more graciOu, form. But
more than that: Vt the late Convention
held in Syracuse ! rejoice that it was put
forth that that party means to struggle
for the Union and The Constitutions But
a little time since men We're stiematizcd Is
traitors who would protect constitutional
rights This recognition accept niost
gratefully, and none the less Thankfully
because it goes forth to the world with
many harsh and unkind ccnsurcs IF my
self. | stand here forgetting all that i,
sud that does wrong to YOU and to me, with
Il heart full Of er,titudc to know that at
length We have rom all parties rccogni-
tiOn Of the great truth tia: this MON has
value past computation, ana that the
mon j. to be preserved and fhe Constitu-
tion respected ~ he common consent of
al parties. | am II one Of those who in
this hour of the country's distres, are
without hope Indeed regard the future
hopefully and confidently. This sad war
has taught us not only the value of the
Mon. but before We shall have done
with it. it Will teach us other great truths
and establish orr Union on 5rnIcr basis.
and establish the rights of Tie States OH
such Il foundation that hereafter no power
can shake them. Great applau SCI
know that some Of my friends look some
what despondently upon the future [
Know that the acts Of the late Congress
causcl great alarm in al parts of the
c4mtry. know that those acts originat-
ed IN the false and mistaken vicws Of poll
- and spring from those who would seek
70 make or government stronger by con
eentrating larger amount Of power in the
national capital have never for one mo-
Inent feared the result. | have felt ever
SINCE the adoption Of those measures, that
the very means seized upon by the advo-
Gates Of strong central government would
overthrow forever the theories they were
intended to establish. 1t will be proven
by our experience now, and that which is
10 come, that those proyisios of our Con
stitution that restrain the powers Of the
General Government We're not pat there
solely tor the purpose OF saving the rights
Of the States. States have vitality which
viii outlive more wrongs and outrages than
any party can inhict. Cloud applause J
They may for ment be overwhelmed
and subdued, but they never can be extin-
guished. They are natural organizations
so knit and bound together that when ev-
cry effort has been made to suppress them
they will rise up again in all their original
power and maintrin and assert all their
constitutional rights. 1t is true that one
OF the designs of restraining the power of
the General Government was to protect
the rights Of the States; but these were not
the first and great objects for which they
were introduced. They were placed in the
Constitution for the purpose of fsaving and