The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-13

GOVERNOR SEYMOUR AND MAYOR GUNrnER TAKING
ADvASTAGE OF LINCOLN.
The following article, in the Philadelphia
Inquirer, shows that the two highest officials OF New
forkstook most unfair advantage of Abe Oh the
occasion of issuing their proelamations in support
of his for fasting and prayer:
Can there be more malicious than those who
wCslld intcrpolte into call for universal prayer
expressions Of partisan malice and evidences of the
bitterness which excoIiateS their own hearts Can
there be meaner men than those who ntetline III
official document OF devotional, and not of posi
teal character, request, come pray Tor MS ami iof
our party We should think not, and yet Governor
Seymour of New York State, and Mayor Gunther,
Of New York city, have been weak enough to do
these things. Governor Seymour, pretending to
force the Presidents proclamation appointing day
Of humiliation ana pfdyer--3 proclamation national
in its character and free from offensive illusions
to of any shade ot opinion-idds to it the
opposition creed, and Mayor Gunthcr does the
thing, but more extensively. Seymour says,
pray against all - sectional hatred" Does he mean
the hatred of his party against New England, which
Ie-echocS the rebel slang which is popular at Rich
mond or does lac mean what his paftiSans stigma
tie the sectional hatred" which the people Of
the loyal States upon whom desperate war is waged
by Southern traitors, naturally feel against an
oiigdrohy who have deluged the land in blood and
raised their parrclial hands against the government
which they were bound 10 support by - the uonstI-
tuition as il wjls " lie desires the prayers of the
people against bgotIy and malice the bigotIy
and malice OF Shareholders against republican iustI
tutions, Governor, what your friends call the
bigVtry and malice OF the United States and its sup
porters against the wicked assailants OF the Union
and the prosperity of the country lie wants the
people to pray that they may be relieved from
" heavy burdens,' meaning the lawful and ncCes-
sary taxation OF the government. Jle desires that
" they shall be safe in their homes from all VIOLENCE
and oppression ''sllch occurred 1T Chamtersbuig
the other day or is this TO be prayer for the pub
fishers Of the New York World and Jotnaai IF COM
merceS His peroIaton Is Sublimely doubtful. lie
says q" Let Us pray that God Will give wisdom 10
ltliers,' particularly 10 Governor Seynout,
say We, purity to legislators (aineu to that
rightness and boldness IL our judges" Is this
slap ut the New York JUDGES McCnn and Russell !
They certainly have bolncss, but upriqhtness would
iii them strangely. And finally, he wants ''meck
ness and charity III the clergy" qualities which we
imagine the majority OF them possess much more OF
than this governor.
The proclamation is no doubt considered a gIheI-
national triumph. 1t will be read with Joy III Rich
mona; it will cheer the heart of every wisler OF
evil to the United States Government. Is 1t not
cunningly done! 1t is of course a harmless, meek
deyout document, penncd by the Governor III the
hour OF his own petence, and no doubt after SIM
cerc prayer his account, the spirit OF which
filed his heart with christian sentiment.
Mayor Gunther, being much smaller potentate
than Governor Seymour, iInagineS himself entitled
TO be less dsniiiel. Ills proclamation contains the
following remarkable passage:
''To the ministers of the various churches, on
whom Will ievUlye the duty OF opening prayer in t.
presence OF their Congregations, and especially those
ministers who have inculcatcd the doctrines OF war
and blsod, much at variance with the TEACHINGS
of their Divine Master, would humbly recommend
that they will, that solemn OCCASION invoke the
mercy of Heaven To hasten the relief OF suffer-
ing people by turning the hearts of those III au-
tholity 10 the blessed ways OF peace