The weekly union record., 1864-10-15
Secretary Seward on the War.

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10 be mustered into the service Of the United
States. eougregated il the grounds adjoining
William H. Stewards residence IL that city
and called for the Secretary Of State 70 address
them. II respocsa, Mr. Seward made very
able speech IN review Of The war and he pres
cot situation. We have space only fer the
following extFact-,he closing poraou:
And now. has all the treasure that has been
spent, and all the precious blood that has been
poured forth, gone for nothing else but to
secure an ignominious retreat, and return. at
the end Of four years. TO the hopeless imbecility
and rapid process Of National dissolution which
existed when Abraham Lincoln took iato his
hands the reius Of Government? Every one
OF you kD0ws that bat for that accession Of
Abraham Liueola Just al that time the Union
would in less than three months have fallen
into absolute aad irretrievable ruin. ! VIII net
dwell lorg oa The complaints which misguided
but not Intentionally perverSe men bring
against the Administration of Abraham Lin
coin. They complain Of military arrests Of
spies and lurking traitors in the loval States
as if the Government could justify itself fer
waiting without aFeYen,ive measures fer more
A7tAslc ~ AG NV @ACL Hl ~ UE Gtt4 ltu U4 l-t0
secession. They complain that when We call
for volunteers We present the alternative Of &
draft. as II when the ship has been ScQtlled the
captain ought TO leave be sleeping passengers
10 go To the bottom without calling on them
to take their turn a. the pump. They are not
content with plotting sedilion in secret places
but they 20 Up and down the public streets
utteFiug treason, vainly seekin. TO provoke
in o-1ar tA9f > Z
denial Of the liberty ot speech. The impunitv
they everywhere enjoy under the protection of
constitutional debate shows At one and the
same time that their complaints are grouad'ess.
aud that the Union in the element OF moral
stability is stronger han they know, The
chief complaint against The President IS That
he Will not accept peace on The basis of the
integrity Of the Union without having also the
abandonment OF slavery When and where
have the insurgents offered him peace on the
basis OF the integrity OF the Union? Nobody
has offered It. The rebels never will offer il.
Nobody on their behalf n offer IT, They are
determined and pledged to rule this republic
or ruin it. | tod you here wear ago that
practically slavery was no longer 10 question
that il was perishng under the operation Of the
war. That assertion has been confirmed. The
Union men in all the slave States that we have
delivered are even more anxious than we are to
abolish slavery. Witness Western Virginia,
Maryland, Missouri, Louisiana Tennessee and
Arkansas. Jefferson Davis tells you in effect
the same thing. He SAYS that il is not slavery.
but independence aud Sovereignty, for which he
Is contendng. There is good reason for this.
\ hundred dollars in god is only q Years par
chase of the labor OF the working man in every
part OF the Uuited States. At less than halt
that price you could buy all the slaves in tie
country. Nevertheless. our opponents want
distinct exposition of the Presidents views on
the ultimate solution of the slavery question
Why do they want il? For the same reason
that the PharSees and Sadducees wanted 40
authoritative resolution OF the questions of
casuistrv which arose in their day. One of
those sects believed in a kingdom to come, and
the other altogether denied the resurrection OF
the dead. Nevertheless, they walked together
in loving accord in search OF instruction con
cerniug the spirit world. Master, said they,
there was man Of our nation who married a
wife ana died, leaving six brothers. These
brothers successlvely married the widowed
woman and aiterwar1 died. And last O. all
the woman died also. In the resurrection,
which of the seven shall have this woman 10
be his wife!' Now, what was it to them
whether one or all should have the woman 10
wife in beaver? II could be nothing TO the
Sadlucccs in any case? What was il 10 any
human being on bis side Of the grave? What
was it to any human being in heaven except
the woman and her seven husbands? Also
utely nothing. Yet they would have an an
swer, and they received one: The answer was
that, while in this mortal state, men ard women
shall never cease TO marry and to die, there
will be in the resurrection neither death, Dor
marrying or giving in marriage. Although
altogether unaal hOgZed TO speak fer the Pres
dent upon Hypothetical questions, thiuk l
can give al answer upon the subject Of slavery
at the present day-an answer which will be
explicit, and | hope not altogether unsatiStac
tory. While the rebels continue to wage war
against the Government of the United States,
the military measures affecting slavery, which
have been adopted from necessity. to bring the
war TO a speedy aud successful end, will be
continued, except so far as practical experience
shall show that they can be modified adyan
tageously, with a view to the same end. " ben
the insurgents shall have diSbanded their armies
and laid down their arms. the war will instantly
cease, and ell the war measures then existing
including those which affect slavery. viii cease
als0 and all the moral. economical aad p0iIti-
cal questions, as well questions affecting slavery
as others which shall then be existing between
individuals and States and the Federal Gov
ernment whether hey arose before the civil
war began, or whether they grew ont Of it, will
by force Of the Constitution, pass over to the
arbitrament Of Courts Of law and to the coun
cIls of legislation. | am Dot uuslphistcated
enough to expect that the couspirators while
yet unsubdued and exercising an unrcsisted
despotism in the iusurrectionary States, will
either sue for or even accept an amnesty based
Oh the surrender Of the power they have so
reckessly yusurped. Nevertheless. know that
if any such conspirator should tender bis sub
mission upon such terms, be viii at once receive
candid hearing, and al answer prompted
purely by desire Tor peace with the mainten-
ance of the Union. Ga the other hand, do
expect propositions OF peace, with a restoration
OF the Union, 10 come, not from the C0nieder
ates IN authority, nor through them. but from
citizens and States under ard behind them.
And | expect such propositions from citizens
and States to come over the COnfederates in
power Just 50 fast as these citizens and States
shall be delivered by the Federal arms from the
uSurpation by which tlev are now oppressed.