Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-09-14
SECRETARY sEwARD's SPEECH,

Auburn, New York, on Saturday evening,
September the 3rd, in which he pre- ents
our National situation in very lucid man
ner. and urges the reelection of Abraham
Lincoln as the only salvation Of the United
States. Il is destitute of all political -soph-
istry and puts the issue of Union or Disuni-
on squarely before the American people
Mr.. Seward takes the ground that to fail
to re-elect Abrah3 m Lincoln, President of
the United States, would be a justification
of the Rebellion, inasmuch as it wouli be
an admission that majority OF the people
had done In 1860 what the usurpers of the
South had been right in repudiating-that
for another term would be an admission that
the day had passed in this country when the
majority must rule, or the decision of the
majority must be respectedB In Mexico
Jaurez had been constitutionally elected by
a majority of the people, and the minority
had undertaken to disregard the decision by
rebeling against the Government, and had
succeeded in doing what the jeff Davis
| rebels are trying to do-in procuring the in
reference of an usurper. Ii we permit the
action of the majority of the American
people to be tranpled under foot as the
rebels had attempted, then our Republic
must be rui ed The war had been. on
our part, to fight the President of the
popular majority election into his seat and
to surround him with the security and pro-
IL e
people; and that object cannot be said to
have been attained until we shs Il have
crushed the usurper OF ous liberties. To
throw aside Mr. Lincoln under such circum-
stances would be to admit the justice of the
Rebellion and the iuproprety of the war
| and the maintenance of the integrity, and
| permanence of the Government of the Uni
ted States Besides all this, into what con-
dition would the country be thrown should
the nominee of the Chicago Convention be
ton must be arrived at by considering that
the whole action of the Chicago Convention
was planned and contracted for by Rebel a.
gents of the Richmond usurper on the neu-
tral ground of Canada. The unnatural in
consistency Of proposing cessation of hos
| tilities on the heel of decisive naval and
land battles, at the very moment that the
rebellion is crumbling to the earth is ably
set for. h in the speech In regard to the
objections to the draft, the Secretary adopts
| an illustration which makes the matter plain
that OF ship which has been scuttled- aud
the captain leaving the sleeping passengers
to go to the bottom instead of waking them
| up and calling upon them to take ii cir turn
at the pump This is all the argument in
favor of the order for the draft that reason
able men need. 1t contains the philosophy
of our case exactly The complaint that the
President will not accept peace on the basis
of the integrity of the Union, without hav-
| ing also the abandonment of Slavery, is
curtly and powerfully answered by the ques-
ton: ''When and where have the insurgents
offered him peace on the basis Of the integ-
rity of the Union?" In reference to the
question of Slavery Mr. Seward says: "While
the rebels continue to wage war against the
| Government of the United States. the mill
ducClliS WHICH nave
been adopted from necessity, to bring the
war to a speedy and successful end, will be
continued, except so far as practical expert
ence shall show that they can be modified
advantageously to the same end. When the
insurgents have disbanded their armies, and
laid down their arms, the war will instantly
cease-and all the war measures then exis-
ting. including those which affect slavery,
will cease also, and all the moral, economical
and political questions, as we'll question
affecting slavery as others which shall then
be existing. between individuals. and States,
and the Federal Government, whether they
arose before the Civil War began or wheth-
er they grew out of it, will, by the force of
the Constitution, pass over to the abitra-
ment of the courts of law, and to the cOun-
! ellis Of legislation Thus, Mr. Seward plain
ly indicates that the Administration is ready
to receive propositions of peace, so soon as
the rebels are willing to submit to the au-
thority of the Constitution of the United
States, and are ready to be governed under
the laws made in pursuance thereof. To all
of which the people will give hearty as
sent.
Very 0bliging Indeed.