Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-15
REVIEW OF MR.. sEwARD's SPEECH.

teresting speech delivered by Mr. Secretary SEW
ARD at Auburn on the Sd instant, in congratula
ton on the recent victories which have crowned
our arms, and in exposition of the political i,sues
understood by him to be involved in the pending
Presidential contest.
If the speech Of the distinguished Premier
had been confined to the former of these heads
it would have ELECTED from all loyal citizens,
without distinction of party, no other feel
ings than those which are common to patriotic
minds But when, turning from those aspects of
the time which concern the cause Of tho country,
Mr. Seward proceeded to analyze the elements of
the political canvass which has just opened, he
entered of course upon debatablc ground, where
he could not expect the concurrence of I'll classes
of his loyal fellow.citizens.
It is not without some surprise that we learn
from Mr.. Seward that previous to the recent sue
cesses the people were "geuting little tired of
long delays and disappointed expectations" though
we are not at all surprised to learn that the vcto
ries of Admiral Farragut in the Bay of Mobile and
Of Gen. Sherman in the State of Georgia are held
to "vindicate the wisdom and the energy of the
war administration" And we deem it entirely pro-
per that in a Cabinet not supposed to be remark
able for the unity and harmony of its members the
Premier should at least be found willing to pay
tribute of admiration and praise to the Secretary
of the Navy and the Secretary of War But when
Mr. Seward ventures to say, in homage to the latter
that "he who shall record the history of this war
truthfully and impartially will write that since the
~ L.. AZ
ability equal to that of Mr.. Stanton" he seems
to have forgotten how disagreeable this historical
association is known by the country to be in the
mind Of the present Secretary of War, who, soon
after his advent to Office, when the New York Tri
buue praised him in precisely the terms now
employed by Mr.. Seward, took occasion to repel
the doubtful compliment in language highly hon.
orable to his Christian of propriety, If not
suggesting to military minds the clearest perception
of the art of war. We recall the words of Mr. Stan
ton on this occasion, written imme diatey after
the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson in the win
ter Of 1862 that those who wish to pay him the tr
butte due to his talents may not fall into the error
of revivipg in connexion with his name style of
speech which he hears not only with apprehen-
sion but with dirgust, inspired by its currency in
"infdel France" during the stormy days which
followed the French Revolution. In the letter to
which we refer Mr. Stanton wrote:
I cannot suffer undue merit to be ascrbed to my of-
cs action The elcry of cent victories belongs to
the gallant officers and soldiers that fought the battles
No share of it belongs to me
Much has recently been said Of military combinations and
organizing pctoy hear such phrases With apprehension
they commenced in6del France with the Italian cam
paipn and resulted in Waterloo. Who organize pe
fo,v7 Who can combine the elements Of success on the
battIe-ed1 We victories TO the Spirit Of
the Lord that ,noped soldiers TO rush into battle
and filled the fearts Of enemies nih terror aud dS
may The inspiration that conquered in bate was in the
hearts of soldiers, and from high and wherever
there ia the same inspiration there viii be the
suits Patriotic spirit wh resonte courage IN officers and
men is a military combination that failed.
1--WE msy well rejoice at the recent victories, Tor they
teach us that battles be and ty IN the
same and only that h ICON by any
people or any age the days Of Joshnaby boldly
suing and striking the foe What, under the blessing Of
Providence conceive be The organization Of pie-
toru and military combustion to end this declared
in few words by Gen Grants message to Gen. Buckner
'Iproposc to mopc Immediately on your oorks
1t will thus be seen that the cart Of war" as
Mr.. Stanton understands it, is so exceedingly
simple that il does not leave any room for 'smili'
tary combinations" or for organizing victory"
In the OTulnaTy schso VI thoSo oeAp'S' ~AS NN~
organization of victory and military combination to
end this war;" he conceives, was declared IN
the few words Of Gen. Grant to Gen. Buokncr
"Ipropose to moUc ammed ediately on your @orhs =
Advancing from these preliminary topics to the
more essential themes of his DISCOURSE the dstin-
guished Secretary then proceeds to defue the diff
ferent classes Of people who, in the present crisis
lack some Of the elements Of genuine patriotism.
He says:
"Soms are Republicans, who cannot rejoice in tho
tonal victories because this for the life Of the
s mot in all respects conducted according to their pc
liar radical idcas and theories They want for
svift and universal and complete emaocpaon or they
do not want the nation saved Others stay away because
they want assured that in coming out OF the revolu
tionary the sbp OF state will be found exactly IN
the condition when the tempest asaed IT, OF they
do the ship saved nt ALL as IL any body could give
such guar in the OF people OF thirty millions
Ohers Democrats They received from their fathers
the axiom that only Democrats could save the country
and they must II by Democratic formulas and com
bDaons which the progress of the age has forever ex
poded They cannot come to celebrate achievements
which condemn their narrow and hereditary bikotfy
OILERS of both the Republican and Democratic parties
are willing that the shall be saved, provided is Il
done by some one OF their chosen and doxed chiefs
which chief they mutually denounce and Ievie. They
cannot honor Grant, and Sherman, and FarraPut aud
Porter cause by such homage they fear that Femon
and McClelan's tame may be eclipsed."
We think it will be admitted by all candid mind