Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-05-29
Mr.. Seward at Auburn--His Speech on
National Affairs.

AUBURN, May 22.-Secretarv Seward
delivered lengthy speech on national affairs
at Corning Hall this evening before a crowded
audience. Mr. Seward, referring to his
October visit to Auburn, said that then we
were on the verge of series Of elections
throughout the States The leaders who so
pertinaciously claim to be democratic organ
lied with their customary machinery and
ovatious. They had wisely ceased to denounce
as failure the war for the Union which at
last became glorious success. They thought
to undermine the distinctive party of the
Union by affecting a new born admiration tor
its chief, Andrew johnson. They seemed
anxious to prove their devotion superior to
ours by committing themselves to supnDrt
him a candidate for the Presidencyin 1868
They inscribed our administration notices of
reconstruction upon their newly wrought
banners, and recognized their Struggling
lines as we'll as they could, so hastily they
vehemently charged onward for a partisan,
net patriotic, victory.
What led the democratic leaders to make
this charge was the striking, 1 NAV call
the marvellous phenomenon which was Just
then exhibited in the scene OF the recent
rebellion. The whole disloyal community in
that biighted and desolated region accepting
the conditions of partial amnesty and the
invitations to returning allegiance which
were proclaimed by the administration, all
at once re6ounced the principles, practices
and policy of secession and disunon, rendered
us a new covenant of loyalty, and sealed it
with their oaths, and brought forward with
alacrity the remains of their long cherished
institution of slavery cheerfully threw it to
be burned upon the constitutional altar which
they had SO newly crested.
These unexpected changes in the attitude
of political adeersaries, and SO obstinate
naturally enough excited suspicious, jealousies
and apprehenslOns among loyal and tried
Union men. 1twus the old case of William
OF Orange, who having in civil war put down
the tories. afterwards found it necessary to
cede to- repenting Jacobins aud Papists the
rights of citizenship It Is the case which
has ever occurred and which must forever
more occur at the end of successful resistance
to rebellion.
How couiu democrats and rebels be con-
verted to the support OF u triumphant Union
administration? The work of reconciliation
has outran expectation. Indeed it has never
had parallel in human affairs. With internal
: commotions and disturbances less serious than
those which sometimes attend popular cleo
tons in a free country in time of profound
peace, the heretofore dislOyal people of Vir-
ginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Florida and Texas, successfully,
nay, almostinstantly altered their constitutions
in conformity with the constitution of the
United States.
They upturned the rebellion with all its
far spreading roots, and all its poisonous fruits
and they accepted and ratified the then
pending congressional amendment to the
constitution of the United States, which
abolishes slavery thenceforth, forever The
people of these States have at the same time
chosen for themselves, by free aud uacons
trolled suffrage, governors, legislatures,
judiciaries and municipal authorities
Between the federal government and
these restored and reorganized State gov
ernments there exists now a more complete
and practical harmony than was ever before
presented between the Union and so many of
its members since it was first established.
Within this period the Executive department
OF the United States has assumed its functions
among the people of these former disloyal
States. The State department speaks for
them, with their free consent, to principal
tiles and powers. The Treasury collects the
national imposts and taxes there, the War
Department distributes forces whenever aud