The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-08
Fpn. ne Nnc Yorl. 7In..

Gov. seymour at length accepts MS
nomination in a letter which has all
the bad characteristics OF his recent
speeches. 1t is loose in its statements
of fact, jesuibcal in its reasoning, and
eTastve in its treatment of the issues
/ presented by the Democratic party.
The first impression produced by the
letter Is that its writer realizes the
odium incurred by the revolutionary
/ programme of his party. This ooiun
| he seeks to break by charging upon his
opponents purposes and tendencies
\ which have no existence except IN Inc
/ minds of his friends. sThe minds OF
! business men are peTpleXed win I'M
certainties,". as he remarks, but II IS
mainly because of the attitude assumed
bv the Democracy on the subjects of
! finance and reconstruction. In one
| case the public credit is threatened; In
the other, the new order of things in
! the Southern States. The two causes
are quite sufficient to explain and just
liFy the uneasiness which pervades bus
1 mess circles; and there Will be no
escape from it until the party whose
| action excites It shall have been again
rebuked by defeat. The continued adj
| vance in the price of gold is an illus
| tration of the effect produced by the
Democratic platform upon the most
sensitive indicator OF commercial opin-
ion; and the audacious preparations of
the Southern leaders to overcome the
authority of the new Governments by
violence, exemplifes with equal point
| the encouragement received from the
New York Convention.
When Mr.. Seymour does venture to
| be specific in his accusations, il is aLthe
expense of truth. For example, refer
ring 10 Congress, he says:
'I,s acts since the adjournment fthe Con-
! yention show an alarm lest change of po-
| litical power will give 70 the people what
] r. TpkNF
what has been done with the money drawn
from them during the past eight years."
The truth being that clear state
ments have been given by Mr.. Blaine,
in the House, and more recently by
| Mr., Wells in the Press, which show,
not only "what has been done with the
money" butthat the stories put in Cir
culation by Democratic orators, and
by few more unwarrantably than by
Mr.. Seymour, are perversions coined
for the basest uses. We are not un-
qualified eulogists of the financial
management OF the dominant party.
We know that Congress and the Treas
ury are chargeable with many sins of
omission and commission of fiscal
and financial character. We know, too,
that frauds have disgraced the admin
Iistration of the Internal Revenue, the
responsibility for which must be divi-
ded between the President and the Sem
ale. But when Mr.. Seymour alleges
that there have been financial wrongs
+" which have been kept from the pub
lie knowledge" and for which Con-
gress is accountable, he INDUCES in a
misstatement which partisan ardor does
not excuse.
Again, Mr.. Seymour writes:
"The Congressional. party had not only
allied itself with military power, which Is TO
be brought TO hear directly upon the cleo.
tons in many States, but II also holds Itself
In perpetual session, with the Ryowed puI-
pose OF making such laws as II sh nj! see Ut,
in View OF the elections which Will take
place within few weeks"
The answer to the allegation that the
Congressional party intends to bring
militaEy power "to bear directly upon
the elections" is, that under General
Grants orders, the District Commanders
relInquished all the extraordinary au-
thority conferred by the Reconstruct
ton acts, SO soon as the newly-iormed
Governments came into operation,
The fact, then, is the opposition TO Mr..
Seymour's Statements; and for this fact
the Republican party is entitled to
credit.
The intervention of the military may
yet be necessary in Louisiana, and per-
haps elsewhere, but it will be in conse-
quence of the disloyal organization
which is at work 20 disfranchise the
colored voters. If this necessity arise,
some of the adherents of Seymour and
Blair may come to grief. The Cir
cumstauce, if it happen, will not prove
an improper alliance between the Re-
publican party and the military, 1t
will simply show that there are rebel
lious fools who have already forgotten
the risks of rebellion, and need be re-
minded anew. Mr.. Seymour must not
suppose that his friends in South Caro-
) lima and Louisiana will be allowed to
set law and local authority at defiance.
Nor must he wonder If he and his par
ty everywhere be held responsible for
the revolutionary utterances and plans
of the Southern Democracy.
Mr.. Seymour's affected moderation
takes another and more amusing shape.
From untruthfulness 1t passes to by
pocrisy. He patrOnizes the Conserva-
tive Republicans, and substantially
claims utilization with them. Their
errors, he thinks have been OF the judg-
ment merely, and he bids them well
come to the Democracy. They must
now see," he suggests, THAT the Re
publican party is in that condition that
cannot carry out wise and peaceful
policy" Therefore, quoth he to the
Conservatives, come and help to elect
the Democratic ticket!
The Governor does not choose to re-
member that conservatism in the Re-
publican ranks ceased its murmuring
and its opposition when copperhead-
ism proclaimed its continued mastery
of the Democratic party. Such is the
case, however. The Conservative Re.
publicans struggled n couple of years
to moderate the course ofthe dominant
party, but were uniformly frus-
lrated by the uuprineipled parti-
sanship of the Democratic members.
They contributed their full share
to whatever is extreme in reconstruc-
ton legislation. And when they and
their party raised the flag of resistance
to law in Tammany Hall, incorporated
Wade Hamptan's doctrine in their plat
form, and otherwise afforded proof that
copperheadism is still in the ascendant
in their councils, the last plea for con-
servatism, as disint0grating element
in the Republican ranks, vanished.
The nomination of Grant at Chicago,
on a platform Mt once conciliatory and
just, laid the foundation for the reunion
of all shades of Republican opinion.
The New YorHsnOminatious, on a plat
form ofrepudidtion and and revolution,
removed all lingering doubts as to the
| course of duty, and rendered the Re-
publican strength more compact than
ever. Mr.. Seymour, therefore, may
dismiss the hope of help from those
whom he styles "the best men of the
Republican party" They will not fur
nish him a corporaps guard.