The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-08-20
Soldier on Seymour.

Gov. Stewart l.. WOodford, Of New
York, in a speech at a Grant and Colfax
ratification meeting in Brooklyn, paid
the following attention to Horatio Sey-
mour; in words whose eloquence is
only equaled by their truthfulness:
"And now would that could justly
close these words without reference to
Horatio Seymour. [Hisses.1 But fidel-
ity alike to history and to my old COM
rades in the army, living and dead,
compel that I should speak of one
passage in his public history. 1 make
no attack upon Gov. Seymour as a man.
Most corteous and gentle in his manners,
cultured In mind and persuasive in elo-
quence, his private character is without
. spot or blemish. But his official acts
are proper subjects for criticism. On
the Fourth Of July, 1883, when Governor
of the State, he stood at the Academy Of
Music in New York, and in most elab-
crate address apologized alike for sla-
very, the South, and the rebellion. He
had no word of cheer for the patient
man who was bearing the nations sor-
row in the capital. [Applause.] He
had no word of Encouragement for our
gallant soldiers who that very hour were
graphing with Lee in life and death
struggle among the hills of Pennsylva-
mia; nothing but icy sneers, but cold CAL
culations, and but iily-concealed sympa-
Inv irh
Thank God, at the same hour Meade
gave the lie to his eloquent sophistry as
he hurled Lee back in terrible defeat
from Cemetery Hill and Round Top at
Gettysburg; and Grants cannon made
strange echo to his cowardly but con-
cealed appeals for compromise and sur
render as Vicksburg fell and Pemberton's
host cast down their flags in defeat.
[Applause.] A few short days passed,
and on July l3, of the same year the
terrible draft riots broke out in New
York city. Now do not charge that
Seymour did not seek to quell the riot.
But do charge that those riots were
the natural, logical, and almost necessa-
ry results of his speeches, his teachings,
and his public official acts. 1t was the
logic his polished brain rooted and
growing in the passion of the mob.
And then when the storm had gathered,
he addressed these maddcned, brutalized
rioters as his friends, and besought their
patience by the plea that he had sent
his Adjutant General to Washington to
beg that the draft might be suspended.
When the tidings of these riots and Sey-
mour's conduct and speech reached ME
with my regiment, l was toiling along
dusty road of Maryland [applause and
hisses] in pursuit Of the retreating reb-
els. Painting under the terrible heat,
some falling and even dying by the
wayside, Our men were still pressing on.
The loyal arms had been victorious at
Gettysburg, and we had heard the glad
news from Vicksburg. Weary, but still
we could see the victory drawing nigh.
Like thunder from clear sky fell the
tidings of this cowardly uprising at our
own home against the Government and
the flag. Strong men wept with shame
and rage. Firm lips closed in a firmer
wrath as they whispered the news down
the ranks, and muskets were gripped
with vengeful feeling such as we had
not known before in skirlnish and bat
tie. Could we have filed that day into
Broadway there would have been a bloody
reckoning, and short work would have
been made with his Excellency's espe-
cial friends. [Appla use.] We had left
home to fight your battles, and we felt
that you were bound to tax yourselves,
if needs be, to your last dollar to pension
our widows, to succor our wounded, and
to feed our little ones. We were there
just as much for your sakes as for our
own, and we felt that when our ranks
grew thin we had right to reinforce
ments; that you were bound in honor to
send US your young men and your
strong men, even If your old men and
boys had to work your factories and the
women had to till the fields. We were
terribly in earnest. We were fighting
the rebels. We meant to stand up to
our work, aud we very sollemnly in.
tended that you should stand squarely
up to yours. [Applause.] How rever.
emily we thanked God when the good
Lincoln and the lion-hearted Stanton
said the draft should be enforced. [Ap
plause. And how we cheered the sol
diers who were sent from our midst te
enforce the law and upho Id the honor
of our flag against the Northern mob
You can now understand how we sol
diers feel toward his excellency Horatie
Seymour. In the hour Of our sorrow
and WEAKNESS he had no encouragement,
for us, no faith in our courage and nc
faith in the final victory. Now, in oul
triumph, when the flag streams out on
every breeze, and all our land is one
again, we have no need for thee, Hora
tho Seymour. [Applause.] Let South
ern rebels shout thy praise; let tho
burners of orphan asylun1s, and the de-
serter and the skulker from the draf
| tWine laurel for thy brOWs: we viii