Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-07-17
nomination of Hon. Horatio Seymour-H1s
speech.

The nomination OF Ex-Governor hohAII.
csPv,,o1-t as the Democratic candidate fol
President, after his repeated and peremp
tory declination, is a fitting tribute 20 this
DISTINGUISHED statesman. The ballotngs
demonstrated the difficulty of uniting up
on any other name, and against nls pro
testations, amidst The widest enthusiasm,
he received the unanimous vote OF the Con
vention. HoRATIo SEYMOUR has been twice
Governor OF New York, and is regarded as
nerbaps the ablest man in the Democratic
party in the United States. His long ana
steadfa>t adherence to Democratic prlncl-
pies; his persistence in the right, through
good and i'll report, has rendered hls name
familiar and dear to every genuine patriot
in the conntrv. Courteous, kind and po-
lite in his manners; his great ability; his
oratorical powers, and his spotless charac-
ter make him specially popular and accep-
table as a candidate, while his enlarged
views and tried craftsmanship render him
peculiarly fitted to fill the chief executive
Office of the nation in this important Crisis
of the affairs of the country.
The address of Gov. SEYMOUR, in taking
his seat as the President of the Convention,
will prove in this connection most accep-
table to our readers, and we give 1t IN full.
1t is a manly exposition of his political
opinions upon the issues of the campaign
Upon taking his seat Gov. SEYMOUR spoke
as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION thank you
for the honor you have done me IN making me
your presiding officer tCheers.) Ihls COnVen
ton is made up of large number OF delegates
from al parts OF our broad land. 70 great de-
gree are strangers to each other, and view the
subjects which agitate our country from different
standpoints We cannot, at once, learn each others
modes OF thought, grasp Sl the facts which bear
upon the minds of others. Yet our session must
be brief, and we are forced to act without delay
upon questions of an exciting character end OF
deep import to country. lApplause.l 10
maintain order to restrain all exhibitions OF pas
sion, to drive out of our minds all unklnd suspl-
cions is at this time, great dCty. (Cheers). l
rely uIon your sense of this DUTY and not upon
my ability to sustain me IN the station In
which am placed by your kind partallty. Men
never met under greater responsibilities than
those which now weigh upon US. (Applause.) 1t
is not mere party triumph we seek. We are try
ing to save our cOuatry from the dangers which
overhang it, (Cheers.) We wish to lift off the
perplexites and the shackles which, IN the shape
of bad laws and of crushing taxation, now para
lyZe the business and labor of our land. cloud
cheers.) We hope, too, that We can give ORDER
prosperity, and happiness to those sections OF our
country which suffer SO deeply to-day III their
homes and in all the fields Of their industry from
the unhappy events of the last eight years. l
trust that our actions will show that we are gov
erned by earnest purpose to help all classes OF
our citizens. Avoiding harsh invectives against
men, we should keep the public mind fixed upon
the questions which must now be met and solved
(Cheers.) Let US leave the past to the calm judg-
ment of the future and confront the perils OF the
day. (Cheers.)
we are forced to meet the assertions in the re-
solutions put forth by the late Republican Con-
ventjon. aver there is not in this body one man
who has it in his heart to excite so much OF angry
ceiling against the Republican party as must be
stirred up in the minds of those who read these
declarations in the light Of recent events and in
view OF the condition Of our country. (Appiause
In the first place, they congratulate the perplexed
of business, the burdened taxpayer, the Ia
borer whose hours OF toll are heightened out by
the growing cost OF th8 ssares Of life, upon
the success of that reconstruction policy which
has brought all these evils upon them
by the cost of its military deepotism. and
the corruption OF its bureau agencies
In one resolution they "denOunce all forms of
repudiatiOn national crime.' Then why did
they put upon the statute books of the nation the
laws which invite the citizens who borrow coin to
force their creditor to take debased paper, and
thus wrong him out Of a large share Of his claim
in vioi&tion of the most solemn compact
(Cheers.( Ii reputation IS national CRIME, 1t Is
me to invite all the citizens of this country
thus to repudiate their individual promises? ZAP
plause Was 1t not a crime to force the credi- |
times worth no more than 40 cents on the dollar |
IN repay ment for the sterling coin they gave to |
build roads and canals which yield such ample |
returns OF wealth and prosperity I? (Applause } |
Again they say, :" 1t is due to the aborer of the
nation that taxation should be equaliZed." Then
why did they make taxation unequal? Beyond the
I'M ustic9 OF making class of citizens pay for
another, their share of the costs Of schools. OF
roads, OF the local laws which protected their
lives and property, 1t WAS an unwlse and hurtful
thing. (Cheers). It sunk the credit of the coun-
as SiWaVS hnrtful
credit OF he borrower. They also declare, "The
best policy to diminish burden of debt is so
to improve credit that capitalists will seek to
loan US money at lower rates of interest than we
now pay and we must continue to pay so long as
reputation, partial total, open or covert, is
threatened or suspected" Then why have they
used full five hundred millions of the taxes drawn
from the people of this country to uphold de-
spotic military authority and to crush out the life
OF States, when, If this money had been used to
pay our debts, capitalists would now seek to lend
US money at lower rates of interest. (Cheers)
But for this "cOvert reputation national
credit would not be tainted In the markets of the
world. Again they declare, OF all who were
faithful in the trials of the late war; there were
none entitled to moro especial honor than the
brave soliiers and seamen who endured the hard
ships of campaign and cruise, and imperiled their
lives in the service of the country; the bounties
and pens provided by the laws for these brave
defenders of the nation are obligations never to
be forgotten the widows and orphans of the gal
liant dead are the wards of the peoples sacred
legacy bequeathed to the nations protecting care.
How have these sacred duties been performed
they pay to the m 4imed man, to the widow. or the
orphan a currency which they have sunk one
quarter below its rightful value by their policy
of hate, of waste, and of military despotism.-
The pittances paid to the wounded soldiers is
pinched down t enty-five per cent. below the
value of that coin which he had right to ex-
pect loud cheering.) Is there no covert re-
pudiatior in this ? (Applause.) Again they say,
=" Foreign immigration, which in the past has
added so much 80 the wealth, development. and
resources and increase OF power to this Republic,
the asylum CT the oppressed of all nations should
be fostered and encouraged by liberal and just |
policy" Is this foreign immigration fostered by |
policy which, in cruel mockery of laws just |
passed declaring eight hours to be legal days |
labor, by the cost of Government and swarms of |
officials, go swelIs the costs of living that men |
must toll on to meet the GXactions? tCheers.) |
The time was when we could not only invite the |
european to share with US the material blessings
or our great country; but moro than that, we |
could tell those who fled from oppression that we
hVe9 unuer government of laws administered
by the judiciary, which kept the bayonet and the |
sword In Que subordlnatiOn. (Cheers We could |
point tC q written constitution which not only
marked out the powers of government. but with
anxious care secured 70 the humblest man the
rights OF property, of person, and of Conscience.
Is immigration encouraged by trampling that
Constitution in the dust treating it With Con-