Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-09-25
S SEYMOUR FIT FOR PRESI-I
DENT?

ifcstions Of the person who shall be
called upon 10 fill the Presidential chair
for the next four years, as now. 1t is
obvious to every thinking mind that
the one great characteristic which
should above all others distinguish the
fortunate person to be elevated to that
high office is mwacering .frmness. In
the present condition OF our country
the election OF wavering or timid man,
Of man who is timid by nature, or by
education, political trickster, would
be deplorable misfortune. And yet
one of the great political parties has
presented for the, sufrages OF the peo-
pie man whose whole life has given
evidence of timidity, indecision and
political trimming. Horatio Seymour
never possessed firmness and decision
sufficient to make him a successful
leader of the Democraticp party. When
elected Governor of New York, not
withstanding the enormous patron
age attached to the Office, the Demos
cratic party became so fearfully demon
allied during his administration, that
they were badly beaten at the next
election, and long interregnum had to
ensue before they were again enabled
to carry the State. But the most glar-
ing instance of this mans timidity and
irresolution was evinced by his nomin-
alton. Notwithstanding his repeated
declarations both before and duri ng
the meeting of the Convention, yet it
was finally accepted and we are told
!" in an agony Of tears" on meeting
one of the delegates shortly after, he
said to him piteously, t'Harvey, pity
me, pity me. +" Is such display of If.
resolution as this not enough to at once
brand as unfit for the exalted and re-
sponsible office of President, the nomi-
nee of the Democratic party? Then
again, but very short time before the
meeting of the New York Convention,
we find Seymour in an elaborate and
telling speech delivered at the Cooper
Institute, strongly condemning the
theory of paying the pub
lie debt in greenbacks, and yet accepts
the nomination upon platform direct
ly advocating this doctrine, and in his
letter of acceptance pledging to it his
support. Such display or irresolu-
ton and vaceilating as hisshould warn
every voter against aiding in the cleo
ton of Seymour. Our country is in a
perilous position, and its safety can
only be secured by having in the Pres
idential chair man of earnest conS ic-
tons, undoubted loyalty, and infiexible
will. Such man we have in General
Grant, and we earnestly implore every
patriotic voter not to hazard the great
interests at stake, by conniving in the
election of the weak, insoluble and
tricky Seymour. General Dix in his
published letter in referring to
Seymour truly says
Mr.. Seymour has made public
speeches to show that it is our duty to
pay the debt in specie. In accepting
his nomination to the Presidency he
adopts the declaration that it ought to
be paid in paper. I know nothing SO
humiliating in the history of american
politics as this regeneration. 1t was,
perhaps, not unfit that Mr.. Seymour,
after presiding in 1864 over the Chicago
Convention, which declared the war a
failure, should preside over the Con-
vention of 1868, in which proposition
to discredit the debt contracted to car
ry on the war was received with " tre-
menduous cheering" and that he
should be the chosen instrument to ex-
ecute this act of National terpitude.
I see but one source of safety for the
country under existing circumstances,
and that is in the election of General
Grant. In his decision of character,
good sense, moderation, and disinter-
ested patriotism, I believe the South
will have far better hope of regaining
the position in the Union to which it is
entitled, than under a man whose poll
tical career has been in nothing more
conspicuously marked than in an utter
infrmity of purpose.
The venerable news organ of this
city, the Elizabeth Journal, makes the
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