The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-04
With Seymour as President-What
Then

'T'vE tried him drunk" said the unfortunate
James Of his German cousin, "and I've tried
him sober, and drunk or sober there is no
thing in him." And the same verdict which
was pronounced against Prince George can be
to-day uttered against the two men who claim
the suffrage of the Democratic party for the
high offices of President and Vice-President of
the United States. We have tried Seymour
In peace, and we have tried him in war, and
In peace or war there is nothing in him. It is
curious to take the cases Of great men fur
nished US by the opposition nominees, and
find out, if possible, what they have done to
merit the title. NWhat in the whole course OF
his life, from infancy to the present time, has
Horatio Seymour done to merit the name Of
great? Yet we read in half of the papers of
the country that Seymour is "great states.
man" He has held no national Office. All
his elections have only been weighed in
the scales of State fame. Then we all know
how frequently it happens that the
great man Of the village is the non
entity OF the city, the cypher when he
rises above the dull level of mediocrity. From
his action, when Canal Commissioner of New
York, or Governor of that Commonwealth,
can we judge him to be possessed of "one of
the few immortal names which were not born
to die 2" Is his name associated with any
great enterprise? Did he, like Thaddeus
Stevens, link his name with great social i'm
provementf Will he, like De Witt Clinton,
have a great conquest over nature asso-
ciated with his memory Or like his fellow
citizen, Fulton, will every wave rippled
by vast invention, attest lasting evidence
OF his greatness! We can safely answer, no.
He has never, in peace or in war, done aught
to lead us to suppose that were he President
he would be anything but tool of politicians
in peace, and a timid old man in case of war.
AS reward for past services, he cannot claim
tie position. AS man of transcendent merit,
capable of great things. he cannot claim the
position. Neither for exhibited or latent
qualities can he ask from the people of the
United States the highest gift in their pos
session.
Nor can he be judged, like Churchill, to be
q great man, for none can say of him that
s'the world formed a high estimation Of his
character because it saw him as he was and
not judged him by what he did" He is
nothing but an exceedingly genial gentleman
politician-a man who will do anything for
popularity. His views on finances, and his
action in accepting the nomination on plat
form the reverse of his profession prove that
to him can be applied the old rhyme:-
"pm a heather, a Christian, a Turk, or a Jew,
For q dollar or two-for a dollar or Two"
70. rfu1f 70 70 oi0ht ho in fnr
our nation, by this waverer, this man without
decided countenance or personal frmness,
should he become President of the United
States. The ship of state would drift, with no
one to guide the helm, and the wreck would
be certain, with traitors to take the rudder
from the nervous hand of the President. Aud
who can doubt but that from his hands it
would be taken. We feel no doubt as to who
would be his advisers. Vallandigham nomi-
mated him for his place; to him must be ac-
corded the first post. Clement l.. Vallandig-
ham, Secretary of State. Are the people pre-
pared for such living disgrace 1t is no idle
talk when we say that Lee would be Secretary
S. Black Attorney General. Nor can we blame
Mr.. Seymour for so acting. If he be elected
under eristtng circumstances, he ,oOuld do wrong
should he not place these men in office. The
issue is squarely made up. On one side stand
his friends, the Rebels and their sympathizers.
On the other, the loyal element. If the peo-
pie decide in favor of the first, who blames the
new President, if he follows the dictates of the
people, and puts the Rebels in Office. From
Mr.. Seymour's character we feel sure that the
results we have marked out will take place.
Rebels will faunt in the White House, and
the powers of the Government be welded
solely in the interest Of those who do not even
pretend to do aught but turn to force, and
who glory in asserting that it is only lack of
opportunity that prevents them from melting
new rebellion.