Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-23
HORATIO SEYMOUR.
HIS First speech in lhe!Canva!

His First Speech I'm the,Canvass.
ROCHESTER, Oct 2l.-The following are
Governor Seymour's remarks:
FELLOW CITIZENS / am astOnished al
this demonstratian left my home to-
day for the purpose Of addressing a meet
ing at Buffalo tomorrow evening / can
therefore speak to you tonight but very
briefly, but | shall be followed by those
more able than myself to discuss the
great issues Of the campaign.
Nearly four years ago the war which
ravaged our land ceased. Nearly four
years ago the affairs of this country were
confded to the administration of the au-
thurities. We found at the close of the
great contest that large section of our
country had been demOralized in its in
dustry, and in its structure, and in its
moral construction, as q result Of that
war.
If we turn from the South that portion
which we had overcome by tho valor of
our troops, and take into consideration
the condition of the whole country, we
find it burdened by an enormous debt
We found our carrying trade had been
swept from the oceans of the world. We
found the business of our country to be
perplexed by all the uncertainties which
rOyerhung its future business pursuits
[Cheers. -,r- 4
We meet now for the purpose Of de-
termining whether those who have admin
istered the affairs of the United States
during the past four years have governed
1T wisely and we'll They come before the
people Of this country asking to be REIN
stated in power They say they have 50
controlled Its interests that they are en-
titled to the confidence of the people.
They claim their measures have been
wise and judicIous, and that they have
tended to ADVANCE the interests and wells
fare of the repjlblic in their conven~
tfOh they congratulated the people upon
the success Of their ScheUe of recon.
structiOn.
The question now presented to the
voters OF this country is simply this
Are you satisfied with those who have
conducted the nfairs of the country
[Cries of no, no, and cheers. Are they
entitled to your confidence Cries of
no, no Have they so administered your
finances that yOllr taxes have been light
ened as they might have been2 TCries
Of no, no Haze they relieved the labor
Of the country from the great burdens
which rested upon it? Cries of noyjno
Can the business men of the country,
who conduct the capital, say that they
those who now administer its affairs, that
il they shall again be placed in power
they can gain confidence in their transac-
tions2 Cries of no, and cheers.
The answer Of this great audience, and
| believe the answer of the people of this
country who well know the day was
when the American people were proud
when they were counted among the
foremost nations OF the earth, as a peo-
pie largely engaged in the commerce of
the world will be NO.
We do not find that this great subject
has during thepast three years, attracted
even the attention Of those who admins
ister the affairs Of our land Whichever
way We look, whatever class we address,
whatever individual interests we con-
slider, we feel that at this time the poEcy
OF the government is such that labor is
depressed, business perplexed, and the
future full of uncertainty. Now WHY has
this administration failed, why have they
come 80 far short Of the fulfillment of
their duties, that at the end of nearly four
years Of peace we find ourselves still enc
barrassed, hampered and opposed by
that same condition of things which we
found at the close of the the late war.
They claimed in their national con-
yention that they had right to con-
graduate the people of this land on the
success Of their reconstruction scheme.
They claimed that the financial condition
has been improved. They claimed that
the heavy burden OF debt which rests on
this land WIS ebout to be lightened. Thus
far in the canvass these claims have been
discussed. Their speakers as well as
those who spoke for the Democratic party
have been engaged in laying before you
their views upon these subjects, and
what is the result?