The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-03
Mr.. SeMard,s Speech.

From 1se N. Y. Times
The regret we expressed that Mr.. Seward
had not spoken at an earlier stage OF the poitl-
cal canvass isincreased now that he has spoken.
His address is one that demands study and re-
Election in order to have its proper weight. 1t
discusses the political condition OF the country
In the tone and temper of philosophic states
man-not at all that OF Jealous partisan.
Mr.. Seward does not exhort his fellow citizens
to vote for either Grant or Seymour but he
leads them into a train of thought, and sets
before them principles and sentiments, which
will lead them to judge for themselves to
which of the two contending parties may most
wisely be intrusted the task OF giving the
nation peace.
Mr., Seward says that from the moment the
war closed the paramount necessity of the
country has been the restoration of the Union,
by the renewed presence of representatives
from the Rebel States in Congress and the
Inauguration in those States of loyal represen-
tative governments to determine who, what
party, and what interest shall enjoy the power
and discharge the duties OF government"
President Lincoln had a method of bringing
about this result, which, upon his DEATH Pre-
sident Johnson sought to carry out. sharp
conflict arose between the President and Con-
gress upon this subject. Mr.. Seward says he
will not enter into the merits of that contro-
Versy but he is now "inclined to think that it
was unreasonable to expect the passions and
ambitions of thirty-three free States and thirty
millions of free people, so recently and terribly
Oonvulsed by civil war, to subside in so short
o period as iour years." But measures have
been adopted under which governments have
been organized in the Rebel States, and the
people of those States are again represented
In Congress.
Mr.. Seward says that these governments, if
found to be faulty, can and will be properly
amended by the people OF those States. He
L. lo1l oil ,,nh &C.
jeot only to the Constitution of the United
States. 81 shall not" he says
81 shall not, therefore. take the sword into my
hand, nor put 1t into the hand of any other per-
Tbich 10 am sare Will be- effscIed d much sooSer
and much more permanently through the ex-
ercise OF persuasion and reason. AS little do
think 1t my duty TO use the sword to undo and
remove what has already been done in those
States lapplause), whether 1t was necessarily
done, or unnecessarily orIunwisey done. AS
thought, tue situation which existed in 1865
ought to be accepted by reasonable, patriotic,
and humane administration, so do think now
the situation which exists in 1868, after the
best efforts which have been made to secure
better, ought TO be accepted"
In considering to which of the two parties
the task of completing the work of reconstruo-
tion may be best committed, Mr.. Seward says
he 'oannot forget that the civil war has closed
with two great political achievements one
the saving of the integrity Of the Union, the
other the abolition of human slavery" Per-
sonally he has no fear of a reaction on either
of these points; but a very large portion OF the
people do not share this confidence. They
have apprehensons and fears lest attempts
should be made to overthrow these decisions
or deprive them of their full significance. Mr..
Seward says, therefore, that
"The Magistrates who are to preside, then, in
the work OF reconciliation hereafter, ought, like
those who have preceded in former stages of
that WORK, TO be drawn from and representing
that class Of citizens who maintained the Gov.
q
In the abolition OF slavery. Great applause J
In no other hands could the work of reconciIia. .
tion be expected TO be successful, because a diff
ferent sort ef magistrates would be profoundly
and generally suspected of a willingness to be-
tray the transcendent public interests which
were gained and secured by the war;"
This is sufficiently explicit certainly, but
Mr.. Seward does not leave the matter thus.
He says that
"The Democratic party has not so conducted
Itself in Its corporate and responsible action as
TO secure the entire confidence of a loyal and
expanding people in Its unconditional and un-
compromising adherence to the Union. or in
Its acceptance and approval OF the effective
abolition af slavery"
While he sympathized with the efforts made
by portion of the Democratic party to lift
that party up to higher plane, and while he
regretted the failure of those efforts, the sue
cess of which would have made the people of
the whole country substantially unanimous in
maintaining the results of the war, he says
their failure must "keep them out of power
for four years more" "To confde the re-
sponsibilities of government" he says, "to
that party in its present condition, would
be to continue, perhaps increase, the lament
able political excitement whicn alone has de-
layed the complete restoration of the Union to
the present time.'
Mr.. Seward then deems II important to the
welfare Of the nation that General Grant
should be elected President With him, as
with thousands of others throughout the
country, this opinion ia not prompted by party
zeal or interest-it is the conclusion of sound
judgment seeking the best means of promoting
Union, peace, and harmony throughout the
country. The reasons he assigns for it are ol
the weightiest and most conclusive character.
They will be read with profound interest, as
explaining the necessities of very critical
period in our political history, long after the
contest by which they were evoked shall have
passed away.
The National Debt.
From the ~ y, Herald.