The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-01
Governor Church on the SituntiOn-A States.
manlike Speech.

Governor Church ON the situntion-A States
manlike Speech.
By far the ablest speech of the present cam
paign was listened to by the democracy of
Schuyler county on Wednesday last and was
delivered by Sanford e. Church, of Orleans,
the candidate of the New York delegation in
the National Democratic Convention for Pres-
dent Of the United States. Its earnest, cour-
teous tone and comprehensive views stamp its
author as one of the first statesmen of the
North, and it stands out in holder relief at this
time by reason of the background of violence,
vulgarity and stupidity with which the canvass
had previously been disfgured. The recent
speech of Senator Wilson was good in its way,
and decided improvement upon the efforts of
the other stump orators on both sides who
have thus far made themselves prominent in
the campaign; but it was after all nothing
more nor less than partisan argument, spe-
ciously and shrewdly managed, but designed
rather to confuse the intellect and blind the
eyes of its hearers than to present to them a
fair, clear statement of facts and to enlist their
judgment in favor of its conclusions. 1t is
correct to say that Senator Wilson made an
able special plea for the radical party. It
would be incorrect to say that Governor
Church delivered good democratic speech.
He reviews in statesmanlike manner the
events which preceded and which have fol-
lowed the great rebellion, and shows by facts
and figures the evils Of radical msrule since
| the final victory of Grant over Lee; but he
| refuses to pervert facts for party purposes, and
wisely refrains from any Of those fulsome
laudatiOns of the democratic candidate for the
Presidency in which the stump orators of his
party so indiscreetly indulge. In fact, it is
clear from the whole tone of his argument that
Governor Church thoroughly understands the
sentiment Of the country, and is aware that
if the democratic cause is to triumph
in this election it must triumph through the
errors and crimes of radicasm and in spite of
weak, inexpedient and unfortunate nomina-
ton. He testiies to SEYMOUR pure and spot
less private life, as he testifes to Grants SER
vices to his country and fitness for the position
he at present occupies at the head of the army
Of the United States. But he suffers Seymour's
3
intrigue with radicalism since the peace, and
dismisses both with paragraph, while devot-
ing the body of his long address 10 a close
analysis of the political situation and an appeal
founded upon reason rather than rhetoric for o
change in the policy of the nation.
II anything could have checked the tide Of
reaction which last year set in so strongly
against the radical policy Of Congress 1t would
have been the nomination of Horatio Seymour
and the outbreak Of pent-up rebel sentiment
| North and South for which it was the signal
note, when Wade Hampton, Vance. Forrest,
Brick Pomeroy, vallandigham and the rest of
| the active and passive secessonists first gave
uttcrance to their boasts Of revival of the
chivalry under the lead Of Seymour. The people
well understood that they spoke their honest
| sentiments, and they know now that all their
subsequent humbleness and submission are
only masks worn for the sake of expediency
| No man understands this better than Governor
Church, who was one of the first among the
democratic leaders to recognize the wisdom of
enlisting his party in the war for the restora-
ton OF the Union, and who united with the
republicans in the western part Of the
State In making the war effective.
lie Ia, therefore, Just the man to remedy the
evil done by the obstinacy and stubbornness of
the Democratic National Convention and by
the foolish speeches Of the copperhead leaders,
and TO bring back the minds of the people to
the real issues and the living principles in
volved in the pending campaign. He performs
his task well. He does not hesitate to show
that the assumption and violence of the South
ern politicians under the weak administrations
Of poor Pierce and Buchanan destroyed the
democratic party and plunged the nation into
civil war. lie admits the virtue and intelli-
gence OF the great republican party, and justi-
fies its crusade against the extension of slave
ry-a crusade in which he proudly avows his
sympathy as follower of the free soil Van
Buren, party Of 1913 lie does Justice TO Grant
as the great soldier OF the Union, and declares
that his views of restoration at the close of the
war, as shown In the liberal terms he was anx-
ious TO accord TO the South, were sound. states
manlke and patriotic. lie makes no pretence
that the constitution is not broad enough 10
protect the government from the arm of trea-
son or 10 deal with cnnnncrcl rebels "a ths