The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-25
seymOur's End, rsement of Secession

SeymOuTs END rsement oil secession.
ONE Of the most significant and important in
dications Of the opinions held by Horatio Sey-
mour is given by a passage in the "Diary,
North and South," published by W. II. Rus
SELL the correspondent of the London Times,
who visited this country in 1861. In descrb-
ing dinner party at New York in the early
part of that year, he says:-
..The occasion offered Itself TO Mr.. Horatio
Seymour to give me his Views of the Constitu-
tion of The United States aud by de grees the
theme spread over tne taoie, a3sre 9 WAS
ment had any power TO coerce the people ot a
State, or 10 force STATE TO remain In the Union
or under the action OF The Federal Govern ment
Although they admitted the 'uthern
leaders had medttated the treason against the
Union years ago, Jrey could not bring them
selves to allow their Id opponents the Repuo-
Ncaps, now In power, to dispose OF the armed
force Of the Union against their brother D-mo-
crats In the South States. Mr.. Seymour
is q man OF com promise but his views go fur
ther than those which were entertained by mis-
party two years ago. Although secession U0utd
produce revolution, II UaS nevertheless. in his
opinion. q right, founded on abstract principles,
aotich could scarcely De Gorooated with due regard
20 The original compact"
Skillful professors of comparative anatomy
are able to judge, from few bones, the char
aoter of any animal, and those familiar with
the political history of this country can CLEAN
from the foregoing extract a volume of infor-
nation in regard to the views of the Demo-
cratic candidate for President When we are
told that he denied the right of the Govern
ment to coerce rebellious State, that he was
one of party which "could not bring
themselves to allow their old opponents,
the Republicans, to dispose of the armed
force of the Union against their brother
Democrats in the Southern States" and that
he believed that secession was rtght, founded
on abstract principles, which could scarcely
be abrogated with due regard to the original
compact" we cannot help perceiving that
he was true disciple OF the miserable old
school of Northern men with Southern princi-
pies, and supporter of the opinions
which tended more than anything else to
preoipitate the Rebellion, for the Southern
traitors would not have commenced their war
fare against the Republic if they had not ex.
pected their Northern allies to divide, and
thus render helpless the people of the loyal
States. AT one period comparatively little
attention was given to the abstract opinions
held by public men in regard to the right of
secession, but it has been clearly demonstrated
that the belief that the Union could
be rightfully seversd had a mighty
influence in recruiting the ranks OF
the Rebel armies, and in sweeping away the
old landmarks of loyalty in the South and
that the doctrines avowed by Mf. Seymour in
1861 are the most dangerous that have ever
been held in this country. They have cost
more money and more lives than all other
heresies combined, and as the men who cherish
them belong to a class which prides itself upon
consistency, they would not hesitate, netwith-
standing the bitter experience of the past, to
reafirm their disorganizing and destructive
doctrines if a favorable opportunity was pre-.
sented at some future period. Henry A. Wise
only gave utterance to the general opinion
of the Rebel leaders when, In oriticizing the
Democratic platform, he said secession is
dence in Seymour he was no doubt aware
of Seymour's cordial endorsement of the
secession heresy. OF all singular, contradic-
tory, and unwise things nothing could be
more inconsistent and dangerous than the
election of the Democratic Presidential candi-
date, in view of the opinions we have quoted.
II is not probable that an intelligent people,
after fighting and coDquering in a long war,
costing billions of dollars and hundreds Of
thousands of lives, mainly to establish the
doctrine that the Union is indestructible, will
finally close the contest by electing to their
highest Office a believer in the traitorous
dogma that the nation is always at the mercy
of its traitorous foes.