Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-09-30

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be hopored by such an election.
OF the various subjects that will come W
for consideration, we have neither the spac,
or requisite information to speak--save tina
there will doubtless be enough of them to pro
tract the Session to It's usual length.
( At least VIC trust the Session villas Gen
Fremont said of the Presidential campaign
be characterized by silent energy borrow
ed from the character of our great leader
which shows itself mainly in its success
Mr.. Seymour and the National Credit
The highly artistic movements which have
secured to this distinguished gentleman the
expressive title of artful dodger," are moi
confined to his winning ways in respect to the
/ Presidential nomination, but arc equally APP
plicabe to his dealings with the momontou'
questions affecting the public credit. Prior
to the Democratic National Convention, those
best Informed considered Governor Seymour
entirely unavailable as Presidential candi-
date, in consequence Of his well known and
avowed opposition to the pendleton theory o.
paying ,he Fiye-twenty bonds in groenbacks
while by the letter and spirit Of the law un
der which they were issued, and the solemn
promises of the officers Of the Government
at the date of their issue, they were made
payable in gold. But 10 and behold wher
the convention comes off, Mr.. Seymour is not
only the nominee but receives the nomination
at the hands of Mr.. Pendleton, through his
representatives, and is placed upon platform
of that gentleman's own dictation! II,
has explicitly accepted the terms Of a plat
form which commits him to policy of repu
diation, and at once becomes the champion o
that theory, as if he had never held or advo
Gated any other. What happy faculty o
adaptation this gentleman possesses Posi-
bly, it was this Pendletonianism to which h,
refers as the whirling tide by which he wa
" caught up"
But fortunately for the country, if not foi
him, Mr.. Seymour has not left the public t,
gropc in darkness upon this subject He ha
put himself repeatedly and distinctly upoi
the record, when, as Governor of New York
he resisted the proposal to pay in currenc,
the interest on its debt. The views at tina
time expressed by him differ widely iron
those of which he is now the champion, an'
form a pointed condemnation of the policy h
now sustains.
In those days, Mr.. Seymour professed ex
IRENE solctude for the fair financial fame 0
New York. He saw in the substitution o
." lawful money" for gold, in the settlemen
with State creditors, nothing but dishono
and disaster "When we sought the market
of the world with our securities" he wrote
" we pledged ourselves to redeem them in tn,
currency of the world" To pay in augh
else was to incur shame and dshonor in tn,
face of the world" 1t was, moreover, mex
pedient. 1--WE deprive New York of an Gle
ment of strength which heretofore has beer
wisely used, and which its people have founC
pro6tabe-to wit, its unquestioned credit.
He contended that principle and expediency
both dictated different course.
"Not only our future profit but our immediate
gain will be served by adhering now to the strict
est letter of the contracts. The saving proposed
by not paying in coin is small and temporary
while the dishonor is lasting, and the pecuniarl
loss consequent upon this dishonor will be in thu
end enormous"
Why2 Because, as he then thought, ;
scrupulous fulfment of obligation Z" is tn,
only way in which the State can keep itsel
in position to 60 into the market hereafter
decently, as a borrower"
Mr.. Seymour was then Governor of Nev
York. Was not his argument sound, and hi
position impregnable? How is he now2 7
obtain a Presidential nomination, he ha
thrown all these considerations to the wind,
The deep aversion to " shame and dishonor
no longer encumbors him. The pledge to re
deem the national bonds " in the currency Q
the world has ceased to command his res
pect. And yet there is not one of Mr.. Sey
, mours arguments, in reference to the debt
: New York, which does not with augmente
, force apply to the policy which at this me
ment he represents. If it was bad faith t
, pay the interest of the State bonds in greer
backs, rather than gold, because the latter
the 3" currency of the world" it is ccrtainl
no better faith thus to pay the principal {
national bonds, issued with a distinct undcl
n standing that they are payable in coin. ii
is condemned out of his own mouth, and h
o case is greatly aggravated by the undeniabl
y fact that he has acted with his eyes open, an
g solely to crafty his ambition.
= What they Mean.
The whole country has been taken bv Sill