The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-25
THE OREsOENT's DISPATCHES.
wAsHlNGTON.
GOV. sEY YMOpR's SPEECH
PRESIDENT J3HNsuNs LETTER TO GOV. SEYMOUR.
Evarts rendered Public Dinner in New York

Of reconstrnctiea. The last words uttered BY
their speakers and their presses declare that re.
construction Is falure-that the South Is still in
a condition of rebellion-that it's social disorders
demand the presence Of great armies, and that
the first duty Of Congress when 1t meets will be
to turn reconstructed Georgia out of the Union
again. (Applause.) At the outset of this can
vass the Republican party asked to be continued
In power upon the ground that il had governed
the country for the past four years wisely
ap1 Of s pocy ssr fun .easoa
OF three months, touching the wisdom and the In.
tegrfty Of the policy Of the government with re-
gard to reconstruction and finances, it Is found
that order has not been restored at the South aud
that the burdens Of the debt have not been
llightened nor the evils OF oppressive taxation
lifted OFF from the labor and industry Of the coun
try as they should have been. Driven from their
first ground, and feeling that the people of this
country were unwilling TO approve their acts,
they now try to hold power by making the people
believe not that they have done well, but that the
Democratic party would do worse il they sue
ceeded at this time. To prove this they aver that
the success of the Democratic ticket will involve
the country again In civil war. They feel that
nothing short of civil war would be worse.
(Cheers.) They have declared that the Demo-
cratic nominees are ready to overturn their legs
lation by force. To make the charge still more
dramatic ! am TO be sent to my final account
by the hands of my political supporters, and Gen.
Blair is then TO trsmple beneath his feet the re-
construction laws as ruthlessly as Gen. Meade
the concurrence f this same Republican party.
If am 10 60 to my last account trust shall be
judged IN another world by kinder and more
charitable tribunal than my Republican friends
have proved to be. (Laughter.) II the Demo-
cratic ticket is elected and Gen. Blair should
reach the presidential chair, how would the case
stand? He would be confronted by Republican
Senate, by House of Representatives full of
generals, by the army of the United States,
fianked by the Loyal Leaguers and by the Grand
Armies OF the Republic, under the command Of
their own candidate for the presidency. whom
they declare to be the first captain of the age
and yet we are gravely told, that standing alone,
shackled by congressional restraints. he can
crush all this opposing power and plunge the
country into civil war. II this be true, then Gen.
Blair is the most vigorous man who has lived 10
the history OF the world and the Republicans the
most imbecie men that ever disgraced public po-
sitions. (Cheers.)
"Now, / admit tbere Is fear In the minds of the
Republican leaders, bat it is not this absurd fear
1t is the dread that the pubic mind having been
turned to its financial and political policy is
reaching conclusions which will sweep them from
political power. therefore, they seek to change
the issue, and they have changed their front in
this contest. We are sdmonished that it ia a dan.
gerous thing to change front the eve Of battle.
propose. in the course of this canvass, on occa-
sons like this, TO discuss the policy and conduct
OF the men in power! Tonight must contine
myself TO few points, Elsewhere shall speak
of other wrongs and errors. When this war end
ed, nearly four years ago, il left the South
ern States disorganized and impoverished.
The duty of restoring peace and prosperity
to that section, ard putting it into condition
where II could add to the national prosperity and
aid to bear Its hurdeHs, fell upon the Republican
party. The difficulties OF the task were increased
by the fact that its population was made up OF
two distinct races, ole Of which had been held in
slavery and was now suddenly called upon-un-
tutored as they were-tto act new part In our so
cial and political system. do not wish to un-
derraie the difficulties with which they I'd to con-
hut ind Of ha de-
mapded that they Should enter upon the task
in wise, great and thoughtful way. Armies
alone cannot bring back prosperity or due sense
of the value of order 70 community. They can
only res rain violence The two great objects to
be kept in view were TO give all classes that pros
perity which tends 90 make men desire peace,
which gives them hopes and in the end state of
good order of society. Despair even makes dis
order"
Says Governor Seymour, arguing the failure OF
reconstruction e Another great object and
end was to Lift up the African far and as fast as
could be wisely DONE Humanity dictated this.
The interests of the white population Of the South
demanded 1t. As thetwo races were TO live upon
the same soil their common interests called for
harmony Of purpose and OF feelings. Under this
state of facts wise men would seek aid OF the
most intelligent AMI influential men Of that sec
tion of the country taking care to guard against
any influences sprlnging from their prejudices.
Have these obvious truths been regarded by the
men in powerg Has not reconstruction failed be.
step towards restoring order and producing har-
mony between the races was always 10 minister to
the prosperity Of ttat section, which prosperity
would be shared alike by the white man and the
negro. The industry of the South should be made
profitable; unless the employer made q profit
npon his cotton crop he could not pay the lsborer.
Failing TO do this. the disaster brought not only
poverty but confusion and discomfort. True
Craftsmanship woUad have stretched out helping
hand. But what was the first act Of the men in
powerl IL WAS to put monstrous export tax Of
elk cents pound Ipon the cotton raised by the
labor of the negIlO upon the plantation OF the
white, struggling with the evils of poverty. With
the difficulties of the new posii ions and relation
ships the first feeble efforts of these people 10
gain the mesrs OF a livelihood were BLASTED by
an unwse, selfish aud vindictive act. l say un-
WISE because IL has much to do with the future OF
the Republicans tores,ore order at the South. The
negro exsspersted by the failure OF his ruined
employer became hostile to him. The employer,
osing the little credit that he had before in the
North, renewed his efforts under stu greater df'
flculties than before. say II was selfish act,
because il was done in the interest OF the Eastern
manufacturers, who we're already wealthy from
the fruits OF the war, projected Dy enormous
tariffs This tax OF six cents a pound upon all
cotton exported was simply imposed so that he
might buy II for price six cents less than It was
worth in the markets Of the world. say II was
yindictive act, for if you will read the debates
n Congress when this tax was levied TO cover the
selfish interests that prompted it, you will! hnd
hat il was urged upon the members from the
Western States who voted against the interests
of their constituents, upon the ground that 1t was
to be imposed upon the South as penalty, and
thus we find that the black and the white men OF
the South were alike stripped OF the market
value Of their staple product under circ umstan-
ces Of such great difficulty that they were hln-
dered and not helped on the road to prosperity
by the men in power. (Applause.l l might go
on and show how, 10 addition to this wrong, they
were trampled gpon by military despotism;
how they vert placed under the unre-
strained power iof the vagrant men who
gained wealth AMI official position by ministerlng
20 the passions of the public and keeping alive
disorder. These Amen who now, in the Senate Of
the United States. without constituents, vote down
the senatorial representatives Of New York,
Pennsylvania, OHIO, Illinois and Indiana. gained
their power over fhe South and over us, because
they ministered 4, the passions in the North and
stirred up disorder in the South. Who Of the
fair-minded, thoughtful Republicans will calmly
sit down and loof over this action and not fee
that the policy Of this party has been unwise and
hurtfulf"
he concludes al If the Democratic party sue
ceeded AZ this election. il could not Of itself AXE
or amend laws. II would only be able to hold th'
violept leaders OF the Repuoiican party IN cneck
II could do NO revolutionary act. So far spowe