Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-08-17
sntesmau.hIp.


To come down to the real point Of the
matter, what other evidence of states
manship has Horatio Seymour ever
given than his ability to make II smart
partisan speech? According TO that
standard, there will be at least Eve hun.
dred great statesmen scattered through
out the country during the pending
campaign, whom neither party has aver
recognized as such. Va~llandighan is q
statesman Henry Clay Dean is q
statesman, and Mr.. E. o. Perrin Of New
York is = statesman. But laying aside
this quallfcatiou-of which the country
has II much more correct appreciation
than il had before the late national ext.
gency revealed the vast difference be-
tween talking aud doing in our public
meu-where Is Horatio Seymour's
record of profound craftsmanship He
has never been tried 10 the arena Of na-
tioual politics, aud we all know that the
local fame of Il politician, as 10 the case
Of Franklin Pierce, may become ex-
tremely thin when spread over the en-
tire Union. As Governor Of New York
he devised no great measures, aud
showed no executive capacity dis
tinguishing him from the most ordinary
Of his predecessors.
From the want of external evidences
Of craftsmanship, then, we must turn 10
the obvious qualities Of the man, when
we try to conjecture what sort Of u
President Horatio Seymour would make.
In the first place he leans on others. II
is not In his nature to take a bold,
straightforward, self-reliant course. He
has always been one Of a clique In New
York, which was directed by stronger
men, who used him as their mouth
piece. That fact, in q measure, &C.
counts for his tortuous course, because
he had to follow the beck Of others and
not his own deliberate convictions.
Thus-to take one of the latest ex-
smples-he was put forward by the
New York Democratic ~bondholders, II
short time before the meeting of the
Democratic National Convention, to
counteract the Pendleton doctrine OF
currency payments, and he did it with
his usual oratorical skill. But the mo.
ment be was nominated on the Pendle.
ton platform he FASTENED to declare that
all its provisions met his hearty ap.
prevail | The want of real patriotic con.
victions is undoubtedly the main cause
Of Seymour's regeneration. This he
betrayed during the whole war. He
raised troops as Governor, and then
nullifed their efficiency by qualifying,
depreciating, slurring and undermining
the loyal cause. He resisted every war
measure taken by Mr.. Lincoln's admin.
istration, and evoked the resistance of d
mob, with which he psltered, till it was
suppressed at a heavy cost to the Gov.
erument. In short, the tendency Of the
man i, to shilly-shslly and if he were
elected President he would write the
messages and do the ornamental part OF
the office, while the more resolute
spirits Of the Blair stamp would hold
the reins Of government. Does the
country want any such statesman y
a. that?
In turning to General Grant to dis.
Germ his qualifications for the Presiden-
cy at this juncture, the same recourse
must be had to his well.known traits OF
character. 1t Is true that in whatever
position he has been placed requiring
the exercise Of civic talent, he has ac-
quilted himself with eminent credit.
He presided over the War Department a
few months, aud We have the testimony
of President johnson himself that be
saved millions Of dollars TO the public
service. He was the most economical
General that we ever had in the field,
and under no other was there so much
system and so much harmony among
subordinates. But it is the true dis
tiuction of Grant that his soul 10 in
UNISON with the cause which made him
what be is. Long before many gifted
men had perceived the fact, he annLunc-
ed that slavery was doomed. By his
orders he substantially anticipated the
leading features Of the Reconstruction
laws aud the Freedmen's Bureau. His
advice 10 prominent members Of Con-
gress, in regard to framing the military
acts, was 50 correct, that On extra ses.
sion had to be called to repair tue de-
fecls Of ueglecting IL In some Particu-
lars. He knows what the country
wants, and, Notwithstanding his "
iuviucible will, he declares that "the
will of the people is the law Of the
land" Owing his chief fame thus far
to his military achievements, his great
aspiration 10 now for peace. If lie is
chosen Presidept-ps he surely will be
he will have peace. Even Blair's CO.
horts Of unrepeutant rebels will subside
into quiet If not conteuted citizens.
With bis perfect honesty, his frugality
and determination to reduce tue ex-
penses Of the Government: his accurate
knowledge Of men, his mingled frmness
and moderation, his sense Of the true
condition of the country and his whole
soulsd patriotism, be will give the pso-
pie a just and splendid administration,
and will leave to the future the question
e . I