The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-01
S E w A r D.
SECRETARY SEWARD AT HOME.
Cordial Reception by His Old
Constituents.
His Speech Upon NatiOnai
Affairs.
JOhnSon'S Policy INDICATED and Stewards
Course Justified.
The Policy Of Congress Condemned and the
Democratic Party Found Wanting.
AUBURN, Oct. 81, 1865.

audiences ever assembled in this city III Corning Hal
this afternoon. He was introduced to the audience
py the Rev. DR.. Hawley, and was received with the
most unbounded applause. After order had been
restored he proceeded to speak as follows:--
Ny FRIENDS AND NEIeuBoRs-My long absence on
political occasions and my present appearance here
are proper subjects OF inquiry on your part In ex-
or necessary to be said In this pleasant Interview
Upon the first point I might well enough plead
that official occupations and Official obligations
necessarily and Justly take precedence oyer those
to its accepted servants ''rhs ought sc to have
done and not 10 leave the others undone." Govern
mcnt occupation is increased by civil war and neces-
parlly increased by returning peace, and increases
With the ever increasing population OF territory and
commercial and political connections; but for all
this you afe not to suppose as many assume that I
am purchasing on the government account al the
desd n rue 10 o aaa
anywhere beyond the magical circle OF the Monroe
doctrine. / might plead inadequate strength. l
age, nor indulgence nor casualty has brought
me TO great decrepltude as persons have some.
some years. perhaps enough for place on the re-
tired list and some wounds, perhaps enough for a
pension If were in the military or naval service.
HIS POLITICAL OPINIONS HAVE UNDERGONE NO
Moreover, every opinion or sentiment OF mine that
ago. spSen as thought in due time me; SPOKEN SPOKEN either
cOncurrently with or IN advance Of political events
So true Is this that no one has mistaken my present
Views POLITICAL relations. Moreover as IL l. the
duty OF deacons to serve not 70 lead in the sacrifice
80 has always seemed to me that II is the duty Of
eecretarles to serve in the administration, and not
20 lead in popular assemblies. Possibly you may say,
however, that cisfzen has no right TO he a secre-
tary when q party or an interest requires MIN Tor
aeaders answer that deacons are deacens not by
any choice OF their own but because they chosen
Through no ambition s my own 81. because tSe
nation has constitptionaly required me to be.
ar W 70 tde se poor act Of Pey sn The
1erred to sacrifice, and humby think IL would be
poor act OF patriotism In citizen to refuse TO be
leader. Our places fellow-citzens, are assigned 10
MS, not by ourselves. but under the providence VI
Sod, ey our associates and feIlow men or friends
nvtng demonstrations that it s better to be meek
and humble but efficient deacon than 10 be
4chematc, quarreling with the priest and dividing
the sacred congregation. daughter and arp!ause.l
- THE IMPORTANCE or THE COMING ELEcTIcs.
a erTse
4nd you In an election TO constitute new admins
ration Of the government !. Of the United
Etyal Of science that an elixir could be
cpnpounded by the use OF which the hnman constitu
ti0n could be periodically renewed 81 the end or
every hundred years, and 30 inan become i'm
mortal. The quadrennal national election Of Presi
dent and Congress in the United States Is Just such
periodical renewal az this Of the national life where
by the nation, in fact, becomes Immortal Tpe cast
ing 81 my vote In great election Of nv sort IL
the performance of high and sacred duty. Mutual
explanation Of votes a T the only means
4eryed among citizens, while u saves
suffrage from PROCLAMATION and intrigue and
eSnst}3ut H which make makes US nation we have re- re-
newed the republic In that same prescribed way ny
twenty national elections. | nave voted and
explained in the last eleven OF these, being all OF
those national elections that have occurred since
came to the franchise. The present election Is The
wenty-frst OF the entire series ana my twerh one
In this election, just as | expressed myself al
the time of each preceding one feel mat this one
may be my last Every Presidential election necss-
EARLY has real, though an abstract, importance
We have here republican system instead OF the
monarchcal one. An ultimate adoption OF thus sys-
tenn by all the American nations is neces-
abliahed anywhere constitutes new hul-
Eaik Of the republic 81 me limited States.
some peculiar devices OF local adaptation and eqn
talent designed to operate by way OF check aud bal
lnce. Nevertheless our constitution has four essen
tia eiements--perhaps no more These elements
are-flrst Tic actual choice OF the Presiding Msgis-
tratcs by the direct vote of the whole people; SECOND
equal Suffrage Of all citizens in that election; third
equal representation Of all constitutional comDIin,-
ties IN the republic, and, fourth CONDITIONS aud Pc
RODS OF power well defined and absolutely fixed.
The casting or the withholding OF vote by any citi-
zen inconsIderateiy actually impairs, although per-
haps imperceptbly, the vigor and energy necessary
10 the continuance OF the republic, just as the cast
inQ the Withholding OF ali the votes OF Te people
inconsiderately would bring it abruptly 10 an end.
Standing as we do now at the close Of the
twentieth administration. can well conceive that
the first election was the most important OF all, In
"
OF the first President Of the United States OF the
nrs Congress- might have involved the failure OF the
system at the very beginning. nwss lust such
mistake that the French people computed In ls4s,
when they lost their new republic by eleetng o
Bonaparte instead OF a Cavagnac That mistake hav-
ing been avoided here the government promptly went
into successful operation. II soon acquired the vigor
of custom, and continually gained strength from tn
creasing popular reverence and affection. The ma.
ton encountered no crisis until $780, The election
of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 occurred AZ time when
sectional faction VITA extensive ramifcanons had
Fu rnd tsInlA
in 1854 was still more critical. Abraham Lincoln.
who had been elected In 1880. had been efYectusuy
acceptance in one-third Of the states. IL only re.
NAMED for the still adhering States to reject Ahra-
ham Lincoln as President in 1884 10 effect
Union. On the other hand, 10 was reasonably ex-
pected that the reafirmation In 1854 Of choice
made In 1850 would so consolidate the loyal and pat.
riotic OF the country IN support OF the ad-
mnstration as TO enable President Lincoln TO prose
cute the war as no other President could and to i'm.
prove as no other President, returning peace by
combining Cancellation with decision until the con-
stitutiop should be reestabinhed Throughout the
whole Union, within TOUR years AFTER the election OF
1890 the strength Of the rebellion was effecfualy
broken, and on the Attn OF March 1895 Abraham Lin
coin entered upon his second term OF the Presidency
for the first time with full possession OF the
rebel States, de rcto well as De ire the recog-
nzed and accepted Chief Magistrate Of the whole
All the other departments OF the federal Union were
equally recognized and accepted. The duty which
devoved upon the government In the second admin.
istration Of Abraham Lincoln was to save the con.
stituton and the Union from farther revolutionary
violence, and by just, generous and judcious mea-
sures 10 bring the distracted and desoated rebel
States back to their constitutional relations with the
federal Union.
second administration begun by Abraham
Lincoln and we unfortunately md that it's
great work, as have described It, remains as yet
only ncompetely and unsatisfactory accomplished.
Parties now vehemently dispute whether this failure
II the fault OF one department or another, the fault
OF the Executive system OF reconstruction or OF the
Congressional system OF reconstruction I do not
enter into that disputet belongs to the past. More.
over anu now inclined to think that IL was unrea-
Oonable 10 expect the passions and ambition Of
thirty free states and 30oo0o0o free people so
side In so short a period a. four years.
rHB ELECTION IN 1854 VICTORY OF TEE rB0rLE
NOT or A PARTY.
IL Ia the highest attribute OF the Almighty which
the divine poet has conceived that He stllleth the
noise OF the seas, the noise OF the waves and the
snnult OF The people. The storms must be withheld
Dciore the seas can como to rest Probably such
ln.ense and pervading political agitation as ours
Couiu not nave been suddenly rppressed without