The Portland daily press., 1868-08-13
BENEDICT Arnold. the Original Demo

The New York Evening Commonwealth
draws the following just parallel between
Seymour and Benedict Arnold:
enunciations OF General Blair, and the vail
GUS declarations of sentiment put forth BY
the leaders Of the Democratic party have so
close a resemblance to the "Declaration of
Principles" put forth in 1850 by Benedict Ar
mold, just after he had attempted to betray
his country that we reproduce that document
as concise expression OF the modern DEM
cratic doctrine. 1t will be seen that the seIi-
timents Of General Arnold and those of Mr..
Seymour agree exactly.
Immediately after the detection of his;
treason, General Arnold issued the following: I:
"PROCLAMATIoN TO THE CITIZENS AND
SOLDIERS OF THE UNITED STATES. H
You are promised liberty by the leaders of
your affairs, but is there an individual in the
enjoyment of it, saving your oppressors?
Who among you dare to speak or write what
he thinks against the tyranny which has
robbed you OF your property, imprisons your
sons, drags you to the field of battle, and is
daily deluging your country with blood?
Your country was once happy, and had
the profered peace been embraced, the last
two years OF misery had been spent in peace
and plenty. and repairing the desolation of
the quarrel that would have set the interests
OF Great Britain and America in true light,
and cemented their friendships.
| wish to lead a chosen band of Americans
in the attainment OF peace, liberty and safe
ty, the first objects in taking the field.
What is America but a land of widows,
orphans and begg lrsp But what need OF ar
gument to such as feel infinitely more misery
than tongue can express? l give my prom
Use OF most affectionate welcome to all who
are disposed to join me in measures necessa
Ty to close the scene Of our Affections which
must increase until we are satisfied with the
liberality OF the mother country, which still
offers us protection and exemption from all
taxes but such as we think fit to impose up
on ourselves. BENEDICT ARNOLD
October 20, 1880"
This proclamation is to be found in the
Democratic platforms of 1864 and 1868; but
General Arnold has the merit OF expressing
it with the least verbiage or prolixIty. In
1864 Mr.. Horatio Seymour made speech at
Milwaukee, in which he made similar ar
raignment of the administration of MIR.
Lincoln. .fG ... rf
That Mr.. Seymour has changed since 1864,
nobody will pretend. If he had taken more
patriotic attitude, he would not have been
| nominated at Tammany Hall. 1t will be seen
that, in his letter OF acceptance, he has made
| an announcement, which is about equivalent
| arch-traitor. .....
He says: 1T was my ambition 10 take an
| active part, from which l am now excluded,
| in the great struggle going on for the restora-
| ton of good government, OF peace and pros
perity to our country. Bl. have been caught
| up by the whelming tide which is bearing us
on to great political change, and find my
| self unable to roeist it prosouro-" ---
| Arnold says: Il give my promise of most
| affectionate welcome to all who are disposed
| TO join me in measures necessary to c'ose the
| scenes OF our Affections, which must increase
until we are satisfied with the hberality OF the
mother country, which still offers us protec-
ton and exemption from all taxes but such as
we think fit to impose upon ourselves"
Substitute the words democratic party
| for mother country in Arnold's language. and
we have modern Seymour manifesto.
1t has been said that in all these precincts OF
the original thirteen States, where the tories
of the Revolution were numerous, there are
now most members OF the Democratic party
Be this as it may, it is easy from the enuncla-
tions OF both 10 perceive that they have re-
semblance as close as that OF child and parent
The only difference is such as the different
circumstances have prodnced; the animus il
the same. The tories, although they were
majority in several OF the States, we're finally
excluded from political influence; and became
an object OF scorn to posterity. The name o
Benedict Arnold is never mentioned but will
aversion. The platform and doctrines o
modern Democracy seem 10 be the same a.
theirs, and hence it is iair to conclude tha
similar odium, scorn and aversion must u, ot
the position of those who cherish them. i ut
passage of Scripture will thus be fulfilled
aFor /, the l. ord thy God, am jealous God
visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon thu
children to the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me-"