The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-29
SEYMOUR AND BLAIR.
Great Democratic Mass Meeting In PittsbWg-
Speech Of General Frank p. Blair.

ment was manifested. The meeting was called to
order by Mr.. T. keenan,. Shortly before eight O'Clock
General Frank p. Blair was introduced, amid great
cheering General Blair addressed the audience at
considerable length and was frequently interrupted
with shouts OF appreciation. He said
FELLOW CITIzENs-It is impossible to exaggeratc
the importance OF the issues pending this contest.
The multitudes that assemble to listen to public
speeches attest the thorough appreciation which the
quences Of this election. shall not therefore, feel
myself at liberty to make any preliminary remarks
before coming to the discussion of those questions
on which the real interest Is centred. am sure no
personal considerations with regard to the merits Of
any OF the candidates can have any influence with
the people in making up their decision as compared
with the principles which are involved. The real
question is, how shall we best restore peace,
long and exhausted struggle and which policy is
best calculated TO promote this end? The people will
e To IN sns
discriminating senses, without regard 10 the popu-
lary OF the candidates put forward to represent the
tion persecution dlsfranchisement arbitrary des
pOtsin has never in the history Of the world pro-
duced peace 1t has been tried In the countries OF
the Old World, 1t has been tried since the dawn OF
history, ana il it has ever produced peace it has
After abiding to the grievances Of Ireland the
speaker protested IN forcble language to depict the
condition Of the southern people, contending that
tyrannical oppression Of the radical party. He char
acterized the measures Of Congress as extravagant
OF the expense Of the tong millions Of the country
He drew heightened comparison between the poll
cy OF the republican and democratic parties, de-
country and advocating the latter as entire
ly beneficial. He asked, was the wanton
Sxtravagance on the part of the govern
Of the nation, already burdene with an enormous
public debt the interest OF which amounted to
government anterior to the war; The debt con-
tracted for the maintenance Of the Union should be
ment there was a wide difference in sentiment
between the two great parties OF the country. The
policy advocated by the democratic party in this
to the agreement made at the time the debt
was contracted-payment Of the debt in the
san same kind Of money which was advanced to
in III, h' same kind 81 money IN me WHICH iSs
we pay all our other debts payment Of the debt in
the same currency which the pensions were paid to
inc sapSd o soldiers the wa VS. and tine orphans
bondhoder had no higher claim upon this govern
ment than those men who saved the country. He
orphans Of the fallen 80 dicrs (Cheers) The bond
holders loaned to the government greenbacks, not
the contract was to pay him in the same money the
lawful money Of the government II the radical
policy was to maintain In this country i's
standing armies, its FrecdmanS Bureau and other
wasteiul extravagances, together with the sum ne.
cessay to pay the interest upon the debt, the result
would be exactly what the result has been since the
close OF the war. Instead Of dininution each
year will add to it, Such policy, he continued,
and entire reputation of the deht. Now, on the
other hand, the democratic policy proposed to
reduce iS all the national debt to dispense
the country to pay OFT portion of its debt each
year. BY the saving thus made credit and confidence
rum OF gold established and thus saved the honor
OF the country protected, enable the nation to pay
the country to prosperity, bringing with the bless
Ing OF peace and iraternal feeling. Cheers.)
General blair SAID ne had been denounced by his
as & revouionist, AMI he would, therefore, be par
donea, he hoped, ifaf wing Seen, canned N eir
midst he should say something in defence of the posi-
ton he had hcrc.ofOc taken and which had been
made the groundwork OF such serious charge. The
occasion which had given rise u the cutlery and
clamor ag iinst him, and had been taken up by all
grades OF oraors beon.in to the radical partg, dis
oiisu,sneu senator, Governors eS-Governors and
him prior to the meeting OF the Democratic Conven-
neutrality-suspicious. n tina. in his Judgment the
stitutiona null and VOID; that tese acts had been
SO decided by the supreme Court OF the United
ton to pass upon the constitutionality Of all
acts Of Congress-, and that the President,
constitution, and could not. without violating that
oath, permit these acts in palpable violation Of the
constitution to lie executed.
The speaker then infinitely examined the recon-
struction acts, which he firmly submitted were d.
tse s contended That the recon-
struction acts had supplanted civil government in
ten states Of the Union and substituted military des
potism in Its place; that they had abolished
OF hab ss corpus, Which, ,'i by the laws
OF the constitution should never be suspended
except in times OF domestic insurrection tn )ugh at
present profound peace prevailed; that through the
recto law had been passed against Whole States and
communities, deprivlng them OF their most sacred
rights OF citizenship; that its reconstruction acts
took from the President all prerOgative as Comman-
der and General Of the Army and Navy and placed
In his stead the equal power OF the President IN the
hands OF the General OF our armies, the candidate
designated by the radicals for the Presidency, who
stands with the whole army at hls back and his
white people in the South, pinning them to
the earth In order to compel them to sup
port him and submit to the domination Of an
The same fragment OF Congress- guilty Of these I'M
constitutional acts had invaded the sacred precincts
OF the court OF justice and Overawed Its decisions.
Am revolutioEist because advocate the restora-
ton Of rights provided by the constitution and were
those usurping men who had degraded 1t, were they
guilty Of revolution rs mold my accuser up before
Che nation "a rev0uoDists as maefactOrs that have
trodden under foot the constitution which they had
their SOULS Cheers.)
Inquirng the motives that suggested certain mea
sures towards the Southern people General Blair in
ferred that 1t for the purpose Of familiarizng
the Northern people to acts OF tyranny. Twas
party, the General Of the Army and the other leading
Officers which taught them that theirs was the
htss 70 d It's support; because Il govern
ment an arbitrary and despotic government.
resting ,h force to pc
WELD all power upon which the government stands,
will nee ssarily be the men OF the greatest import
ance In the country. General Grant, against whom
have not one syllable to utter, to whom am CRATE
ful for the services he has rendered the country,
from whose aurels would not pluck single leaf II
II were in my power TO do so, has, IN my
Judgment, however, allowed himself TO be Sc
duccd by his ambition. I knuw-and I have
right to speak of his public acts since he is pub
tic asking the favor Of The people OF this
try know and the country knows that he does not
approve Of the radical programme, that he disap-
proves II, and that he gave his cordial support to
Mr. Johnson at the beginning Of his administration
and testified before the Congress iona Cou-
mittee rpol hts oath that the Ir,sd nts measures
were identlcally those OF Mr.. Line In. When
the North Carolina proclamation, the first
paper I'm which Mr.. johnson disclosed his
policy, was written by Il. NJ. Stanton,
under the instructions OF President Lincoln, was
read to Mr. Linc0lns Cabinet aud approved by every
member OF 1t; and when General Grant himself cor
daily assen;ed to IL, why has he cnangeJ9 Why
does he now 20 back upon his own report which he
made to President Johnson after having visited the
Southern states subsequent to the war, In which he
declared that the people OF the South accepted the