Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-09-04
County Clerk

At midnight on the sth Mr. Horatio Seymour
still protested that he was for Mr.. Chase; bu
Mr.. Chase had friends who doubted Mr.. Sey.
mour's sincerity from the first, and who believed
that he was acting with duplcity.
To be sure that Mr.. Seymour was sincere, il
was arranged before breakfast on the morning Of
July 9, that he should be put in nomination by
friend of Mr.. Chases, in order to force him
from cover, and compel him to reveal his true
policy. On the very ballot that he was nomi-
mated, his name would have been put before the
Convention by gentleman from Southern
State. The object of this Z" movement " was TO
circumvent Mr.. Seymour's treachery, if he in
tended any; but it was defeated by the superior
strategy Of the reactionists.
4 The only hope they had after Mr. Pendleton' 5
defeat, was to secure a weak, nervous, cowardly
man the first place on the ticket, and to nomi-
nate bold, courageous, strong-willed reaction
ist for the Nice-Presidency, and in this attempt
they succeeded so perfectly as to excite my ad-
miration Of their tact skill and courage. 1t was
arranged at the meeting of the progressionists to
which have referred, that petition which had
been prepared by German editor from Wiscon-
sin, and which had been signed by nearly every
German editor then in New York city, asking
for the nomination Of Mr.. Chase, should be read
to the Convention of Mr. Seymour, as its presid-
ing officer. he having previously declined to
nominate Mr.. Chase himself on the ground that
he was the President Of the Convention but
have been told by gentlemen now living in New
York city, and whose veracity | have no reason
to question, that on the morning Of July 3, q
short time before the Convention met, Mr. Sey-
mour read to him from the manuscript very
chaste, neat little speech which he said he would
deliver to the Convention when Mr.. Clase's
laf.ra bs
Seymour had that speech in his pocket when he
was nominated Relying on Mr. Seymour and
the New York delegation, the progressonists
met in the Convention on the morning Of July
o full of hope in the success Of their plan. But
counter movement had been going on. was
told in Cincinnati the other day by prominent
Democrat, that only SIX members Of the Ohio
delegation were made priyy 10 the nomination Of
Mr.. Seymour. This was the game
These men determined, with the aid Of the
southern rebels, TO capture Horatio Seymour
from the progrcssiOuists, and nominate him ;
knowing that this would 50 demoralize that fac
ton as to give them absolute control Of the Con-
yention, and that not voice would be raised
when they brought forward their own man for
the Vice Presidency, who had already been
agreed on by the reactionists. 1t was the most
successful movement ever made in this country
in national convention ; but it WIS forlorn
hope. any moral courage on Mr., Seymour's part
would have covered the reactionists with over
whemin. defeAt.
But they knew well their man. Ohio lei off.
Mr.. seymour rose 10 his .eet. The illness Of
death filled the great hall There, on that bright
July morning, in the midst Of that vast mass Of
humanity, IA the commercial metropolis Of the
nation and Of his own State, to which the ewes Of
fIrtE millions Of peau'e were turned that tlay