The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-07-23
Some illusions to the past.

country the very issue-peace or war
Some illusions to the past.
On the 4th day of July 1868, General
Grant received the unconditional sur en-
derof Vicksburg. Some thirty thousand
rebels laid down their arms. The strong
hold of the rebellion in the West. the key
to the navigation of the Mississippi, yield
sagacious Generalship of Grant. On
were completing the grand victory of
Gettysburg and the flying columns of Lee
were in full retreat
What was Horatio Seymour, now the
Democratic candidate for President doing
on that day?
Together with George Fl. Pendleton,
he was making seditlous speeches to a
gathering of copperheads in New York.
de was filling the minds of ignorant
listeners with hostility to the government
he was persuading them that their liber-
ties were in danger, not from the rebel
lion, but from the administration that
opposed the rebellion and he was teach
ing them that the national cause was
hopeless. Together with Pendleton, he
harangued them concerning the arbitrary
arrest of Vallandigham, and instigated
them to hostility towards the Union
cause and to sympathy for the rebels and
their friends. He had not heard OF the
victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg,
and to stir up the populaee against the
government. he exclaimed We were
promised the downfall of Vicksburg and
the opening of the Mississippi But"
he said, in the moment of expected
victory, there came the midnight cry for
help from Pennsylvania, to save its des-
poiled fields from elle invading foe (; and
almost within sight of this great CONNER
cial metropolis the. ships of your mer,
chants were burned to the waters edge. -
Then he added that the others had warn
ed the radicals to compromise and not to
underrate the strength Of the South :;
''and to day. he said '*they 1.-THE national
authoritiesl have brought our country
to the very verge of destruction.
Is this the language of patriotism
Is this the language which true states
man who loves his country would use in
the dark hours of struggle involving
our national existance? Is it not rather
the language Of d demagogue who would
build up his party at the hazard of his
country?
A few days after encouraged by his
seditious speech, and by the belief that
he, as Governor of the State, would sus-
tain them, the Democracy of New York
rose in resistance to the draft They first
Quilted the Offices of the draft commits
sioners, and then entered upon general
course Of plumber and outrage. They
burned and pillaged stores: they threat
ened Republican newspaper offices
they murdered men, women and childre
in the most brutal manner for no offence
except having a colored skin: and they
burned an asylum for coiored orphans
roasting several innocent children alive.
For three days this reign of terror pre-
vailed in the city. on the second day
Gov. Seymour addressed the rioters
from the steps of the City Hail. Here
is verbatim report of his speech !;
Ny FRIENDS; | have come down
from the quiet of the country to see
what was the dfficulty-to learn what all
this trouble was concerning the draft.
Let me assure you that lam yoay friend
Uproarious cheering you hare been ma
friends. Cries of Yes yes That's so
We are and will be again, And now |
assure you my fellow citizens that [ am
here to show you test Of my friendship.
Cheers | wish to inform you that have
sent my Adiutant General to Washing
ton to confer with the authorities there
and to hare this drGtt suspended and
slapped. (Vociferous cheers( now ask
you as good citizens, to wait for his re-
turn and L assure you that | will do all
lean to see that there is no inequality and
no wrong done any one. | wish you to take
good care OF all property as good citizens
and See that every person is safe The
sate-keenlng OF property and persons
rests eoith you: and | charge you to dis
turb neither. 1t is your duty to maintain
the good order of the city, and | know
you will do it. | wish you now to sepcr-
ate as good citizens, and yOu can assemble
again a0heReUer yOu actsh to do so. [ ask
you to leave all to me now, and a0W see
toy0u rights. Wait until my Adjutant
returns from Washington and you shall
be satisfied. Listen to me and see that
no harm is done to either persons or
property. but retire peacably.
Is this the language Of statesman
He told the mob, not that the laws of
the country must be obeyed, but that
they should yield to the violence of the
nOD. Il he uTdlb SuOulu De suspended
and stopped, GU shall be satisfied
How long would government be sustained
in any crisis of affairs with an admins
tration as ready to yield to intimidation
as was Gov Seymour The real difficulty
however, was that he was in sympathy
with the mob. They were his friends
They had been inspired by him. But
they had reached that point of frenzy
when they were ceasing to discriminate,
and were as ready to pillage the property
of Democrats as the property of Repub
licans, and it was Unnecessary that he should
check their violence. The result of
having such statesman as Seymour in
the Executive chair of New York was
that 10 one of the most important crises
of the war some thousands of troops
had to be withdrawn from fighting the
rebels to hold the friends of Gov.
Seymour in check, and secure obedience
to the laws in New York city.-Kadison
Journal,