Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-08-11
A Soldier on Seymour's Nomination.
Among the speakers at the rece

Among the speakers at the recent
Grant and Colfax ratification meet
ing in Brooklyn, N. Y, was Lieut..
Gov. Stewart L. Woodford. brave
and gallant soldier. Some democrats
present tried to hiss him down, when
he paid his respects to Horatio Sey-
mour in the following eloquent and
truthful language:
"Lnd now | would that | could
justly close these words without ref
creme to Horatio Seymour. But f.
delitT alike to history and to my old
comrades in the army living and dead,
compel that | should speak of one
passage in his public history. | make
no attack upon GOV. Seymour as a
man. Most courteous and gentle in
his manners, cultivated in mind and
persuasive in eloquence, his private
character IS without spot or blemish.
But his official acts are proper sub
jectS of criticism. On the fourth of
July, 1868, when Governor of the
State, he stood at the Academy of
Music in New York, and in most
elaborate address apo!ogised alike
for slavery, the South and the REBEL
ion. He had no word of cheer for
the patient man who was bearing the
nations sorrow in the capitol. He
had no word of encouragement for
our gallant soldiers who that very
hour were graphing with Lee in life
and death struggle among the hills Of
Pennsylvania; nothing but icy 6neers,
but cold calculations and but lily con-
cealed sympathy with treason. Thank
God, at that same hour Meade gave
the lie to his eloquent sOphistry as he
hurled Lee back in terrible defeat
from Cemetery Hill and Round Top
at Gettysburgh; and Grants cannon
made strange echo to his cowardly
but i'll concealed appeals for c0mpro-
mise and surrender as NickSburg fell
and PembertOn's host cast down their
flags in defeat. A few short days
passed, and on July l3, of the same
year the terrible draft riots broke
out in New York City. Now | do
not charge that Seymour did not seek
to quell the riot. But | do charge
that those riots were the natural, log
ical, and almost necessary results OF
his speeches, his teachings and his
pubic official acts 1t was the logic
OF his polished brain rooted and grow
ing III the passion of the mob. And
then when the storm had gathered, he
addressed these maddened, brutaiiz-
ed rioters as his friends, and beSought
their patience 10y the plea that he had
ingtor to beg that the draft might DC
suspended. When the tidingS of these
riots and Seymour'S conduct and
speech reached me with my regiment
| was toiliug along a dusty road of
Maryland In pursuit OF the retreating
rebels. Painting under the terrible
heat, some falling aud even dying by
the wayside, our men were still press
ing on. The loyal arms had beer
victorious at Gettysburg, and we haC
heard the glad news from Nicksburg
We were weary but still we could see
the end and the victory drawing nigh
Like thunder from a clear sky tell the
tidings Of this cowardly uprising a
our own home against the govern
ment and the flag. Strong men wept
with shame and rage. Firm lip;
closed in a ticrcer wrath as they whis
pered the news down the ranks, anC
muskets were gripped with a venge
ful feeling such as we had not known
before in skirmish and battle. CoulC
we have filed that day in Broadway
there would have been a bloody reck
oning, and short work would hay,
been made with his eXcellency's es
pecial friends. We had left home t
fight your battles, and we felt that yol
were bound to tax yourselves, if nee(
be, to your last dollar to pension GU
widows, to SuccOr our wounded, an(
to feed our little ones. We wer,
there just as much for your sakes a
for our own, and we felt that whel
our ranks grew thin we had a RICH
to reintorcements; that you wer
bound in honor to send US your youns
men and your strong men, even if
your old men and boys had to worl
your factories, and your women ha'
!, to till the feIds. We were terribl
i'll earnest. We were lighting rebels
We meant to stand up to our work
, and we very sOlemnly intended tina
YOU should stand squarely up to yours
} How reverently we thanked Coz
when the good Lincoln and the lion
= hearted Stanton said the draft shoul,
J be enforced. And how we cheere,
: the soldiers who were sent from ou
) midst to enforce the law and upholc
: the honor of our flag against th
Northern mob. You can now under
stand how we soldiers feel toward
his exceIlency Horatio Seymour. L
The hour OF our sorrow and wearines
he had no encouragement for US, n
faith In our courage and no faith il
=. our final victory. Now, in our tr
umph, when the flag streams out o
every breeze and all our land is on
again, we have no need for thee, He
ratio Seymour. Let Southern rebel
: shout thy praise; let the burners o.
: orphan asylums, and the deserter an
the skulker from the draft twine lat
rels for thy GROW; we will stand b
! the old flag, all battle-scarred, bu
| ! glorious in victory, while We folio,
l tho rraat ooD+aip of onr orpo;oc ~,