The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-10-29
SPEECH OF
II cratic Seymo o ur
AZ Buffalo, ". ", On lhe 2oDd.

AZ Buffalo, ". ", On lhe 22Dd.
Governor Seymour, the Democratic
candidate for President, has taken the
stump, and, for the past week, has
been addressing large and enthusiastic
audiences in his own State, and also
at Chicago, India napolis, Columbus
and elsewhere. The following is his
speech ma de at Buffalo, N. Y, on the
22nd:
FELLOW CIT1zKSs: The first words
uttered by the Republican Convention
in their resolutions congratulating the
country upon the success of their
scheme of reconstruction - the last
words uttered by their speakers and
their presses declare that reconstruc-
ton is failure, that the South is still
in condition of rebellion, that its So
cial disorders demand the presence of
great armies, that the first duty of
Congress, when it meets, will be to
turn reconstructed Georgia out Of the
Union.
At the outset Of this canvass the Re-
in power upon the ground that it had
governed the country for the past four
years wisely and well, and thus de-
mauded a popular approval Of their
policy.
After a full discussion Of three
months touching the wisdom and the
integrity OF the policy Of the Govern
mcnt with regard TO reconstruction
and finances, it is found that order has
not been restored at the South, that
the burdens Of doLt have rot been
lightened, and that the evils Of opples-
sive taxation have not been lifted of
from the labor and industry of the
country as they should have been.
Driven from their first ground, and
feeling that the people of this country
were unwilling to approve their acts,
they now try to hold power by making
the people believe, not that they have
done we'll, but that the Democratic
party would do worse il they should
succeed at this time. To prove this
they aver that the success OF the Dem
ocratic ticket will involve the country
again il civil war they feel that
aothing LEUrt Of civil war would Le
worse. They have declared that the
Democratic nominees are ready to
ovelturn their legislation by force.
70 make the charge more dramatic, l
am to be sent to my final account by
the hands OF my political supporters,
and General Blair then is to trample
beneath his feet the reconstruction
laws as ruthlessly as General Meade
stamps them out by his military orders
with the concurrence of the same Re
publican party If l am to 60 to my
last account, trust shall be judged
b. kinder and more charitable tri-
bunal than my Republican friends
have proved to be.
If the Democratic ticket is elected,
and General Blair should reach the
Presidential chair, how would the case
stand2 lie would be confronted by a
Republican Senate, by House of Rep
resentatives full of Generals, by the
Army of the United States, hanked by
the Loyal Leagues and by the Grand
Armies of the RepuLIic under the com,
mand of their own candidate for The
Presidency, whom they declare to be
| the First Captain of the age and YET
we are grsvely told that standing alone
shackled by Congressional restraints
! nc can crush out all this power ano
plunge the country into civil war,
If this be true, then General Blair il
either the most vigorous man that hai
lived in the history of the world, ol
! Republican Senators, Members of Con
greSs, and Commanders of armies, are
the most imbecile men that ever dis
graced public positions.
Now, ] admit there is fear in tn,
minds of the Republican leaders, but /
is not this absurd fear. Itis the drea6
that the public mind, having beer
turned TO its financial and politica
policy, is reaching conclusions tina
will sweep them from political power
Therefore they seek TO change tn
issues; therefore they have changeC
their front in this contest We ar,
admonished it is dangerous thing Il
change front on the eve of battle.
propose, in the course of the can
yass, on occasions like this, to discuss
the policy and conduct of the men in
power. Tonight l must confne my
self to few points; elsewhere | shall
speak of other wrongs and errors.
When this war ended, nearly fou
years ago, it left the Southern State
disorganized and impoverished, Tn,
duty of restoring peace and Trosperit,
to that section, and putting it into
condition where il could add TO tn
National prosperity and aid to bear it
burdenc, fell upon the Republican
party.
The difficulties of the task were in
creased by the fact that its population
was made up Of two distinct races, on
Of which has been held in slavery, ant
was now suddenly called on, untStoret
as they wore, TO act q new part in ou
social and political system. ] do no
wish To underrate the difficulties will
which they had to contend, but tn
magnitude of the two difficulties dc
manded they should enter upon tn
task in wise and thoughtful way. -
Armies alone cannot bring back du
sense CT he value of order to CON
munity, They can only restrain vic