Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-09-11
A I" Solemn Key"
WE have received the following note
from Dayton, Ohio:

from Dayton, Ohio:
"The Cincinnati Cbpmsrridi has report OF the
speech OF Hon, ID. W. VOORHEES, at Terre Haute,
| Indiana in which he Gays OF Mr.. seymour; He
| saved the army OF the Union at Gettysburg, and
| for IL received the personal thanks OF Abraham
fact is the solemn key to his whole conduct during
the war How true the above is viii you please
| inform A REPURtICANt"
Mr.. Seymour was exactly as loyal and
| faithful Union man as Mr.. VOORHEES,,
They were both what was significantly
called Copperhesds; and nothing is more
amusing than the attempt of those who
denounced the war as fratricidal and inta-
nous to prove that their candidate, Mr..
Seymour supported it. The facts are be-
coming very familiar, but 1t is useful TO
consider them.
Mr.. Seymour was always an apologlst
for slavery aud defender OF the policy
of the Shareholders When they seeded
because of the result of the election in
| 1850, in which they took part, Mr. Sey-
mour assailed the party which had elected
Mr.. Lincoln as responsible because it had
not yielded to the threats of the slave
holders and permitted their policy to pre-
vail. And he stated in the form of lues-
| tion that successful coercion by the
North is no less revolutionary than sue
cessful secession by the South" This was
q
piled by jeremiah Black, that the Govern
ment could not rightfully "coerce" a
State. Mr.. Seymour's whole influence
was directed to secure a compromise with
rebels but the loyal people insisted that
the rebellion should be suppressed atevery
cost and when the rebels began the war
they did not shrink.
On the 2Sth of October, 1861, Mr. Sey-
mour made speech which was virtual
justification of the rebellion and condem-
nation of the Government, and in which
he said that the Union should be sacri-
feed rather than slavery. In September,
1862, President Lincoln issued his prepar-
atory proclamation of emancipation.
There were signs of reaction of public
sentiment against the war; and recalling
his words of the year before, and the fact
that he had never spoken one word of en-.
cOuragement to the soldiers or of sympa-
thy with the Government, the Democratic
party nominated Mr.. Seymour for Gov
ernor. At least seventy-five thousand
voters were absent from the State in the
field, of whom a vast majority were OPP
posed to him. But notwithstanding this
advantage, his party managers were afraid
of trusting him upon platform OF un-
conditional submission to rebellion, and
Judge Stryker and others persuaded him
to make speech at Brooklyn, which was
the same kind of war speech that Richard
O'Gorman made in the great Union
Square meeting after the firing upon Sum-
ter.
Mr.. Seymour was elected Governor, by
the vote of the city of New York, over
General Wadsworth, who had majority
of the votes in the rest of the State. 1t
was the hope and expectation of his party
that he would embarass the national au-
thorities by his official action, and his ap-
pointment of John A. Green, one of the
most notorious Copperheads, to a high
military position in the State, greatly en-
couraged the peace faction. But the work
that was logically and Justly expected of
Mr.. Seymour was nothing less than a
counter revolution. His message in Janu
ary, 1863 showed the willing spirit, but
the flesh was weak. Instead of recalling
the New York regiments or taking some
decisive steps of open hostility, Governor
Seymour chose the safe path of destroying
confidence in the Government, and there
by paralyzing the national arm.
The dark summer of 1868 found Lee
marching into Pennsylvania. On the 10Th
of June, Secretary Stanton asked aid of
Governor Seymour "to repel this inva-
sion" of the States of Pennsylvania and
Maryland. The Governor sent the troops.
On the 9th of June Secretary Stanton
thanked him for his "energy, activity, and
patriotism" and President Lincoln also
thanked him The latter further told him,
through Mr.. Thurlow Weed, that if he
would use all his power to crush the rebel
lion, a grateful people would make him
President. Mr.. Weed, in recording this
fact, adds: al gave the message of an
enlightened and patriotic President to a
metaphysically- ly-muddled Governor, whose
Secession and Copperhead proclivities and
associations brought deserved reproach
and destruction upon himself and his
party" The simple truth is, that when
the demand of the Government fer troops
was made upon him, Governor Seymour
was suddenly compelled either to begin
the counter-revolution by refusal, or to
send the regiments But, as the soldiers
were not to "invade the South" but to
defend a State from invasion, he found an
excuse for avoiding responsibility which
he did not dare to assume. That his action
belied his words and wishes, and disap-
pointed the ardent men of his own party,
is indisputable and that the expressions
of the Secretary of War revealed the in
tensity of his anxiety lest Governor Sey-
mour should act as he had always spoken,
is no less unquestionable. Had the loyalty
of every Governor been what Mr.. Sey-
mour's was, the result of the war may be
conceived.
Governor Seymour lost no time, how
ever, in showing his party friends that
they need not suspect him of loyalty, and
in furnishing a bitter commentary upon
the patriotism" that Secretary Stanton
mentioned. The Secretary's note was
written on the 9th of June. On the 4th
of July, when the event of the great bat
tie, for which the New York troops had
been summoned, was yet dnknown--when
it was the instinct of every loyal and gen.
erOus heart to cheer public confidence,
and encourage the soldiers in the field,
Governor Symour came to the city of
New York IL make a speech. Not only
was the moment as critical as any during
the war from the actual military situation,
but because the draft had been found in
dispensable. This was the measure of the
Government which excited the most. seri-
Gus and threatening hostility that was
manifested during the war. Should the
draft be forcibly resisted, there seemed to
be no escape from q universal cOnVulsion.
The city of New York was full of the
bitter enemies of the Government and its
measures. Most of the organized militia
had been sent away by the Governor upon
the requisition of the national authorities.
There were but very few United States
troops at the posts near the city. New
York was virtually without a military
force in any extremity; and of this fact,
and of the feeling and character of a vast
part Of tine population, Governor Seymour
was especially aware. Deep gloom among
the loyal, eager and angry hate among the
disloyal, WAS the tine and this the place
of the Governors speech. Imagine what
a man would have said to whom the cause
and the country were dear. Remember
what thoroughly loyal citizens everywhere
in the country felt that day Imagine
what Governor John A. Andrew of Massa-
chusetts would have said in such an hour
and under such circumstances His words
would have been inspirations of hope, and
faith, and lony cheer. All good men,
whose hearts and prayers were wish Grant
VIZ -l...-- ...ilL NJ