The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-31
Gov. sEYMOUR's SPEECH AT O
LUABUs. OHIO.
Especial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Enqair.r.l

and party arrived here at 2 o'clock P. NJ. and
| we're rendered a magnificent reception. From
depot and escorted them to the Neil House, amid
| the enthusiastic acclsmati0ns of the people. An
| immense assemblsge, among which was large
sprinkling of ladies' had already gathered 10 State
speaking was to commence, the crowd had in.
| creased to fully IL 900 people.
Gov. Seymour, on being introduced by Senator
| Thurman, said
the people of Ohio at their capital. 1t has given
! me great pleasure during my journey to pass
through SO large portion Of country that have
| never seen before. not only because / have had
unfolded before me its great plains and its fertile
! fields, but because have had also an opportunity
to meet so many of its citizens. 1t adds to that
| pleasure that have received from my political
opponents those courtesies which 60 so far to dis
| arm the asperities Of q political canvass.
stand before you now in no self. seeking spirit.
1t is not because wish to take upon myself the
care the anxieties the responsibilities of the
executive Office, but it is because am concerned
through your own great State-when see its fer
tile farms-when meet its sturdy laborers-I feel
that If there is not unqualified prosperity here, it
is not because God has not given you fair heri-
tege 1t Is not because labor Is not honestly put
forth but because mistakes have been made by
those who conduct our public affairs.
When turn to the commercial articles of the
newspapers to-day, see the price of your pro-
ducts goes down; see 1t said that pork and corn
raised by your labor is not bring the price you had
q right to hope. This is serious thing. Ii don't
concern mere money-making 1t concerns the WELL
being of all families of the country by their own
fire sides and in the midst Of the family circle. Ii
is further reaching than this. All men agree that
II s upon the prosperity of agriculture that we
base our hopes for the prosperity Of the land.
And see another complaint. Your business
men look aRxiously forward to see IL they are to
have currency to send their produce forward to
market. Why Is it that the people of Ohio and the
northwest, to-day, with all their industry-with
all their natural advantages-feel perplexity?
We learn that the scarcity OF that currency to
business grows out of no misfortune, but is made
by spectators, who, for the purpose of pulling
down stocks in the Eastern market, or for the
purpose Of buying your produce low, have con-
tracted the volume Of currency, for unworthy,
selfish purposes. How happens it, then, in our
free government THAT which we thought free
government)-there is a power above that gov
ernment-that can SO affect you in your homes,
and in all your dearest interests! What influence
is this, that without legal jurisdiction, can so tell
upon the interests Of our country, If Ii is the
fault Of men in power; II it is the inevitable con-
sequence of the policy of the government, then
ask all men within the sound of my voice to think
well before they declare, by their votes at this
right.
You are to decide one way or the other upon
the policy. Ii is not question merely of men
it does not matter whether my distinguished op-
poneDt or myself shall be elected, except as these
elections are the verdict of the people upon the
conduct of your rulers during the past four years.
How happens II that selfish men in most of the
marts of commerce can thus speculate upon your
dearests interests! think can tell you. do
not stand here to-day to avow any principle, or
assert any views touching this question, which
did not put forth years ago in official position.
should feel distrust of myself, knowing the in
frmities of human nature, If felt had formed
the views which now present to you now while
q candidate for Office. can point to the record
OF the past to show you that theXgere formed
when owed duty as Governor Of New York to
the population Of that great State.
Probably we could not help one evil. If debt
was to be created. it was necessarily sectional.
The bonds could only be itaken in the weather.
portion of the land, but IL was great evil to d.
vide our country into debtor and creditor States
The men in power were bound to see that they
made as little debt as they could.
But they created banking system, and before
they did So destroyed your banking system in
Ohio, and in every other State they taxed them
out OF existence they took upon themselves the
responsibility not only of giving you currency but
OF giving It 10 you in a fair way Did they do so!
hold that this banking system was bad, and IS
governor of New York. when law passed author
zing our banks 70 organize under it, vetoed that
law. could not see why government should
print and secure bills, and then give to men hold
ing $500 10000 5000 worth of bonds privilege so
vsluabe-which, at one time, when specie was
low, taxed the people $50 600 900 year, or one.
fourth as much as the interest upon the English |
national debt.
But let that 20 by. If the system was right. or |
wrong, it ought TO have been fairly carried out
and as they had taken from the people their own |
State currency they were bound to give it back |
by some fair rule. What do they do, The people |
of New York had great many bonds New Eng |
land had many bonds. The East made q great |
deal of money out of the war-you made some, |
but not SO much. When this privilege was given |
out, they should have said Here, all the great
States OF the West want currency, because they
An huoin NIT and than holl hov IL
ing to the rule of proportion"
If they had not departed from this rule, they
would have given more to the West than the East.
We use bank checks instead OF currency in bust.
ness in New York. New York banks. Under the
old system, would not be at the expense of print.
ing bank bills, so little we're they used. They
would not now, but it is monopoly worth
& reat deal of money. In distributing the cur
rency they should have said: "Ohio has nearly
!, 900, 600 people, and is entitled to nearly one
tenth Of the whole amount. II she cannot take
her amount, men from New York and New Eng
land, to enjoy the privilege, would have brought
their capital here, and you would have to day
$50, 600 600 circulation; you would not only have
had this currency to buy produce, but this addi-
tional capital all the year round for business.
Illinois wants more currency than you, and she
with half the population of Illinois, has s57 0OO-
goo, though they do not want currency there,
because business In Massachusetts Is not carried
on, and never was, in currency. They know
from them, and pay interest enough, you can
get it.
Let us see why men of Illinois find the value of
produce put down. A great mass of the currency
s placed under the control of moneyed centers,
chiefly Wall street. In consequence of its con.
centration there men borrow large sums with
traits, from the market, and lock it up for the
purpose of making money scarce. That knocks
DOWN stocks. and it knocks down property. They
want to buy, perchsnce, your corn. You can not
get money to move it forward and they have the
means to buy when ready and make monstrous
'peculation. They are doing it to-day in New
FORK for the purpose Of putting down railroad
tocks, and in doing that they put down your corn
md pork.
We see these evils because the government did
ehat was clearly unfair in distributing this circu
alton. What has been the result? You think you |
re free and independent citizen of Ohio! Per.
APPS you are for some purposes, but you find that
be speculative power arising from this bad legis-
alton, which steps into your fields and ware
ouses, and strikes down the value of the pro.
uct of your labor, is q large reduction from your
dependence. Itcurses you and us.
When men have bought up railroad stocks, or
orn and beef, or pork, the currency needed here
0 winter rolls into New York; the banker goes
o the Spectator and offers to lene money at a