The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-08-27
speech of GOV. Seymour.

At the formal opening of the Utica and
Sherbourne Railroad, on Wednesday last,
a mammoth dinner was spread for thou
sands of persons at the latter place
Among the guests was Governor Seymour,
who made the following address
FELLOW CITIZENS: My friend, Mr.. Law
renee, is not only an energetic man, but he
is a shrewd man. Many years ago, as be has
said, it so happened that l was interested
with him in little enterprise, but to day.
having been invited to attend the opening of
this railroad, | am reminded how he has out
stripped me in the race. To-day, the citizens
of Utica have laid aside their everyday cares,
and discarding political and business mat
ters, they come down to the Chenango Val
ley to exchange congratulations over the
successful prosecution of the great enterprise
| supposed that we were to hear nothing of
politics, but everywhere the route the
people we're talking about the President, and
everybody seemed to advocate the claims of
President Lawrence. Listening to them, one
might have supposed that third party
movement had lately been started. Laugh
ter. 1t occasions me pleasure, fellow citi-
Zens, to have something to say about the
Valley of the Chenango. l saw il before the
most of those who are here to-day, and,
meeting to rel ice over our great achieve
meLt. / can assure you that you have great
reason for congratulation. Well you may
be proud of what you have done, eXultant
over the past, and confident of success in tie
future. | have heard to-day some disparag
ing illusions to the old fashioned stage coach
That old coach was a fine affair III its day.
and | remember when a student at your
neighboring village of Oxford, how the dis
rIg Vel nf
not to be despised. To-day. we should re-
member with gratitude the men of the past
1t was their heroic bravery that wrought out
for us the advantages which we are now APP
preCiating and improving. Let US remem-
Der them, then, with thankfulness. / know,
better than most of you, what abundant oc-
casion you have to be proud of your ances-
tors. or their heroic energy aud individual
ity, l cannot speak at length now, but for
sterling manhood, and for vigOr of character,
you have never gone, aud never can so,
beyond our fathers. How deeply this pro
ject concerns us you all know, but time will
be required to give you a proper apprecia-
ton of its advantages. AT my home in
Oneida County, l overlook from my farm on
the slope Of the northern hills tie great
ranges which surround you here. Our Sc Cction
bears marked relationship to the whole con-
tinent The waters that run eff this range
pass by every city Of consequence in the
Union, with the exception of Boston. Del
aware and Chesapeake Bays Ieceive your
waters. A little west, the Allegheny river,
as you know, cmptIes into the Ohio River,
and thence passes By Cincinnati and ST
Louis, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.
Farther west on this range, Lake Erie and
the Gulf of St. Lawrence receive your waters
and on the north the Mohawk river, finding
its source on the other side of the slol E. car
ries its waters past our capital aud thence
by the nations metropolis into the ocean.
Your relationship to this country is such that
you hold in your hands the silver links
which binding the people of America
with a bond so close and so CEduripgst hat
be is no wonderful prophet who predicts
that we shall ever be one people, acknowl>
edging a common God and a common coun-
try. Let us then lay deeper and deeper the
foundations of that intelligence that lies at
the bottom of all such enterprises as these.
and uniting with our efforts the vigCr and
self-denial of our fathers. we can be sure that
this is but the beginning of those enterprises
that shall make our land glorious among the
nations of the earth and our people prosper
Gus and united.