The union Democrat., 1868-10-03
Testimony ofn Political Opponent.

The St. Joseph Herald Republican pa
per supporting Gen. Grant for the Presi-
dency, pays the following just tribute to the
personal character of the Democratic cand-
date:
with the nominee of the Democratic
party for the responsible and honored posi-
tion of Chief Magistrate of the only free Re-
public in the world, we have been personally
acquainted from our earliest infancy. We
heard him make bis political speeches, and
have ever known him as an upright citizen,
a conscientious Christian. but q most firm
and uncompromising adhereni of the Demo
cratic party. As an orator-a pleasing, per-
suasive public speaker-he has not an equal
Although every thing will be said against
him which human ingenuity can invent, and
the English language coin into speech, not
Republican in the City of Utica, his home,
will breath a suspicion upon his purity of
private character, his urbanity in social life,
his spotless morality, or his integrity and
honesty. But his political character, his
course during the war, his speeches in 1864,
his opposition 20 nearly all of Mr.. Lincoln's
efforts to subdue the rebellion, will be the
theme Of every Republican journal and orator,
not only in Utica. but throughout the State
of New York, and all over the Union.
" Governor Seymour is now in the fifty
seventh year of his age, though he looks to
be ten years younger than that. Tall, rather
slender, though of late years more feshy
than fOrmerly-possessed of n commanding
presence; high, broad forehead q keen,
dark brown eye hair almost black, and
fallen of considerably Immediately over the
temples q fluent talker, always speaking in
the conversational style, though often grow
ing truly eloquent with the subject he is ab-
sorbed in the discussion Of. Governor Sev-
mcur was, fifteen years ago, and probably
now is the idol Of the young Democracy of
the Empire State"
This is the concession of political oppo-
nent to lIoratio Seymour of character
which illustrates the highest type of Ameri-
can manhood-''an upright citizen, a con-
scentious Christian, without "a breath of
suspicion upon his purity of private charac-
ter, his urbanitv and humanity in social life,
his spotless morality, or his integrity and
honesty" Is there another living American
of like prominence, who has actively par
tcipated in the exciting political conflicts of
the past ten years. whose character has COM
PEELED such unwilling tribute from his politi-
cal adversaries? Yet no man who personally
knows IIoratio Seymour will think it strange
or out of place. His neighbors and assoc-
ates from boyhood, of all classes and every
diversity of political and religious sentiment,
if not themselves destitute of manly instincts
and noble sensbillties, cannot help but love
and honor him for his manv estimahle quail
ties and uncommon purity of character. The
position which Horatio Seymour occupies to-
day as the candidate of the only historical
party of the United States for the first Office
of the Republic, IS the result of no accident.
intrigue, or unha,lowed personal ambition,
but rather an indication of a return to the
better days Of the Republic, when the Office
sought the man instead of the man seeking
the Office. We first saw Horatio Seymour
thirty-six years ago, on the 4th Of july, 1882
1t was on the occasion of an old fashioned
celebration of the anniversary of our national
independence, in the city of Utica, n v. He
was the orator of the day; mere hoy in ap-
pearance with rich dark brown curls cluster
ing around broad white forehead, a COM
plexion of almost feminine softness and puri-
ty, large beaming eye, and beautiful and
loving expression of countenanee which no
one could look upon but with pleasure and
which once seen could never be forgotten.
That oration was listened to by thousands
who had known the boy orator from child
hood. aud it not only delighted but astonish-
ed all who heard it, among whom were sever
al OF the then most distinguished men in the
State: Not one of that vast audience who
then hung entranced upon the words of wis
dom and eloquence falling from the lips of
that tar STRIPPING, predicted for him future
less distinguished or less honorable than that
which has been achieved by him without any
OF the arts of self-seekiug. And yet his life
has been wonderful success. Surrounded
by friends who idolized him for his manly
virtues and by thousands of acouaintanees
who did homage to his genius and accom-
phshments, he was not made ambitious by
hattery nor insolent by adulation. He Is to-
day the saHe pure, slmple-hearted. loving.
generous, unostentatious and unambitous
citizen he was thirty-six years ago. We
nave met him often during that time in pub
ilc councils and in social intercourse. and
always With profound conviction of the
NOBILITY OF his nature and an earnest aspira-
ton that our sons might be like hm-"with-
oct fear and without reproach. ."-Oregon
Herald