The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-20
ME-. sEYMoUR.s WAR RECORD.

month.
ME-. sEYMOUR's WAR RECORD.
As the Democracy are now making strenuous
exertions to prove Mr., Seymour's war record
sound and patriotic-knowing as they do that
he stands but q sorry chance before the people
unless II can be shown that ofncially as Gov
ernor Of New York, and personally and indi-
vidually a. a man and = citizen, he did all in
hispower to crush the rebellion-they are ex-
tremely anxious to keep in the front ground
some things he did when Pennsylvania was
invaded.
We have already put on record something
which Mr.. Seymour did during our fearful and
bloody civil war, and we have many other in
dubitable proofs both from his official conduct
as Governor and from his speeches and letters
all going to show that In Horatlo Seymour
the insurgents had a warm and earnest friend,
and the Government which was then strug-
Cling to put down the rebellion an implacable
enemy. We make no random statements for
political effecti but we give the tangible proof
so that out Of his own mouth he shall stand
convicted.
In his speech on July 4th, 1858, Mr.. Seymour
said 1.-THE doctrine OF public necessity can be
proclaimed by mob as well as by a govern
ment.r
Immediately following this address, which
was an appeal to the bold bad men Of Now
York who were opposed to draft to resist
the Government with mob violence, the World
and the Hetrs, encouraged by Mr.. Seymour,
came out In the advocacy of the same doctrine,
The World said:
whether the irsGk and reckless men rho
temporarily administer the Federal Government
(these "weak and reckless men" were Abra.
ham Lincoln and his cabinet are aware Of the
fat ant Ia md tab "a - hat IA.
pcry frtaence Of The Government they admins
ter Is quite as seriously inroipcd, in The erecu.
ton Of The coHscripfion which they are now
putting in force, as 1t has been in any other
measure or event OF the war" "a
measure which could not have been ven.
tured upon in England, even 10 tkoae dark
days when the pressgang filled the R1ZliEh
ships OF war with slaves, and Ezsi the
glory Of England's noblest naval herOes-A
measure wholly repugnant to the habits
and prejudices Of our people-wAs thrust upon
the statute book, as one might say, almost by
force. 1t was not only \ conscription, but au
act passed by eonseription. The natural con-
sequences followed"
Gan anything more infiammatory or words
better calculated to excite the bad passions
of men be uttered than are the abovei 1t was
Horatio Seymour who encouraged his lead
ing organs to put forth such malignant dis.
tribes against the government.
But the Ncirs, Ben. Woods paper, comes
out square and even quotes Governor Sey'
mour. The following are the words of this
rebel sheet
at is said that Governor Seymour openly
expresses his belief that neither the President
nor Congress, without the consent Of the state
act as is now being carried into effect unde!
the auspices OF the War Department" -
".The mf'ereGnts al The head cfthe Government ara
bending all their powers, as was revealed IL
the late speech OF Wendell Phillips, at Fra
mingham, to securing Perpetuation Of theii
ascendancy for another four years. and thei,
off Democrats, stuff the baliot.boxes with
bogus soldiers votes, and delugc recusant dis
tricts with negro sufrages."
It strikes us that the World and other Dem
ocratie papers will have a good time In estab-
fishing Mr.. Seymour's record. It Is such a
record, now that the rebellion has been crushed,
and the Union saved By General Grant and the
brave "boys In blue" as but few men would
desire to have. What wonder that the De.
mOcrscy are anxious to gloss over this record.
But let us look for a moment to the Gov.
ernor's printed words. Immediately after his
4th OF July GRAFTON, and the above quoted
extracts from the World and the NeiCs, came
the mob, and Governor Seymour came down
10 New York city, and addressed this band OF
rioters as my PRIENDs.n He told them that
he had sent his adJutant to Washington to
have the draft suspended and stopped. And
he said wait until he returns and you will "be
satisfied"
Mr.. Seymour then wrote letter TO Mr. Lin.
coin, and we here give the following extracts
from that letter He says;
at Is believed by at least one half the people
of the loyal states that the eOHscripii0H act
which they are called upon to obey because II
10 on the statute-book, Is In Itself pi0ldtion Of
The supreme constitutional Idp."
This Governor does not hesitate TO threaten
Mr.. Lincoln, and to intimate to him that the
Democrats would rebel. He says;
~ do not dwell upon what believe isouId be
heeOnitquences OF ayiolent, harsh policy before
the constitutionality OF the act 10 tested. You
can scan the immediate future as well as /.
The temper Of the people to-day you can
readily learn"
Such are some OF the sayings OF Horatio
Seymour. Our readers can judge what claim
man who gave forth such utterances during
the troublous times of the rebellion has to 4
good war record, and moreover they can tell
how much influence such harangues and
letters had In fomenting the New York riot.
MR.. DooLITrLE has writtenR letter dehL-
ing his position, and he has landed Just where
all rejecting people knew he would land when
he broke with the party with which he had
acted-the party that gave him his present
position in the Senate, into the bosom OF the
COpperhead party.
This letter was drawn out by some twenty.
nine conservative Republicans, residing some.
where In Pennsylvania. Most likely the ma.
Jority OF these people never voted the Repub'
lIcan ticket, but 1t Is Just as well, inasmuch as
1t gives Mr.. Doolittle an opportunity to free
his mind, and to show the Democracy what a
great mistake they have made In not taking
him as their standArd.bearer. Mr.. d. thinks q
conservative Republican or n war Democrat
should have been put In the lead. He says;
"As a matter Of policy, had The first Office been
girH 10 a chief Of one or Of nc other, 1t would
have made our victory more easy, II not more
certain"
We think that Mr.. Doolittle and twenty
nine others will hnd that pretty large numbers
OF the people whom they designate conserya-
tive Republicans and war Democrats, will be
found In November voting for Grant and Col
fax.
The DEMOCRATIC RATIFICATION MEETING
on Saturday evening was respectable In regard
to numbers but very deficient In spirit and en-
thuBiasm. We may have occasion to notice
some Of the speeches hereafter Such ticket
annot inspire the people with any hope.