The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-11

jeot Of contemplation for patriotic citizens at
this time.
For this generation at least, the merits of
public man will be adjudged principally by
what he did for the salvation OF the Union
and the cause of Freedom during that tre-
mendous crisis when treason attempted their
overthrow.
This standard Of Judgment is a perfectly
fair one. For If the rebellion had been al
lowed to succeed, we should not ouly have
lost the freedom and unity, which are our
couDtry's glory and honor, but we would have
been started on the road to ruin aud anarchy,
and would soon have been left without any
country at all.
What Grant did for the Union, every man
and woman, every boy aud girl, every North
erner and Southerner, every foreigner and Ams-
rican knows. How promptly he took the field
in the humbest capacity at the outbreak of
war-bow, advancing in position, he won for
us the first victory of the war-how he marched
from one triumph to another till the whole
Mississippi Valley was restored to our flag
how, rising to the supreme command of the
army, he organized victory nVirginia till finally
not Rebel could be found on the territory of
the republic-everybody who loves the Union
and is proud of his country will forever CRATE
fully remember. And it is also we'll remem-
bered how, subsequently, by his wise counsels
and temperate disposition, he labored to re-
coDcile the sections that had been embittered
against each other, to secure clemenoy for the
conquered, and to repair the breaches of war.
He displayed the genius Of a statesman in the
policy he suggested, and exhibited the capa-
city of first-rate administrator in the carry
ing out of the measures which he originated.
The endowments of the man seemed to fit him
equally for peace and for war; and he proved
himself as competent to take the initiative as
to be the executor.
While performing these great services, aud
bending all his energies and intellect to this
tremendous work, what was Horatio Sey-
ment, and for the salvation of the
Union? Was he exerting his pow
ers of mind and position in their be-
hall Or was he acting in such way as
to encourage the enemy to discourage our
army and people, and to throw the weight of
the Empire State on the side of the disunon-
lists Who needs to be told that will recall
his condemDable messages to the Legislature
and speeches in this city and elsewhere?
Who needs to be told that will recall all his
babble about the impossibility of our success,
and all his assaults upon the Government for
its action in behalf of the Union? Who needs
to be told that will recall his persistent and
labOrious attempts to thwsrt the Government
in its efforts to raise troops in this State Who
needs to be told that will recall his conduct at
the time of the riots in this city, and when the
Rebel army was advancing through Pennsyl-
vania Who needs to be told that knows
anything of the inside history of his admins
tratiOn during the perilous years when he was
Governor of this State? 1t was shameful
and fearful history throughout: and vet it is
as reward for his conduct at that time that
he has been nominated as the Democratic can
didate for the Presidency.
We demand, therefore, that the American
people shall judge between Grant and Sey-
mour on this issue. We demand that the
services and merits of one and the other shall
be taken into account, and that the history Of
neither shall be forgotten.
But Seymour is a "great statesman"
Craftsmanship, forsooth Why, Grant dis
played higher craftsmanship in his negotia-
tions with Lee, in the advice he gave to the
President, in the measures he urged upon
Congress, in the policy he sought to secure for
the South, in the execution of his duties, civil
and military, than Seymour ever dreamed Of
All the craftsmanship that Seymour could
ever show was in the position of Governor;
and the intellectual callibre required for that
position may be measured by the mediocre
ability he displayed in the discharge of his
duties. He showed nothing except that his
views were petty and contracted, that his
capacity was of the most common place order,
and that he could talk with the luency of a
demagogue.
In putting forth such a man as match toI
the great commander of our armies, for the
wise, clear-headed, far-seeing self f-possessed
master and manager of affairs, we have an
other evidence of that audacity which distin
! guishes the Democratic party.