The New York herald., 1875-10-29
Ex-Governor seymour's speech.

ously advertised and paraded as the leading
| speaker at Tammany Hall last evening,
scorned to appear there at all and to give even
q seeming countenance to Mr. John Kelly 3
mischievous autocracy. We wonder how Mr.
Kelly feels after being snubbed by the most
respected democrat in the State Gov
ernor Seymour refuses to give even
the countenance Of his presence to the un-
democratic Tammany cabal. He has no
faith in that kind Of organization. He has
washed his hands of all completely with it
by going to Brooklyn to deliver his speech,
and putting himself in an atti-
tude Of entire separation from an
| odious autocracy which is the scorn and
opprobrium of the democratic party OF the
State and the country. Throngs Of people
went to Tammany Hall in the expectation of
hearing him but he put slur and
stigma on the one man power and its
doings and delivered his speech in
place where he could appear without com
promising his self-respect or his democratic
principles. This significant slight put on
Tammany by the most eminent democrat IN
the State is the most valuable assistance
that could be given to the anti -Tammany
movement, whose supporters will take new
courage and need not doubt of triumphant
success.
Governor Seymour devoted his address in
Brooklyn mainly to great national topics and
! to State issues only so far as they bear on
national questions. In this wise selection of
| subjects Mr.. Seymour has acted in accord
ance with his habitual elevation of sentiment
and scorn of vulgar politics. Keeping as
clear of Tammany as lady in clean attire
would of dirty puddles in crossing
street, Mr.. Seymour explains his views on
the great questions which concern the ma
tional welfare. There is no other man in
the democratic party so gifted for such q
task Mr.. Seymour is the most statesman
like member of the democratic party. He
has more sagacity, greater breadth of view
and more persuasive eloquence than any
other democrat in the United States. By elo-
quence we do not mean the tawdry figures of
speech and swelling bombast SO often mis-
taken for it, but such clear and earnest
presentation of the speakers arguments as is
conviction In this great faculty Of enlisting
the judgment of his auditors on his side we
doubt if Mr.. Seymour has q superior or an
equal in this country. His speech will have
the additional weight which belongs to a dis
tinguished adviser. Mr.. Seymour has outlived
personal ambition. Advancing years, grow
ing infrmities and an unaffected taste for
quiet rural pursuits have cured him of sthe
last infrmity of noble minds" The faintest
intimation of consent would have been fol-
lowed last winter by his enthusiastic election
to the federal Senate, where he would have
been more than the peer of any member of
that body. With q disinterestedness as rare
as it was respectable he declined that
honor in favor of his friend and neighbor
Mr.. Herman. Having outlived and re-
nounced personal aspirations he has solid
title to be recognized as the most unselfsh
counsellor Of the democratic party, and he is
not unconscious Of the responsibility which
attends such position. Knowing that his
speech would command the respectful atten-
ton of his party in every State Of the Union
he has risen above the murky atmosphere of
local partisan contests TO set forth his views
of the general situation.
1t is the evident purpose Of Mr.. Seymour
to sound the keynote of the approaching
Presidential contest from his point Of view.
He has q clear perception of the issues on
which the Presidential election ought to
turn, and he states them with great fairness.
He thinks that the business situation, the
pecuniary distress which weighs upon oil
classes, is the central point of view,
and it is the main object of his
policy to alleviate the public burdens.
He realizes the difficulty Of uniting the dem
ocratic party on the fundamental questions Of
the period, and has bent all his skill to this
most difficult part Of the problem. To
soothe and satisfy the West without the
slightest surrender Of sound financial prin-
ciples is task which might bring less
sagacious mind to despair; but Mr.. Seymour
has made the attempt, and if the Western
democrats will listen to anybody with respect
they will listen to him. He is too wise to
denounce and berate them; he makes con-
siderate apologies for their errors he ac-
knowledges their grievances but he is inn
movably firm in opposing their financial
heresies. He admits and maintains that the
people Of the West are the greatest sufferers
from our false financial system. He states
their grievances with more skill than they have
ever been stated by themselves. He contends
that the distinction between debtor States
and creditor States, which makes the West
i tributarv tn the Fast has a foundation in,
fact, and that it is necessary consequence
of our heavy public debt. He maintains
that the enormous burden Of federal taxes
falls with crushing weight on the West,
whose products must find their way to dis
tant markets. The tariff adds immensely to
i .x..4,..,.ti..c. H..