New-York tribune., 1876-09-05
oop SryuOUpS LETTER.

Mr.. Sevmonr's letter declining the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor states IN the
midest possible way-fOr he Is by no means
of an aggressive temper, nor does he fail un-
der the most trying circumstances to regard
the rroprieties and cOurtesies of lfe-that he
meant precisely what he said to the gentle
men who consulted him before the convention
and the committee which waited upon him and
urged his acceptance. The circumstances were
such as might warrant stronger language than
he has used. For, strictly speaking, the action
of the convention was not only an imposition
upon his good nature, but still worse, refec-
ton upon his sincerity. an open denial that he
had been truthful and honest IN his dealings
with the party, bald charge of hypocrisy;
| in short, direct personal insult no assembly
of gentlemen would ever have been guilty OF
such behavior, for true gentleman's first IN
stinct is in behalf of truth; not only to be
truthful himself, but also to avoid the
appearance of soliciting others to untruth-
fulness. Still, Gov. Seymour has shown gen.
tlemanly self-restraint in making to the solici-
tations of his party calm and dspassionate,
| though positive and final answer. There is
perhaps a little more of the explanatory and
deferential manner than is necessary, and he
| goes out of his way, as it seems to us. to ex-
press his sense of obligation to the party.
The abject nonsense which was talked in the
convention about this same matter of obliga-
| tons to the party, and about his duty to serve
| the organization in the present emergency on
| account of the honors it had heretofore con-
ferred upon him, would have excused little
more exhibition Of manly spirit; but Gov.
| Seymour is, and always has been, devoted
partisan, and he takes with great humility any
sort of treatment the party gives him.
In the same disposition to avoid giving of
fense to any one in which he addressed the
New-York rioters as "My friends" he answers
the Democratic Convention which invited him
to confess Judgment on the charge so often
repeated by his opponents, that his decIinaGOn
meant nothing, and that he only needed to be
solicited to take Office, or nomination for
Office, to yield all his scruples and gracefully
accept. The same amiability of temper appears
even in the portions of the letter devoted TO
general politics. He is particular to say here
| that he wishes to say no unkind word OF either
President Grant or Gov. Hayes. IL would be
a decided amelioration of political strife, and
a good thing for the country, if more of this
DISPOSITION was manifested in the press and on
the stump during the Presidential can
vass. There will be, we think, a
very general concurrence in Gov. Seymours
statement that "the election of Democratic
House of Representatives has led to many
"painful disclosures" though there may be
difference of opinion as to which party is most
unfavorably affected by these disclosures We
suspect that the most painful disclosure OF all
! is of the utter incompetency and uDtfustwortm-
ness of the Democratic party. AS for his con-
fidence in Democratic success, it is perhaps
enough for the present to say that Is not
shared by the thoughtful men of his own party.
| If they have felt confident of victory at any
time during the canvass,the events of the past
week, with which Gov Seymour has not been
wholly mconnected, have tended greatly to
| disslpate and destroy it.