New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-02
GOrERNOR SErMOuRS ErGGEAR.

I here is something almost pathetic III the
aflectionate fOndness and simplicity it'll which
Ex-Governor Seymour clings TO the belief tina;
the Democratic Iarty-whCh lately undertook
to run Il Protection campaign on Free Trade
platform, which fayoTs dcbas, q coin and paper
currency, votes millions to River and iiarbor
Improvements. and turns Up generally on all
sides of all qucstiOns-is the same old Democracy
that Jefferson is supposed to have invented aud
General jackson fought for. Here is jackknifc
whose handle las been burned up and the blade
lost, and each renewed as many times, certainly,
as We have had Presidential elections, and Gov
ernOr Seymour takes it up and turns it over
reverently, dwelling upon its antiquity, its long
and useful service, the associations and
memories it rcvives, and its incstimablc value
as oil heirloom, tho legacy of the Fathers of the
Republic. II would be more touching if it were
not 50 Absurd.
In the important interview with tic cx-GOy-
ernor concerning that fgmcnt OF the magma
ton, the Future of the Democratic party. w!li h
was published the other day, he is represented
rs having dgelt with fervor upon the dangers
of Capitalization and tho necessity for Demo-
cratic success in oder to bring the country bach,
to q constitutional policy. And hc WAS evi-
IDENTITY sincere. lie no doubt honestly thinks
that the modern Democratic party IS imbucd
with definite belief, and that that belief i in
the constitutional policy Of the Fathers, includ-
ing State Sovereignty, the need of restricting
the powers of the Federal Government and en-
largine those of the States. And perhaps this is
true of the Southern wing of the party, which
is the more intelligent and does have at least
1.c. IT, ,n.1 E.-n1 p,,I 81
talks about the party as political organization
having any clearly defined principle other than
the greed for Office, or any regard for the COLI
stitutiOnal policy Of the founders of the party,
or even any knowledge what that policy was he
is all at sea. The topics Governor Seymour is
so fond Of discussing are the empty gencraities
with which platforms are constructed. The
masses and most of the leaders never give them
the slightest consideration as having practical
bearing upon political issues. Governor Seymour
was the only Democratic orator at the North.
50 far as we know, who discussed Capitalization
as q practical question. lie made what was
called great speech, principally on that theme,
but il went over the heads of his audience, and
when printed was hardly read. Democrats in
a loose general way were III favor of restricting
the States, but that was because they wanted
the opportunity to stun ballot boxes and bnll-
doze voters without hindrance, and not because
they had the vaguest notion of the cOnstitu-
tiona powers of Federal or State Governments.
or any idea of the dangers of Capitalization.
Governor Seymour is an amabe political
theorist BY mental constitution he is opnoscd
not only to the Capitalization of power in the
Federal Government but to the exercise OF
power anywhere. He would not hold the
Union together by force. lie opposed what WAS
called early in the war coercion" lie even
went 80 far rs 10 oppose the use OF force to Tut
down raging blOodthirsty mob i'll the streets
of this city, and undertook to quell tho riot by
soft words to the rioters. 1t is all very beauti-
full, of course but it isn't craftsmanship any
more than the charge of the Six Hundred was
war. He dwels in distractions. In the pres.
cnt condition of society it unfortunately ham
pens that force is often necessary. The view
of the Constitution which was held at the be-
ginning of the war by Governor Seymour and
his Democratic associates, that it did not permit
u resort to force in selfdefence and for SELF
preservation, became obsolete with the first
gun that opened on Sumter. A practical people
rose up and construed the Constitution for
Themselves and their construction was that il
did provide for its own maintenance and defence
Governor Seymour, however, does not change
his views. He thinks now, us lie has always
that the great danger to our form of govern
ment is in what he calls Capitalization and
Federal usurpatons of power. 1t is too abstract
on issue for his party to make much of or even
tally TO comprehend, but it happens to coincide
with their interests to have the State Govern
inents strong enough to perpetuate Democratic
rule by fraud and violence, and the Federal