Year: 1859

SPEECH OF Ex-GOv. SEYMOUR,


AT ST. PAUL.


We extract the following from a speech
lately delivered at ST. Paul. 1t is one of
the plainest, most readable and convincing
talk we have seen any public man credited
with for long time.


Let us look little at the history of this
great land of the West. Why, the men yet
live who lived before our country was-be-
fore our country's first foundations were
laid Wedid not number more than three
millions then. See what has taken place
during the life time of those men. Within
that time we have achieved our national
ndependence-formed the institutions of
our country, and have grown to be recog-
nzed as one of the greatest powers of the
world In the life time of living men, our
numbers have swellcd from three millions
to more than thirty millions. Men yet live,
who in their youth, barely heard of this
great and beautiful land of yours and yet,
| come here to-day, and as much as have
heard of Minnesota and of your beautiful
city, am wonder struck when find that
},
ST. Paul has become one of the most pros
porous cities to be found any where in the
length and breadth of these United States
Why if we could recall again the great and
good men who were chiefly instrumental in
creating our nationalities, how would they
be struck at the splendid results, which
have been achieved by our enterprise p
Those were the men who loved their coun-
try and who she'd their blood at Charles
ton and Yorktown and Saratoga; Who nGv-
er dreamed in their widest dreams, that
the result of their labors and sacrifices
would be so great and so glorious. And,
yet my friends, at this very moment, when
in the enjoyment of prosperity that has
never been vouchsated to any other people
when we have a prospect before us exceed
ing my languageto describe, there are some
dark clouds in our horizon-there are some
things that admonsh us that the prosperi-
ty of this country and its continued great
ness, depend upon the wisdom and morals
of the people.


You are about to enter upon an election
local in some respects, but national in its
influence. am stranger to your candi-
dates, and am therefore unable to speak of
your men. But it is important that at the
outset of your political career, as one OF
the States of the northwest, that will exert
a peculiar influence over the destinies and
fortunes of our country, that you should
lay deep and broad the foundations of your
future policy, upon a firm and enduring
basis-one of sound principles, and exact
justice to every portion of this great coun-
try. am no bigoted partisan. do not
stand here to assail and dcnounce the views
and motives of those who may differ from
us in our political principles. am willing
to say that the virtue and patriotism of our
country are fairly enough divided between
the parties, througout the length and
breadth of our land. But while | respect
the feelings and motives of my friends who
may differ from us, at the same time am
settled in my convictions that they are
wrong and zee are right: and it matters
not, my friends, how earnest man may
be who holds wrong principle, the evils
which logically follow the enforcement of
wrong principles, are in nowise mitigated
by the fact that the man who acts upon
them does so upon the sincere conviction of
their propriety.


ask the privilege of speaking to you OF
the great instructive, and distinctive differ
ences which exist in the organization of the
two great political parties. We are charged
on our side, not unfrequently, with loving
and cherishing wrong. 1t has been my
fortune to hold office, and in doing so, it
has been my lot to bring upon my head the
severe condemnation of political opponents:
have been charged with being very bad
man-that l wanted every body to get
drunk-because could not agree with them
on the subject of coercive temperance bill;
and because would not agree with them
touching the policy to be pursued in refer
ence to the great stream of emigration that
has flooded our land, and wish could see
it again coming, bearing upon its tide strong
arms and hopeful hears (Applause.)


No person would think in looking over
this country, that there would be anything
but love. But hear men in certain por-
tons Of these United States denounced as
bitterly and as heartily as if they were our
enemies, instead Of being our brethren and
citizens of this common land Of ours.


Why is it that good men have been taught,
of late years, to cherish something like a
hatred toward their fellow countrymen, be-
CauSe tucy SAtllCc w i've III ClTCultlSldliCeS
and under institutions different from our
own? Why is it that we are forgetful of
the cost at which our liberty was achieved
Why is it that the very institutions which
have contributed so much to our great pros
perity, arc held in such light regard?


Now, am northern man, standing on
northern soil, and speaking to northern men,
and in speaking of the south-though be-
lieve with the north, that they have men
among them who are selfish, yet after all, as
a body, recognize them as patriotic men,
who love their country, as brothers Of my
own, men whom l wish to have live in the
kindly memories of every citizen of this
great and glorious land. (Applause)---
therefore in speaking of the origin, rise, and
history of this difference between northern
and southern men. | shall speak of the
faults of the north, as consider it in GOOD
taste, and true manhood, to speak plainly tc
those who hear me, and kindly Of those who
are away. (Applause.)


When our fathers, on common battlt
fields were struggling for common rights
slavery existed in all our colonies; there
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