Year: 1868

Governor seymour's Letter OF Acceptance


of the Democratic cNom1nation-Endorse


ment of the Platform Criticism or Com


gress, etc.


UTICA, August 4, 1868.


GENTLEMEN When in the city OF New
York, on the 18th ultimo, in the presence
of vast multitude, on behalf of the Ma
tional Democratic Convention, you ten
dered to me its unanimous nomination as the
candidate for the Office of President of the
United States, I stated I had no words
".adequate to express my gratitude for the
good will and kindness which that body
had shown to me-" It's nomination was
unsought and unexpected. It was my am
bition to take an active part from which 1
am now excluded in the great struggle 60
ing on for the restoration of good govern
ment, of peace and prosperity to our coun-
try, but I have been caught up by the over
whelming tide which is bearing on US to a
great political change, and I find myself
unable to resist its pressure. You have
also given me copy of the resolutions put
forth by the convention, showing its posi-
tions upon all the great questions which
now agitate the country. AS the presiding
officer of that convention I am familiar
with their scope and import-as one of its
members am a party to their terms. They
are in accord with my views, and I stand
upon them in the contest upon which we
are now entering, and shall strive to carry
them out in future wherever / may be
placed, in political or private life" then
stated that would send you these words
of acceptance in a letter, as is the custom
ary form. [ see no reason, upon reflection,
to change or qualify the terms of my ap-
proval of the resolutions of the convention.
[ have delayed the more formal act of COM
municating to you in writing what then
publicly said for the purpose of seeing
what light the action of Congress would
throw upon the interests of the country
It's acts since the adj djournment of the con-
vention show an alarm lest change of po-
litical power will give to the people what
they ought to have-a clear statement of
what has been done with the money drawn
from them during the past eight years.
Thoughtful men feel that there have been
wrongs IN the financial managemen which
have been kept from the public knowledge.


The congressional power has not only
allied itself with military power, which is
to be brought to bear directly upon the
elections in many States, but it also holds
itself in perpetual session, with the avowed
purpose of making such laws as it shall see
fit in view of the elections which will take
place within a few weeks. It did not,
therefore, adjourn, but took a recess to
meet again if its partisan interests shall
demand its reassembiing.


Never before in the history of our coun-
try has Congress thus taken menacing at
tltude towards its electors. Under its in
t1uence some of the States organized by it's
agents are proposing to deprive the people
OF the right to vote for presidential cleo
tors, and the first bold steps are taken to
destroy the rights of suffrage.


1t is not strange, therefore, that thought
full men see in such action the proof that
there are with those who shape the policy
Of the republican party motives stronger
and deeper than the mere wish to hold the
political power; that there is dread of
some exposure which drives them on to
acts so desperate and SO impolitic. Many
of the ablest leaders and journals of the
republican party have openly deplored the
violence of congressional action and it's
tendency to keep up discord in our coun-
try.


The great interests of our Union de-
mand peace, order and q return to those
industrial pursuits without which we can
not maintain the faith or honor of our gov
ernment. The minds of business men are
Eerplexed by uncertainties. The hours of
toll of our laborers are heightened by the
costs of living made by the direct and in
direct eXactions of government our peo-
pie are harassed by the heavy and frequent
demands of the tax gatherer. Without dis
tinction of party there is strong feeling
in favor of that line of action which shall
restore order and confidence and shall lift
off the burdens which now hinder and vex
the industry of the country.


Yet at this m0mnnt those in rOwnr hava
thrown into the Senate chamber and Con-
gressional hall new elements of discord and
violence. Men have been admitted as
representatives of some of the Southern
States with the declaration upon their lips
that they cannot live in the States they
claim to represent without military protec-
tion. These men are to make laws for the
North as well as the South. These men,
who few oIys since were seeking as sup
plants that Congress would give them
power within their respective States, are
to-day the masters and controllers of the
actions of those bodies


Entering there with minds filled with
passions, their first demands have been
that Congress shall look upon the States
from which they come as in conditions of
civil war that majority of their popula-
tions, embracing their intelligence, shall
be treated as public enemies that military
forces shall be kept up at the cost of the
people of the North, and that there shall
be no peace and order at the South save
that which is made by arbitrary power
Every intelligent man knows that these
men owe their seats in Congress to the
disorder in the South.


Every man knows that they not only owe
their present positions to disorder, but
that every motive springing from the love
of;power, of gain, of desire for vengeance,
prompts them to keep the South in an
archy. While that exists they are inde-
pendent of the will or wishes of their fell
low-citizens. While confusion reigns they
are the dispensers of the profits and the
honors which grow out of a government of
mere force. These men are now placed in
positions where they cannot only urge
their views of policy, but where they can
enforce them.


When others shall be admitted in this
manner from the remaining gsouthern States,
although they will have in truth no con-
stitlents, they will have more power in tho
Senate than q nciOritv Of tbo Daop1a Of