Year: 1868

FULL EXPOSITION OF HIS vIHws ON POLITICAL


QUESTIONS.


The following letter from Gov. Seymour, &C
ceptiug the democratic nomination for the Presi
dency, was received in New York. August 9Th


UTIoA, August 4, 1863


GESTLEMEN When in the city of New Yorl
on the llth ult., in the presence Of vast multi
tude on behalf Of the National Democratic Con
vention, you rendered to me its unanimous nom
ination as their candidate for the Office o
President of the United States, 1 stated that
had no words adequate to express my gratitude
for the good will and kindness which that body
had shown to me. Its nomination was unsoughl
and unexpected. 1t was my ambition to take ar
active part, from which l am now excluded, il
the great struggle going on for the restoration o
good government, peace and prosperity to ouI
country but have been caught up by the over
whelming tide which is bearing on to a great
political change, and ind myself unable to re-
sist its pressure.


You have also given me a copy of the resoluS
tions put forth by the convention, showing its
position upon all the great questions which now
agitate the country. As the presiding officer ol
that convention, l am familiar with their scope
and import as one of its members, am party
to their terms. They in accord with my
views, and | stand upon them in the contest
| upon which we are now entering and | shall
strive to carry them ont in the 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 customary form.


see no reason, upon reflection, to change or
qualify the terms OF my approval of the resola>
tions OF the convention.


| have delayed the mere formal act of commu,
! nicatng to you in writing what thus publicly
! said, for the purpose of seeing what light the
action of Congress would throw upon the inter,
ests OF the country. Its acts since the adjourn
ment of the convention, shows an alarm, lest a
change of political power will give to the people
what they ought to have given, a clear statement
OF what has been done with the money drawn
from them during the past eight years. Thought.
full men feel that there have been wrongs in the
financial management, which have been kept
from the public knowledge.


The congressional party has not only allied
itself to that military power which is to be
brought to bear directly upon the election in
many States, but 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. 1t did, there's
fore, not ad journ but took recess to meet gain
if its partisan interests shall demand its reas-
sembling. Never before in the history of our
country has Congress thus taken a mercenary
attitude towards its electors. Under its influ-
euce some of the States, organized BY its agents.
are proposing to deprive the people of the right





bold steps are taken to destroy the right of suf,
frage. 1t is not strange. therefore that thought
ful men see in such action the proof that there
are with those who shape the policy of the res
publican party motives stronger and deeper than
the mere wish to hold political power, that there
is dread of exposure which drives them
on to acts so desperate and so impoitic.


Many of the ablest leaders and journalists of
the republican party have openly deplored the
violence of Congressional action, and its tenden-
cy to keep up discord in our country. The great
interests of our union demand peace, order, and
return to those international pursuits, without
which cannot maintain the faith honor of
the Government. The minds of business men
are perplexed by uncertainties the hours of toll
of our laborers are heightened by the costs of
of living, made by the direct and indirect exacs
tions of the Government; our people are harS
rowed by the frequent demands of the tax gath~
erer. Without distinction of party, there is a
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 moment, those in power have
thrown into the Senate chambers and Congress
sional ball a new element of dscord and violence
Men have been admitted representatives of
some of the Southern States, with the declara>
tion upon their lips that they cannot live in the
States they represent without military protec>
tion. These men are to make laws for the North
as well as the South. These men, who, a few
days since, were seeking as suppiants that Con-
gress would give them power within their re-
spective States, to-day the controllers of the
actions of those bodies, entering them with
minds filled with questions, and demands that
Congress shall look upon the States from which
they came as in the condition of civil war that
the majority of their populations, embracing
their intelligence, should be treated public en-
emies, and that the military government should
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 they
not only owe their present positions to disorder,
but that every motive springs from the love of
power, of gain, of desire for vengeance, which
prompts them to keep the South in anarchy.
While that exists they are independent of the
wills or wishes of their fellow citizens; while
confusion reigns they are the dispensers of the
profits and the honors which grow out of a govs
ernment of mere force. These men are now
| placed in positions where they cannot only urge
their views of politics, but where they can en-
| force them, when they shall be admitted in like
manner from the remaining Southern States
Although they will have, in truth, no constitu>
ents, they will have more power in the Senate
than a majority of the people of the Union living
| in the line of the great States.


In vain members of the republican party pro-
tested against the policy that led to this result
While the chiefs of the late rebellion have sub
mitted to the result of the war and are now
quietly engaged in useful pursuits for the support
of themselves aud their families, and are trying
by the force Of their example, to lead back the
people of the South to the order and industry
which is not only essential to their well being
| but to the greatness and prosperity of our COM
mon country, all see that these, without ability
or influence, have been thrown by the agitations
of civil commissions into positions of honor and
profit, are striving to keep alive the passions to
which they owe their elevation and they clam
orously insist that they are the only friends of
our Union. Proof of that can only have sure
foundation in fraternal regard, and a common
desire to perpetuate the peace, the order and the
happiness of all portions of the land.


Events in Congress, since the adjournment of
the convention, have vastly increased the imporI
tance of q political victory by those who are
seeking to bring back economy, simplicity and
Justice in the administration of our national af
fairs Many republicans have heretofore elung
to their party who have regretted the extremes
of violence to which it has run. They have
| .:k.s IL. H. of fhafE