Year: 1877

Richard O'Gorman and others. The
following letter from Governor Seymour
was read:


EX GOV. SEYMoUR'S LETTER.


UTICA, Oct. 27, 1877.


Icannot speak at your meeting Mon
day next, as my health will not permit
me to address or attend large gather
ing of the people, There are some facts
connected with the present canvass that
excite deep interest in The minds Of all
thoughtful men. The journals of both
parties condemn the conduct ofthe head
of the French Government, because. as
they charge, he seeks to thwart the wish
es of the majority of the French people.
But it is clear that he has not gone as far
in trying to hold power against constitu-
ents as the Republicans have done in
this country. They have not only kept
Mr.. Tilden out of the Presidential Office
to which he was fairly elected, but now
we see that in the Senate of the United
States they try to resenforce their wan
ing power by seating men in the Senator
ial chairs to which they have no right.
In our own State we have still more
startling exhibition of a purpose to hold
power in violation of the Constitution, of
their oaths of office, and of public NOR
ais. The Constitution demands that af.
ter each census reapportionment shall
be made, giving to each county and dis
trict fair representation in the Legisla'
ture. Heretofore this duty has always
been done. The last Legislature boldly
violated their oaths of office and the
rights of the majority, for the known pur.
pose of enabling the minority to hold
control ofthe Legislature, so that another
wrong could be done our State by se>
lecting a U. S. Senator who will not rep
resent the views of the people Of
New York. At this time the citizens of
New York are not self-governing, because
their constitutional rights ofrepresenta-
ton are fraudulen,ly withheld. AT the
last election the Democrats carried this
State by large majority. The Republi~
cans show that they believe that the
Legislature would also have been Demo>
cratic under fair apportionment, by re-
fusing to make one. tits due to some ofthe
journals of that party to say that they
condemned this revolutionary action.
But most of them are either consenting
or applauding witnesses Of conduct which
weakens the security Of personal as we'll
as political rights-men who will violate
the duties of office for political, will not
hesitate to do so for pecuniary gain.
Such action destroys the good order Of
society, lowers the public morals, and
impairs the security of property. When
men have repudiated constitutional obi.
cations, they are ready to disregard the
obligations of all other compacts. The
portions of the State most wronged by
this action are burdened by the largest
share of its taxation While this is lust
so far as it is based upon fair assessments
it still aggravates the injustice ofthe con
duct which deprives them of fair rep
resentation.


If the business men of New York with
out distinction of party, do not rebuke
this wrong done to themselves, to their
fellow citizens, and to good government,
they will have no right hereafter to COM
plain if their property and business are
unduly taxed. Men who wish for moral
influence with the community must not
wait until some personal interest suffers
before they raise their voices against the
wrongdoing of their rulers.


l am truly yours, &C.,


HORATIO SEYMOUR.