1868 · Utica, NY
by Seymour, Horatio
Utica, NY, 1868. Autograph Letter Signed to German-American newspaper publisher George Saul of Syracuse, NY. [3] pp, 8 x 5 inches, on 2 detached leaves; the second leaf tipped into a mat, slightly obscuring the extreme lower portion of Seymour's signature. Good+.
Seymour, the wartime Governor of New York, was the Democrats' presidential candidate in 1868, and of course he lost decisively to Ulysses S. Grant. Seymour's Copperhead utterances during the War haunted his campaign; his anti-administration speeches were blamed for New York City's shameful 1863 Draft Riots, which broke out just after the Battle of Gettysburg. His campaign assured the electorate that the Democrats were the Party of the White Man.
In this Letter Seymour's anger and frustration are apparent: "It will take some time and labor to select and explain all the unconstitutional acts of the party in power and at this time I am over loaded with duties which were put off during the Presidential Campaign. I think with you that the work should be done, and that a clear & comprehensive statement of the unwarrantable action of the General Government would do much towards putting the public mind right. I will try to take the subject up if I can get time... We shall learn the drifts of Genl Grant's policy and we can mark out our line of action in the future. (Inventory #: 36392)
Seymour, the wartime Governor of New York, was the Democrats' presidential candidate in 1868, and of course he lost decisively to Ulysses S. Grant. Seymour's Copperhead utterances during the War haunted his campaign; his anti-administration speeches were blamed for New York City's shameful 1863 Draft Riots, which broke out just after the Battle of Gettysburg. His campaign assured the electorate that the Democrats were the Party of the White Man.
In this Letter Seymour's anger and frustration are apparent: "It will take some time and labor to select and explain all the unconstitutional acts of the party in power and at this time I am over loaded with duties which were put off during the Presidential Campaign. I think with you that the work should be done, and that a clear & comprehensive statement of the unwarrantable action of the General Government would do much towards putting the public mind right. I will try to take the subject up if I can get time... We shall learn the drifts of Genl Grant's policy and we can mark out our line of action in the future. (Inventory #: 36392)