blic Record of Horatio Seymour_, pp.
45-58.]

The convention thought seriously of making this speech the party
platform. But A.P. Laning, declining to surrender the prerogative of
the resolutions committee, presented a brief statement of principles,
"pledging the Democracy to continue united in its support of the
Government, and to use all legitimate means to suppress rebellion,
restore the Union as it was, and maintain the Constitution as it is."
It also denounced "the illegal, unconstitutional, and arbitrary
arrests of citizens of the State as unjustifiable," declaring such
arrests a usurpation and a crime, and insisting upon the liberty of
speech and the freedom of the press.[827]

[Footnote 827: The ticket nominated was as follows: Governor, Horatio
Seymour of Oneida; Lieutenant-Governor, David E. Floyd Jones of
Queens; Canal Commissioner, William I. Skinner of Herkimer; Prison
Inspector, Gaylord J. Clark of Niagara; Clerk of Appeals, Fred A.
Tallmadge of New York.]

The speech of Seymour, as displeasing to many War Democrats as it was
satisfactory to the Peace faction, at once aroused conservative
Republicans, and Weed and Raymond, backed by Seward, favored the
policy of nominating John A. Dix. Seward had distinguished himself as
one of the more conservative members of the Cabinet. After settling
into the belief that Lincoln "is the best of us"[828] his ambition
centered in the support of the President, and whatever aid he could
render in helping the country to a better understanding of the
Administration's aims and wishes was generously if not always adroitly
performed. He did not oppose the abolition of slavery. On the
contrary, his clear discernment exhibited its certain destruction if
the rebellion continued; but he opposed blending emancipation with a
prosecution of the war, preferring to meet the former as the necessity
for it arose rather than precipitate an academic discussion which
would divide Republicans and give the Democrats an issue.

[Footnote 828: Seward to his wife.--F.W. Seward, _Life of W.H. Seward_,
Vol. 2, p. 590.]

When Lincoln, on July 22, 1862, announced to his Cabinet a
determination to issue an emancipation proclamation, the Secretary
questioned its expediency only as to the time of its publication. "The
depression of the public mind consequent upon our repeated reverses,"
he said, "is so great that I fear the effect of so important a
step.... I suggest, sir, that you postpone its i