Message Of Gov. Seymour

OItc fgklnptï jvp& ï.ho question oí a method bv which thqfe (1 our feilow-citizens who are absent in the military and naval ser?ico of' the nation, in;i' bc enabtwd ( efrjny. their nght i sutlraye, i.-i mie ol gruut interest . to the people ni Uu's State, and bus juatly excited their attention. - . I do i.ot fiiiubt that the ruombers of the Legislatura particípate in the general chesire, that those vvho so nobly endure fatigue iud t-uffering, tnd pettjl lift), in the hope that bv such I rifices our national Union inay bo j f-erved and our consiitution uphi-ld, sha'll, if possible, bo stcured un opportunily for the Iree inJ intiliigerii exercine of all their poli'.ionl rights and privileges. The ei n -titui ion of tl. is State requires the elector to vote in tho eleotion district in which he rewde-, but it is claiined by some thut a 'aw tan bo passed, whereby the vote of an absent eitizen inay be given bv hia authorized representative, It is cleur 10 iie, that the cons'itntion intends that the right to vote shall only be exercise'd by the elector in pui son. It wou ld be an insult and un injury to tl, e soldier to place the exercise of th is right Opon Q doublful or urconstituüonal law, when it can be re.ulily secnrod to him by a constitutional a men dm ent. While my own opinión upnn the poiiit ia cïecided and uil! govern my action, k is well to consider the matter under a 1 ss poswive aspect, lf we concede thut it is one of doubt, we fihould not close our eycs to ttto possible resulta of an attempt to exercise it. viiiv of that doubt, which is feit by men ni all pariies in bo h branches of the Legislature and elsewhero, It is possible that the next Piesidential eltclion may be decided by the vote of a single State; ind, if votes by proxy are aulhonztd, it is Dut impossi'ule that Bueh. votes would, in sneh State, decide the election in favor of one party or the otber. lt surely cannot be ntBessary 'o iir.pi-ess npon any patriot ie, thoiifhtl'ul -itiind tho fearlul danger whieh would attend the complication ot the disayírous civil war which now af tiicts the country, liy the interpogiü'nfl of a well iounded doubt as to the person rightfully entitled to :ho Presidential offi'-e. The most intense e; mestness and the most desperate determination which luive ever marked the conñiuts ot men, would chuatcterize euch a contest. The deoisiotis of partidas officers, tlie secret [ilottings, exuited debates and interested oonclusioas of the two Uouses of Congiess; and the action, more or leba violent, of the people at a peiiod hen the public mind is violently intiamed, and when the principies and rules which have formed the real st erigth of our institutions are dangerouly imsettled, would convulso this coininunity. That man must be san guiñe indeed vvho can hope that our naliotial Jovenmient would feurvive si.ch contes:. It is not necessary that the effort to secure to our gallain soldiers and seamen a just participaron in the chiicu of tlie next admimstration of the na tional goveraiueDt sbould be subjucted to such ditngers. A proposed amendment of the coni-titulion giving the Leislatuie the needful power upn this subject cm) be adopteU at the present sesoion, and it concurred in by the next Löiii(ilatur3, can be submitted 'o the people in Vsuoh sesiscn bat, if' their decisión i.s favorable, tho action which would be afteiwariis neessary c,(iuld bo taken by that Legi.sl.ture. I ïespectfully recojnmend that this course be tuken rather than tho passage of an uneon.stitutional law, or ouo ''' queationable valuiitv. Great care should be taken to prevent, by the most efficiënt checks the abuses and frauds to which the exercise of the right ot suffrage by absentees would be liable. These safeguardo would pruperly be a matter of leginlation alter tho adoption of a coiiNtitutional auiondment. Meauures flhould be taken fir ecuring periect independence to absent soldiere and woamen in givng their votes, which shall be so comprehensive auJ efficiënt as to relieve any reasooable apprehansion upon this point. Tha condtict and policy of high officials have caused great distrust in relution to the freeüoin from restraint and coerción, which should be accorded to the absentees in the exercise of this right. The people of this State will never consent that their absent brethren in the national servicb shall be debarred, when they discharge the most ëaored duty of the ciüzen, from the enjoyment of that entit'j freedoin of opinión wnich they have, by an emphatiu exproesion at the ballot box, tecurod for themselves, and which thoy will tirmly riiaiulain. It would be wo'se than a mockeiv to allów those secluded in carnps or npon ships to voto, if they are pot permittnd to receivo leiters and papera tro'm their friends, or if' they havo not the eatne fieedom in reading public journals accorded to their brethren at home to aid them in the forraation of their opinions in respect to tho conduct of those in power, the issues to. be docided at tho election, and tho character of the opposing candidates. If the expiession of their opinions by the votes they give or by customary political action is to subject officers to dismissal from service, and snldiers to increased privatiori, haidship and etsposure, tho flaines of civil war will be kindled at tho North. I have noticed, with det p regrot, attempts on the part of ome of the officers of the national government to intorfere with tho free enjoymenl "f their politvoal opinions by persons in lbo army. Thoro has been marked instanees of this kind which have jusily exci:ed deep feeling throughout, tho country. These inexcusable acts of official tyranny aio ri ndererl more objec'tonable by tho languago used in their execution, which is at once opprobious in terms, and a wanton and unjust attaek upon one half of the people ot sovereign and loya! States. Wtiile subordínate officers are thjia punished for döing their duly as citizens at tht-ir homes, those of high rank have been employud to interiore in the electiouw of States in whi-cii they aro iiot residente. No reison,ab!e mm eau suppofw? that thepeopleof s bis country wifi permit the noble nnnv, eolisted for tho pur pose ui' maiiïtainiog the national goverunient, to ba u.sud for efeáiODeermg purpo.-es by thoso who are óhnrgea wiih tho teinporary U'iininistration of that fjoveniiDent, or wlm are eoeking an uddiiioiml term of' powur. I hope that tho wisdom of thosu to whoin tliu dominios ot the nation are now oonödod by the cosstitution, will adinonish tliem in peason, of the dailgèrs of acts (t)arked ly these features of wrong and oppression, Whether it does it or not, 1 llave confidence that the wisdom of (he puoplti and the Lt'giálature ot this State will be suffioient to Kecure to its abs.'nt soldiers and seamon the Ireedom of politica] opinión and action, whi(h is thoii1 inulienaiile right, and in that aonfilenc'e I have made the recomüieudatioti above oxpressed.