Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-17
MIR. SEWARD DURING HIS ILLNESS.

Mr.. George Woke, who attended Mr.
Seward, gives the following account, which
is translated from the Illinois Stats /eitung:
On the morning after the assassination
he said to his nurses his sensations mmedi-
ately after the assault had by no means
been of an unpleasant nature. He had ex-
perienced no extraordinary pains, but while
the blood had been gushing from his artcr-
les he had supposed that his last end was
nigh, and thought at the same time what a
pleasant thing it was to die thus, without
pain.
Toward his nurses and toward all who
came near him during his sickness, Mr..
Seward was uniformly friendly, even affect
ionate and never, when awake, did his
philosophical firmness desert him. Only
when asleep he would, at times, during the
first two weeks after the attack, suddenly
start up and beat around with his hands
when dreams brought the assassin to his
imagination, but in two or three minutes
he was always quoted.
During the first three weeks Mrs. Sew
ard was constantly, day and night, at the
bedside either of her husband or that OF
Frederick and these exertions have since
hastened the death of lady equally dis
tinguished for the excellent qualities of her
head and of her heart. No less noble was
the conduct of Mr.. Stewards daughter, Miss
Fanny Indeed, it is perhaps to her cour-
age that her father and the nation owe the
salvation of his life. Like her mother,
Miss Fanny was an untlring attendant up
on her suffering relatives.
The greatest trouble to the physicians
was Stewards mental activity, which did
not abate even during his greatest physical
weakness and severest pains. In order to
prevent all excitement during this critical
period and on account OF the shattered
iaw-bone, the physicians enJolned on HIM
not to speak, but it was difficult to get him
to comply.
1t was not mere idle loquacity that rem
dered silence so irksome to the statesman,
but chiefly his patriotic anxiety about the
Republic He desired to express his mind
about the condition of the country, to fulfil
his official duties as SECRETARY of State.
The attending physicians had prohibited
speaking before the attempted assasslna-
ton, but to express his thoughts by writing
was also impracticable, as his right arm
was broken. But as soon as the condition
of his fractured bones would allow, the
medical gentlemen had to bandage and
fasten the upper third of the arm (wnere
the fracture existed, SO as to enable him
to use the lower part and the hand Tor writ
ing In this manner he cOnverSed with
the President during the last days Of that
lamented functionarys life. The President
would sit at his bedside and express him
self on the exciting questions OF the day,
when Seward would write his views on
slate In the same manner he conducted
his interview before and after the assassin
alton, with Mr. Hunter, the Assistant Sec
retary of State, and thus actually conducted
the affairs Of the Department OF State, the
papers, dispatches, documets, &c, OF
which had to be carried to his bedside,
even during the critical periods Of his i'll
ness.
1t was the same patriotic restlessness
and activity Of Mr.. Seward which prevail
ed on the physicians to send for skllltuI
physician of New York, who arranged an
artificial wire apparatus in his mouth
which enabled him to speak without risk,
even before his jawbone was healed. This
apparatus caused the illustrious patriot at
first excruciating pains, and at one time be-
came displaced, 50 that the New York phy-
scan had to be telegraphed in order 10 re-
place it. But all these great and little all
noyances did not for moment desturb
Stewards philosophic intellect nor slacken
his patriotic activity.
Few men in history have evinced such
suhlimity of character and strength Of mind
as William Henry Seward on his bed Of
sickness, surrounded by the terrors of as
sassnation and conspiracy. He maintain
ed these qualities even when, after his par
tal recovery, he received the additional
blowof the intelligence Of the death Of his
faithful spouse.