Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1865-04-29
Secretary Seward.

Secretary Seward.
The undoubted object of the assassin conspir-
acy, of which the murder of President Lincoln
was the only part which succeeded, was to par
ayze the Nation by striking its leaders and then,
while the country would be horror-strcken and
powerless to act with efficiency and vigor, the
rebellion could once again call together its scat
tered legions and make its final effort 10 secure
a separate Government
Recent developments tend to show that not
only Mr.. Lincolns life sought, but that Vice
President Johnson, Secretaries Seward and Stan
on, and General Grant were included in the list
of intended victims. Had the plot been entirely
successful in its first stage, and those gentlemen
had shared the fate of the martyred President,
it would still have failed in its object, and the
independence Of the bogus Confederacy been as
distant as ever. Vor popu3i rox Del! The peo-
Pile have decreed that this Nation shall lire, and
an all-wise Providence would have guided our
instincts in the selection of Others to supply
their places. Yet cannot disguise the fact
that had the foul plan succeeded the blow would
have fallen with far greater weight, and the ad-
ditonal misery consequent upon protrachon OF
the war would have been incalculable. And
though we mourn for our honored ruler VINO
| henceforth will share with Washington tle love
and veneration of grateful country, we are
| thankful that the treacherous designs CT the
cowardly Eiscreants were baiied, and that the
| life of Secretary Seward has been spared to the
country.
OF the brilliant galaxy of American statesmen
which throngcd the council halls of the Reoub-
lie few years since, Seward alone survives.
One after another they have passed away Clay,
Webster, Crttenden, Douglas and Everett, have
each in turn been called to the tomb, and their
names and acts have become part Of oar coun-
try's history. When upon the accession of Mr.
Lincoln to the Executive chair, Mr.. Seward was
chosen to the first place in TIE Cabinet, all par
ties united in approval of the choice he was
recognized as the first mind in the nation, not
withstanding the radical views he had promulga-
ted in the celebrated Rochester and St. Paul
speeches some years before. We cannot look
back over the short period which has elapsed
since those speeches were made without feelings
of wonder at the incredulity and repugnance
with which those views were at first received.
But the experience of less than decade has
shown us that Mr.. Seward had already foreseen
what we had not-that the {" irrepressible con-
! aict' between Freedom and Slavery would force
itself upon US, and that by no attempts at COM
promise, or concessions to the Slave power,
could the issue be postponed. Yet the idea was
so far in advance of the age, that by the masses
of the people North as well as South, it was
unhesitatingly rejected, and its author looked
upon as dangerous political fanatic. And now
that the contest has been fought and decided,
with Freedom triumphant, none are more ready
to DO homage to the foresight of William II.
Seward than are his political foes Of few years
ago.
! During the four years in which civil war has
! desoated the land, we have been called upon to
mourn the death of many of our most gifted
countrvmen. We have, therefore, the greater
reason to return thanks to that everything Power
which swaps the destinies of nations, that the
assassn's hand stayed and the life of VIII
liam H. Seward spared to our country. None
enjoyed the confidence of our amerted President
TO greater extent than he-they had labored
together to preserve our nationality intact, in
sunlight and shadow alike, hopeful when with
others all seemed hopeless. Bending under the
calamity which plunged the Nation in mourning,
ii seemed for the moment that nothing could be
added to our SORROW Now that the first bitter
ness Of grief has passed, we can begin to realize
how much greater it might have been. = The
king never dies is an axiom of monarchial
countries, AMI equally applicable to our own.
But had Mr.. Lincoln and Mr. Seward beth met
the fate intended they should meet, the arm CT
the nation would have been powerless for time
confusion would have reigned supreme, and the
highest departments of the Government would
! perhaps have been at the mercy of men unac-
quainted with the duties Thereof Let us thank
| Heaven that such not the result, and that
Secretary Seward may at least live out his pres
/ ent term OF duty to the Government.