Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-19
[From the New York Times.]
SECRETARY SEWARD.
His Condition--ProspectsO of his Recovery
Ills Views--Mr. Frederick Seward--
The Conspiracy.

His Condition--Prospects of his Recovery
Ills yiews--Mr. Frederick Sewsrd--
The Conspiracy.
/ WASHINGTON, May TO-
/ You will be glad to learn that the sanguine
| reports of Surgeon Gen. Barnes concerning Sec
retary Seward. are fully justified by the facts
He is recovering steadily and rapidly Indeed
| his general system is as sound, and his general
/ health as good, as ever. His wounds do noS
| pain him now, and the gashes upon his face and
throat have healed. Owing to the long delay
in setting the bones of his broken jaw, which
was caused by the subsequent assault, the heal
ing there has been slow, and is still imperfect
He has worn the ingenious and serviceable steel
frame by which his Jaw is kept in place, now for
about week, and is getting used to it some
what. At first it prevented his sleeping, -
that he gained very little strength, and grew
nervous; but he can now sleep soundly with il ,
and only feels il as an inconvenience and annoy
ance. As it includes two or three large articles,
kept in a fixed position within his mouth, il Of
course interferes somewhat with his articulation ,
and ss il prevents him from taking any food ex-
cept in liquid form, fed to him in teaspoon,
il Is scarcely to be expected that he should re-
gain strength very rapidly. Nevertheless, he
talks great deal, walks about the house, goes
up and down stairs without assistance, and takes
long rides without much fatigue. | rode with
him over two hours on Monday, under the not
sun of midday, across the Anscostia Bridge,
and over the rough roads of the Maryland side
Of the Potomac; and | think was more fatigssd
when we returned than he was.
Mr.. Seward talks freely Of the assassination.
and of all its circumstances and antecedents |
do not think he was in the least surprised At il.
Indeed he has, more than once within the last
two years, told me in conversation that We
should never emerge from this great war without
political assassinstiOns. They might be attempt
ed in the hope OF aiding the rebellion or for the
purpose OF revenging Its deiest; but they were
morally certain to come. For his own part, |
know that he had made his personal arrange
ments with a view to the possibility Of such n
close Of his own career. He was never insensible
Of the extent TO which the great body of the
slaveholding cligarchy held him responsible for
the political and moral changes which prompted
the rebellion. And may as well add that they
knew much better than some Of our own people.
the fact that from the very beginning of this war
TO ITS end, his counsel and advice have always
been for the bOldest and most vigorous measures
for its prosecution.
Mr. Seward talks very freely Of public affairs.
He has now, as he always has had since he knew
him in the Senate, the profoundest confidence in
Andrew johnson. IL was very easy, he said,
to tell in the Senate, by their tone and bearing.
what men were fitted for public service in time
Of revolution, and what men were not and he
never had moments doubt concerning Johnson
Mr. Seward, as yet, has taken no part, since
the assault upon him, in public affairs, though
he has supervised. to a certain extent, the sc-
ton of the State Department; but | think that.
unless something should retard the knitting to-
gether of the bones Of his jaw, he will. at the
end of two or three weeks, be fully competent
fer its highest duties. And am also confident
that President johnson has never, for moment,
thought Of placing those duties in any other
hands
OF Mr. Frederick Seward's prospective recov-
ery, cannot speak with much confidence lie
is not yet considered by his surgeons out Of
danger, though there is perceptible improve
ment in his condition. II seems that one Of the
blows from the pistol in the assassin's hand
ruptured blOOd-yessel lying along the upper
surface Of the brain, where II was impossible to
use the ordinary appliances Of surgery. The
bleeding was stopped, therefore, with the I'm
ger. until a cOagulatiOn Of the blood served the
same purpose; and the aim Of the surgeons now
is to keep it in this condition until the ruptured
already, but success is hoped for still He is
perfectly conscious and can talk; but he is not
allowed TO speak at all nor to move. and all visi
tors are rigidly excluded. Ii is hoped that with
this perfect quiet, and with nothing whatever to
accelerate the circulation, the requisite healing
NAV take place.
II has already been stated that the person
known as Paine has confessed the attempt upon
Mr.. Sewsrd's life. He saws that he had never seen
him, that he had nothing against him, and that
he attempted TO kill him only because ne had
sworn to DO it. The whole affair, he has said,
was gigantic fsilure-onlytro(B Booth and him
self) of the whole number concerned having
kept their Osths. If It had succeeded, be says.
the actors IN Il irOuid neuer hare been knotcn.
This seems at first sight inconsistent with the
open exposure made Of himself by Boothsf;
the assassination Of Mr.. Lincoln. But I have
been told ths; it was part Of the plan to turn Of
the gas in the theatre the instant the pistol shot
was heard, and that the man was found at the
controlling stop-cock to whom that duty had
been assigned, but that he failed to hear the
signal Paine is not at all communicative. He
refuses to disclose the names Of his associates or
to say anything Of his own antecedents- II is
not believed that he has given his real name, nor
is it known to what part Of the country he be
longs He looks young, not over twenty-one or
two; has a square, hard face; q clear firm eye,
which returns even now unhinchingly the stern
est and steadiest gaze; is very athletic in his
frame; has white, soft hands, evidently unused
to work, and although utterly unmoved by
threats or by harshness, gives indications Of
sensbility 10 acts and words Of kindness He Is
man of more than ordinary mark. He says
that when he fled from Mr.. Sevsrd's room he
knew that he had failed, and expected to find
the hall below full Of men, summoned by the
cries of murder raised by the colOred boy, who
had rushed into the street, which cries he him
self had distinctly heard. But he was prepared,
and was determined to cut his way through
them all, and was surprised to find himself unOp
posed K