The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-01
The Approaching Prcsi Dental Contest-Mr.
Stewards Retirement.

The Approaching Prcsi Dental Contest-Sir.
Stewards Retirement.
Mr.. Seward has returned to Washington and
the cares Of State from his semi-annual visit
to his quiet home at Auburn. Heretofore this
pilgrimage has been marked as public event,
in speech on the political situation, and in
reading Of the political horoscope to his neigh
bors by the learned Secretary. On this occa-
sion there has been no speech, no demand for
one, and no disappointment anywhere from the
omission, because "the Governor" has ceased
to speak as one having authority. He has
fallen from grace as party leader and has
lost his prestige as prophet. He reads in
'the Book Of Chronicles" that his political
career is ended, and he bows to the decree of
fate. Thus, ceasing to be q candidate for the
Presidency, he has no more speeches to make
on political affairs, no more party favors to
ask nor frowns to fear, no pipe to lay, no in
structions to give, nothing, in short, to do but
to put his house in order for the evening of his
days.
We learn that Mr.. Seward has decided to
retire from public life as soon as the Southern
States are represented in Congress, or, at the
latest, with the present administration. He
wisely considers the Presidential succession a
foregone conclusion, SO far as he is concerned,
and, therefore, he withdraws, after quietly dis
missing all his followers, even to his faithful
Sancho and his lamenting good man Friday.
He has no further use for them,
and SO, like Adam and Eve, they
have "all the world before them where to
choose" But what an instructive example of
disappointed ambition is herel Like Clay,
Calhoun, Webster and others, Mr.. Seward has
devoted himself through many years Of hopes
deferred to that one grand object of aspiring
politicians, the White House. Clay, with all
his honors and all his achievements, died q
disappointed man as q twice defeated candi-
date before the people for the Presidency.
Calhoun, soured by the terrible consequences
Of the wrath of Old Hickory, finished his career
in plots and movements looking to Southern
confedcracy; and Webster, like Douglas, after
serving the Southern wing of his party in the
cause of slavery, never recovered from the
shock of Southern ingratitude, as made mani
fest in the nomination of General Scott.
Indeed, there would seem to be no limit TO the
revenge Of man cheated out Of what he
claims as his right to the White House. Thus
Van Buren,, who claimed second term, be-
came as spiteful in being tricked out of it as
was Calhoun in being superseded by Van
Buren, as the anointed heir to the succession /;
and thus Tyler and Fillmore, in their ambition
to get term on their own account became as
manageable as Calhoun or Van Buren,. To
poor Pierce the White House was so much
clear gain, and so, even for one term, he Justly
thought he had cause to be not only astonished
but thankful. As for Buchanan, after thirty
years Of intrigues with and humiliations before
the Southern slave oligarchy tor the honors
and powers OF the Presidency, we dare say
that his four Presidential years of fear and
trembling under the rule of JEFF Davis, Cobb,
Floyd, Thompson, Gwin, Mason and Slidcll,
have made II infinitely worse for him than 1t
would have been had he been rejected like
Calhoun, or defeated like Cass.
Mr.. Seward, therefore, in failing to reach the
Presidency, may console himself with the re-
Fiction that, though his record as disap-
pointed aspirant is not SO grand and glorious
as that of Clay. 1t is Russian America) not SO
barren Of substantial fruits as that of Calhoun
or Webster. Nay, more he ought to be CRATE
full that, in escaping the responsibilities of
he has escaped his humiliation and
say nothing of Andrew Johnson.
Philosophy is good thing under irreparable
losses Of any kind, and Mr.. Seward is not only
a philosopher but an optimist Alexander
Pope had 1t that whatever is, is right !" but
our happy-mnded Secretary has II that "what-
ever Is, though 1t may be wrong, is the best,
Leaving him in the full enjoyment of this
dogma, we are called TO inquire what becomes
Of the Seward faction of New York with his
retirement from the political field. There Is
nothing remaining OF this faction TO damage
even town election. 1t has nearly al! melted
away and disappeared. VIVA. is LETT Of it, like
the silver gray clique of the old wing party,
and the Brooks detachment Of the old know
nothing party, viii probably be absorbed in
the onni,un gatheram of the forlorn democracy
With the retirement of Mr.. Seward the fierce
animosities and faction fights that have fol-
lowed the dissolution Of the firm of Seward,
Weed and Greeley ought to end. The chief
organizer Of the republican party Is pretty
much in the condition Of the chief organizer Of
the Irish republic-he has (barring Russian
America) nothing but his disappointments, his
mistakes and his failures to leave TO his die
ciples. There need not, then, be any trouble
touching the succession to the prophets man
tie. Mr.. Weed may take 1t and sport II In the
halls Of the Manhattan Club or Mr.. Raymond
may hold II alof,, like the trowsers Of Mahomet,
among the sachems Of Tammany, and 1t will do
nc harm. As the Israelites wandered about
forty years In the wilderness before they were
permitted to enter the Promised Land, so the
New Workers have for forty years, more or