The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-08-26
Horatio Seymour.


Republican paper in Missouri, whose tai
ented editor, Mr.. Wilkinson, has for years
been personally acquitted with Hon. Hora
ito Seymour, as it shows the high estimate
Republicans place upon the next President
of the United States
With the nominee of the Democratic
party for the responsible and honored sta
ton of Chief Magistrate of the only free
Republic in the world, we have been per
sonally acquainted from our earliest iniap
cy. We heard him make his first political
speeches. and have ever known him as an
upright citizen, o conscientious Christian
but a most firm and uncompromising ad
herent of the Democratic parry. As an
orator-a pleasing, persuasive public speak.
er-he has not an equal Although every.
thing will be said against him which human
ingenuity can invent. and the English Ian.
guage coin into speech, not a Republican
in the city OF Utica, his home, will breathe
suspicion upon his purity of private char.
acter, his urbanity and humanity in social
life, his spotless morality, or his integrity
and honesty. But his political character
his course during the war, his speeches in
1861, his opposition to nearly all of Mr..
Lincoln's efforts to subdue the rebellion.
will be the theme of every Republican iour.
nal and orator, not only in Utica, but
throughout The State OF New York, and ali
over the Union.
Governor SeymOuris now in the fiftv-
seventh year Of his age, though be looks to
be ten years younger than that. Tall, rath-
er islender-though of late years more
aeshy than formerly-poasessed of a com.
monding presence; high, broad forehead :
"a Keen, dark, brown eye hair almost
black, and fallen off considerably inmedi-
ateiy over the temples; a fluent talker, al
ways speaking in the conversational style,
though often growing truly eloquent with
the subject he is absorbed in the discussion
Of Governor Seymour was, fifteen years
ago, and probably now is, the idol Of the
young Democracy of the Empire State.
He was born in Onondaga county, N.
Y, in 1911, qualified himself for the pro-
fession of law, and entered upon its practice
at Utica. His father and father-in-law left
very large estates, and he relinquished the
practice of the law shortly to devote his
whole time to their management. At the
age Of 80 the Democracy of Oneida county
elected him to the lower House Of the State
Legislature, and IN the succeeding spring,
Of lS42, he was chosen Mayor of the city
OF Utica, overcoming previously strong
Wing majority there. He was then the
most popular Democrat of his age IN the
State, and at once took a prominent posi-
ton in the Legislature, to which he was re-
elected annually for FIVE successive terms,
being chosen Speaker oflthe House 10 lS45.
Even then the older Democrats Of this
State the hard-heads feared his growing
popularity aud tried to kill him off; but he
would not stay down, nor even go down, at
their bidding. In 1914 he was active in
the canvass for James K. Polk and for ST.
las Wright, the nominee for Governor Of
New York.
In l848, he stumpcd the State for Gen.
Cass and Reuben II. Walworth, the DEM
ocratic nominee for Governor. In 1850
he was nominated by his party for Cover
nor, but was defeated by Washington Hunt
by majority OF 262 votes, in poll of sew
en- hundred thousand votes. In 1852 he
was again nominated, and was elected, de-
feating Hunt 24,3S5 majority. During his
first term he voted the Maine Prohibitory
Liquor Law, and his veto Message was ac-
knowledged by all to be very able State
paper For this act, he drew upon himself
the bowls of fanatics who thundered their
anathemas from pulpit and press. He was
denounced as a drunkard and debauchee,
though no man living has seen Horatio
Seymour drink drop of spirituous liquors.
He was called scoffer and an infidel,
though we have known him as communi-
cant, constant attendant, and Senior War
den ofTrinity Church (EpiscopaD ia Utica
for more than a quarter of a century. To
consequence of union of temperance and
Wing forces in 1854, Myron III. Clark de-
feated him for Governor that year by 3O9
votes in poll of almost 100000 votes.
In January 1861, he delivered speech at
Albany strongly urging conciliatory mea-
sures towards the seeding States.