The Van Buren press., 1868-10-02
The Van Buren, Press,
VAN BUREN,, ARKANSAS.
From Hartford tC0nr.) Times, 3d. uii.
Death Of Ex-Governor Seymour of Connec
ticut.

kindest heart that beat in any bosom, o
] all the loved and houored men ameng us
has forever ceased 20 beat. That fac
which all loved best TO meet, the pressur
of that true hand which spoke the warn
friendship of the noblest heart amouj
men-thcsc are gone, to greet US here NJ
more, The pen partakes Of the emotion
which makes the tongues of so many fal
ter in speaking the sad news and amos
refuses TO write. when It's burden Is tn
announcement Of Gov, Sepmour's death
1t is duty we had never contemplated
for it is hard and unnatural thing to as
sociate Thomas ii. Seymour with an,
thoughts of death. But it is even so h,
never surrendered TO a mortal foe. h,
whose dauntless heart and pride of char
acter rendered him superior to the obsta
cles and crosses of life, he who was bes,
beloved, we may almost say the idolzec
man in this his native State. has yielded
to that incxorable law which hangs over
our moral lives, even from their begin
ning in broad, black and fatal characters
the sentence of DEATH menacingly written
over the very cradle. lie died last night
at halfpast eight o'clock He sunk so
peacefully to his long rest, that it was
difficult for his stricken friends surround
ing his bedside to say precisely when his
life went out
The news will deeply pain great mul.
titude of his friends, who were not pre-
pared for it. Gov. Seymour was not
known to be i'll until the published para.
graph announcing the fact conveyed to
those in this vicinity the unwelcome It'd
ings and in many parts of the State the
intelligence of his death will not be less
sudden and unexpected than sorrowful.
He was taken i'll at Baltimore on his re.
turn from the North Carolina University,
where he had gone to deliver the Grafton
in June and though speedily restored to
his apparent health again, he did not in
fact rally so fully from the effect of that
sickness as to save him from subsequent
attack Of nervous and typhoid fever,
which proved fatal. He was born in
1908, and his age was sixty Most ofhis
numerous friends supposed him to be
younger than he was. He possessed a
wiry elastic constitution, capable Of en-
during more than many men who seemed
to be more powerfully built. Slender and
graceful as an arrow, he was, when nee
essary, seemingly as swift. Erect and
elastic in his bearing, his military nature
and training could be seen in his piercing
I exc .q,s.1 t;uuo prnr rr sans reprodcH. IN
Al bo taA
terry which left chronic weakness upon
him, and from its effects he never fully
recovered Though he had received a
military education, and WAS the very beau
ideal of soldier, he never loved war for
its own sake his kindly heart made him
a man of peace.
Gov Seymour has been a leading man
in the Democratic party. While in the
practice of his profession as lawyer in
this city, in 1897 3S, he was editor of a
Democratic paper--The Jefersonian. He
was always, in heart, with the young
men and in 1889 he published series
of appeals to them, which, under the sig
nature One of the Gracchi," attracted
much attention for theirpowcr, eloquence
and classic spirit His literary and po-
litcal orations, then and subsequently,,
were marked by the same spirit OF elo-
uuence, beauty and power. lie was in
those days elected to the Hartford Pro-
bate district, but declined n nomination
for the office of Secretary Of State. In
lS43 he was elected 20 Congress, where
he served with marked credit for one
term. lie went into the war with Mexico
as Major Of the gallant Ninth or New
England regiment He was with Gen.
Scott at the surrender ofthe City Of Mex
leo. In 1852 the Democracy nominated
him for the first Presidential elector ai
large for Connecticut, and the ticket was
elected. ...
His first nomination for Governor was
In lS47. At that time the Democrat:
had too large a majority against them to
hope for success. But Col. Seymour
popularity nearly annihilated that major
ity, and the next year--lS50-;bc became
Governor of Connecticut. He was re
elected in 1851, and again in 1852, anC
vet again in 1853 In the discharge OF
his official duties, he was faithful and tru'
TO The interests ofthe State, and sough
especially to guard the laboring classes
against the injustice which was certain tt
result from the perncious banking sys
TEN which the Democrats combated. Hi
messages as Governor are to-day vim
dication of his wisdom, his patriotism
and his ssgacity. He was always th'
friend Of the people, and no man live
who was too poor or too lowly to be hi
friend.
President Pierce appointed him in tn
latter part Of 1888, Minister Of the Unite'
States to Russia. He took the office, AM
for four years discharged its duties will
signal credit, gaining warm friends ut th
Russian Court, from the Emperor Nlcho
las down TO the humblcst peasant he met
The Car Alexander was crowned befor
Gov. Seymour left Russia, and he was
!, witness TO that magnificent spectacle, AM
the fete days at Moscow on that occasion
Congress passed special rot to permi
Gov Seymour to receive from the En-
peror the present OF a costly table o
malachite, which he has ever since kep
among his many treasures and souvenirs
lie received, too, a copy OF the huge IN
perial volume of great colored prints, 4
Illustrative Of the scenes and parsonage
at the coronation.
One extraordinary trait Of Gov Sey
mour's character was his unequallcd firu
ness. In this respect he equaled, If h
did not surpass, Andrew Jackson himsel
II was not unreasonpp obstinacy, but