The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-18
HoRATIO SEYMOUR.

liberal one, Develsping preference for
the law, he set to work at az early age to
| educate himself for the bar His keen per
ceptIon, quick intellect, not less than his
constancy and perseverance, enabled him 70
acquire an enyiable position as lawyer
while still young man. He commenced
his practice in Utica, New York state; and
his professional career, in relation 20 his eli.
ents, to HE legal coHtrlres, and to his gen
eral reputation, was emlnenuy successful.
| II is scarcely 10 be wondered at that, with
such prominent elements Of success and pop
| ularity, he should have at once been called
70 the public service.
| 1. The first prominent oihco which Mr. Sty.
mour accepted was in the year 1872, when
he was little more than 30 years Of age.
lie was in that year elected to represent his
| district IA the legislative assembly and he
continued to dschGrgc his duties as u mem.
Der Of the state Legislature until 1915. Dur
! ing this service. he showed such ability, firm.
ness, and taithfulness to duty, that skipping
the usual intermediate steps of distinction,
| the democratic party nominated him for the
governorship Of tho state Of New York in
| 1850. His opponent was Mr.. Washington
llAIks WHO lUlttl was 'lFNA@A l'hN +Al o.
Seymour made, by his own personal efforts,
the contest one If the sharpest that has ov'
or been recorded in the political annals Of
the state.
At the very next election, in 1852, the
Now York democracy confirmed their faith
in Mr.. Seymour and, by nominating him
again for the Office Of governor, testified that
they attributed the former defeat in no wise
TO their candidate, to his want Of ability, en-.
ergy, Or integrity. The result proved that
they were right in their faith, for Mr.. Sey.
mour was elected to the chief Office OF the
state Of New York by an overwhelming ma
ority lie took his scat rs governor, and
term of office was characterized by many
measures of great benefit to the common
wealth His native dignity of which agOOd
idea may DO formed by those Of Chtcago's citi'
zons who saw him prcsdeat the Chicago con
yention in 1854, is singularly well adapted to
any position that demands earnestnoss and
decision Even at this early day, he evinC.
I'd determination to cOunleTact the grow.
ing tendency to ianatlCiSm, Capitalization,
and undue assumption Of power, incOnsi5t
ent with tho spirit Of our government One
Of the most noteworthy acts Of bis term was
on the veto Of the Maincaw liquor bill. His
foresight was penetrating enough TO discern
the evils that would follow a measure thai.
had no basis OF principle upon which to
stand.
Ia 1856, Mr.. seymour name WAS prOni.
ncntIy mentioned in the democratic national
convention in connection with the nomina.
ton for the presidency, and he was already
4. 1 E . a. 4
truCst democrats in the land. In 1862, he
received the nomination for the governor
| ship of New York in opposition to General
| WadswOrth. This contest is memorable in
the history Of the country. Governor Sey.
mour met the issue, a. he always does, open
ly aud clearly. With heart and will for
the preservation Of the union, which were at.
forwards practically and satisfactorily put
to the tct, he opposed the corruption OF
the party in power with all his strength.
Ia order to iorestal any efforts which may
be made to challenge hi, devotion to the un
ion, we give an extract from a speech which
he delivered during his canvass in 1862 In
his glowing, polished style, be said
Now, whom the men the south make the bay.
onot and the sword the srhltcr they elected, and
not wei when they determined to settle it by
blood l0nd not We)--tho sword 90 far az the pres
cnt is concerned, must be the aTbiter and IN 0ul
strong arms it shall make vigorous and true blow:
for the life Of our country, its institutions, and
for its flag. Now, let mo cay this 10 the higher
| law men Of the north. andtO the higher law men
Of the south, and to the whole world that locke on,
| witnesses to the mighty events uanspr-
| ing in this country, that this union
| shall mover b. scyerod,-ro, never
Whatever other men may say, ~ for the conscrva-
tive people Of this country, and a. for myself az
an individual, let other mon say and think what
| thoy PIoHse-as for the division Of this union,
And the breaking up OF that great national Al.
| lance which is made by nature and ~ natures
| cod, | never VIII consent 20 it,--uo never, Ne
| long az | have q voice to rsisc OF IL hand to
| Eight for this, our glorious land"
! At his Inauguration ~ governor OF New
| York, on January J., 1868, Mr.. Seymour at
once sPranq into national prominence. He
| announced himself, in his inaugural, rs be.
ing prepared to support, at once, the con
stituton Of the United States, and that Of
the state Of New York, which, he said "1o
not conflict The line Of separation between
the RESPONSIBILITIES and Obligations which
each imposes as vol defined"
In July, there culminatod, in an alarming
riot in New York city, the difficulties which
h"d been brewing during the year, with ret
.rence to the draft. 1t was Justly believed,
by the citizens OF New York, that that city
was beng unJustiy drawn upon for quotas
troops,
The outbreak was serious and menaccd
revolution 1t was Mt this critical period
| that Governor Seymour became the master
| spirit Of the occasion and its occurrences -
| On the one lpDd he pyrrtpl his uprsoual in.
'iuence to quiet the tremendous excitement
| that prevailed IN the city and, on the
other, he applied himself to using such et-
forts at Washington rs would secure re-
movai OF the unjust inequality of the enrol
m"nt, and thereby remove the cause of the
| outbreak, He first addressed letter asking