The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-07-24
BLOOMSBURG Pa, FRIDAY, 1865

first time the forensic ability and ora
torical powers that have since distin
guished him.
In the spring of 1912 Mr.. Seymour
was elected Mayor of the City of Utica
despite the continued hostility and OPP
position of the Wings. In the fall o
1913, he was again elected a member o
the Lower House of the Legislature
and was reelected to, and served In
the same position during the sessions
of 1914 and 1915. The session of 1914
was an important and exciting one, the
Assembly being agitatcd with acrimo.
NOUS contests, chiefly springing from
contemplated opposition to the admin
istration of Governor Bouck. The lea
ders in the debates of the session were
Mr.. Seymour and Mr.. Hoffman, the
recognized leaders of the Legislature in
1912, and formidable antagonist in de
bate, but Mr.. Seymour appears to have
COPIED with him successfully, and to
'haVc won not only the plaudits of his
|
his constituents likewise. The session
of 1915 opened with a changed spirit,
! based upon the victorious election Of
Mr.. Polk to the Presidency. At the
outset of this session Mr.. Seymour was
induced by his friends to enter the con-
test for Spcakership, to which position
he was triumphantly elected, despite a
violent factionate fight, which seriously
threatened his prospects. One of the
prominent and important events of
| this session was the election of Daniel
$. Dickinson to the United States Sen
ate, in which Mr.. Seymour took a lead
ing and active part. lie also engaged
with fervent spirit in the discussion
relative to the call of convention to
amend the Constitution, but voted
against the bill providing for that mea-
sure. With this session Mr.. Seymour's
legislative career was brought to close.
For the succeeding five years Mr..
Seymour was not prominent in public
life, having resumed the practice of law
in the City of Utica. BY the action of
the Legislature of 1850, providing for
the enlargement and Improvement of
the Erie Canal, and approprating the
revenue of the State in contravention
to the provisions of the constitution,
Mr.. Seymour again assumed leading
position in State politics, and most ear
nestly resisted this effort to override the
provisions of a constitution so recently
adopted. On account of his strenuous
opposition to that measure, he was that
year $780, for the first time, placed in
nomination for Governor of the State,
in opposition to Washington Hunt. The
result of the election was, for Seymour
81 1852 votes; for Hunt, 2l4,614. Mr.
Seymour having been defeated by 26!
votes.
| In 1852, Mr.. Seymour was again plac
ed in nomination by the Democrat,
party, in opposition to Washington
Hunt (Whls) and Minthorne Tompkins
(Frec Soil, with the following result
Seymour,."26i, i,12l Tomphins.. ...19, ,29t
llunt..........239, ,736
Mr.. Seymour was triumphantly elect.
ed over two competitors as the CHIEF
executive officer of the State. His ad.
ministration of State affairs, ,as generally
conceded, was rendered by ability, tact
and good judgment. While occupying
the gubernatOrial chair in 1852 ,he vetoed
the notorious Maine law, and the cor.
rectness of his views rs to the power OF
the Legislature to pass sumptuary laws
subsequently fully established by for
NAL deci sion of the Court of Appeals.
In 1854 Mr.. Seymour was nominated
by the Democracy for reelection, with
Myron II. Clark (Republican), Daniel
Ullman (American), and Greene G
Bronson Hard Shell Democrat) as OPP
ponents. The following was the result
of the election:
Seymour. lj6, 495 Ullman. n..,...l22 2S:
Clark .........l56, ,SOi Bronson..... 33 So
Although this election resulted in Mr.
Seymour's defeat, it demonstrated very
satisfactorily his unwaning popularity
with the people, and his certainty o
success withthe party united and work
ing for one candidate. At the conclu
sion of this contest, Mr.. Seymour agaiI
resumed the work of his profession II
Utica. In everything appertaining t.
the success of the Democracy he took al
active and sympathetic interest. IL
attended National and State Convcn
tions with great regularity, and was al
ways accorded II leading position il
the councils of the same. At the Ma
tional Democratic Convention ut Charls
ton, in 1860, he was proposed by th'
Southern delegates rs cOmpromis
candidate between Douglas and BrecS
inridge, but owing to the opposition o
the New York delegation his name wa
withdrawn.
In 1862 Mr.. Seymour was for tn
fourth time placed in nomination 70
Governor of this State by the Demo
, Gratis, against General Wadsworth, tn
Republican nominee. The result of tn
election was as follows:
Seymour oOO,ui
, Wad5W0rth..... 80, ,So
Mr., seymour was thus for the secon
time elected Governor of the State b.
the handsome majority of 1872. Afte
an abffadministration OF two years h
was, 1864, nominated for reelection
thi mo against Retseh' +. Fenton, b.
Win he was defeated.
} AT the, National Democratic Conven
: sEtiop held in Chicago in 1864, Mr.. Sey
ntoofwas with great unanimity chose
: its President, and how ably and eff
, ciently he discharged the duties an
responsibilities of that important pc
: sition, the records and history of til
> Convention will indispuatbly show
Since that time Mr.. Seymour has d'
) livered many powerful Democrat
= speeches in various parts of the country
| al,