New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-24

campaign speeches IN the Western States in
behalf of his rival in the Convention.
The election of Mr.. Lincoln to the fresl-
Dental chair decided the Southern Leaders III
their course of hostility to the Union, as they
saw that their power was departing from
them. The spring of 1861 opened darklyfor
the country, and when President Lincoln
entered upon the duties of his position, the
| loyal portion of the people were assured oi
his earncstness by his rendering to Mr.. seward
| the important position of Secretary OF ota'e
in his Cabinet. The office was accepted
without moments hesitancy on the part Oh
| Mr. Seward, and he was destined to make Il
glorious record for himself and the Admins
tration by the calm and dgnified course ne
adopted ON the many important and vital
questions coming under his jurisdiction;
Previous to his leaving his seat as united
l States Senator the day before Mr.. Lincoln 5
inauguration, Mr.. Seward stood up, wlllc the
country was being startled by the iirst "mens
of approaching civil war, and declared MS
own position in these words y avoW my
adherence to the Union, with my friends,
with my party, with my State, or without
either, as they may determine; in every
event, of peace or war, with every conse,
uuence of honor or dishOnor, OF hte or death.
The period during which Mr.. Seward acted
as Secretary of State was undoubtedly the
most important and critical in the history OF
the country, and he administered the loEeiSh
affairs of the nation with signal success. Ills
judcious course in the Trent affair, When
the enyoys of the Southern Contederacy had
been taken forcibly from British vessel by
Can't Wilkes, of the United States navy,
probably saved the country from war with
England at a time when such an event would
have added greatly to the dangers OF the ma
ton. Much dissatisfaction was, however,
manifested at the general course OF Mr.. Sew
ard by members Of the Republican party, ana
a resolution was passed at the National Con-
vention in 1864, requesting the PRESIDENT TO
reconstruct his Cabinet. This action deeply
, Inundated the venerable Secretary, and he
at once sought to relieve the President from
all embarrassment by promptly rendering his
resignation. Mr.. Lincoln, however, valued
/ his counsels and his services too highly to
-. permit him to retire from the Cabinet, ana
| not ONLY retained him at that time, but reap
| pointed him for his second term, thereby
, manifesting his high appreciation OF the DIS
: tinguished services performed by MIR. Seward.
Early in April, 1865, Mr.. Seward was
thrown from his carriage and seriously in
: jured While he was yet confined to his bed
: bv these injuries, the dreadful tragedy OF Mr..
9 Lincolns assassination occurred. SO deep
4 and widespread was the plot that the con-
spirators sought to include Mr.. Seward i'll the
! list of victims. Payne, one of the gang, was
r deputed to attempt the murder of the Secre-
f tarv, and he so far succeeded i'll the effort as
= to penetrate to the chamber occupied by MIR.
Seward and inflicted upon him three stab
: wounds, besides severely woundng his son
/. Frederick and a servant, who attempted to
: stop him. The death of Mr.. Lincoln and the
: danger to the life of his devoted friend and
g Secretary, sent thrill through the hearts OF
: the people Mr.. Seward, however, soon re-
q covered, though much distigured and changed
e in his personal appearance.
fl When Andrew johnson assumed the duties
G of the Presidency, Mr.. Seward remained at
c the head of his Cabinet for the full term, be-
# ing thus Secretary of state for period OF
eight years-an epoch the most important III
D the history of the country-and most con-
| scientious and patriotic was his course of pub
\ lie duty during all of that time. When An
2 drew johnson entered upon his peculiar pol
: lev of reconstruction in the Southern States,
= Mr.. Seward came in for Il share of the disap-
4 probation this policy elected from the great
] Republican party, as he was believed to be
e in full sympathy and accord with President
4 Johnson in that policy. Being convinced
= that silence was the better course until the
party took some definite action, Mr.. Sew
2 ard remained under misrepresentation until
: the nomination of Grant and ColtaX as the
f Republican Presidential ticket. He then an
, nounced himself as heartily in favor of the
A nominees, and he gave them his support i'll a
# speech delivered ut Auburn, New ork, a
q few DAYS before the election, rs the "candi-
0 dates of authority" The leading features OF
= his foreign diplomacy during the Administra-
= ton of Mr.. johnson were: the discussion
= of the claims upon England for ravages upon
f American commerce committed during the
rebellion by privateers fitted out in English
: ports, the misunderstanding French intcrven-
e ton in Mexico, the negotiation OF naturallZa-
Q ton treaties with the leading European
> powers, and the purchase of Alaska from
5 Russia for the sum of 81 900 900. In all his
G diplomatic discussions Mr. Seward was full,
: clear, and straightforward.
Mr.. Stewards studies were not exclusively
those of a statesman, politician, or lawyer, tor
{ his published works bear ample testimony to
b. his general literary attainments and scholar
i ship. His orations on John Quincy Adams,
Daniel O'Connell, and the Marquis dc La
[ fayette, are conspicuous examples of rare
: culture and mastery of the English language.
f He also proved his high rank as an orator by
\ his address at the dedication of the Univer-
| sity of Columbus, Ohio and those delivered
: before the American Institute in New York,
$ the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Yale College,
= and numerous other occasional speeches on
, education, agriculture, and internal improve
E ments. He also published historical essay
e entitled "Notes on New Books to the great
. work on the natural history of this State, to
9 which it forms an introduction. Our Ian
, guage affords few better specimens of NOR
, tuary eloquence than his funeral elogiums on
, Senators Rusk, Clayton, and Broderick. In
0 1919 he prepareda popular life of John Quincy
| Adams, which had an immense sale ut the
, time. He also wrote Il biography of De Witt
; Clinton, an abstract of which he prepared for
Appleton's Encyclopedia. The Works Of VIZ
liam II. .Serarl were published by Redfield,
f under the editorship of George f. Baker, in
f 1858, and include his speeches in the United
| States and New York State Senate, besides
f debates, forensic arguments, messages, Off
| cial correspondence, orations, discourses,
q. occasional speeches, and addresses, letters
from Europe, and other literary efforts. a
| new volume was subsequently published con-
t tanning his great speeches on the Missouri
, COMPROMISE, on Kansas and Nebraska, the
Lecompton Constitution, the assault on Chas.
Sumner by Brooks, and all of his later
: speeches, essays, and arguments.
/ After the Inauguration of President Grant,
, Mr.. Seward fulfilled long-cheIished desire
| for an extended tour of travel. He pro-
ceeded on his Journey round the world late