The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-10-19
William HI. Seward~.Last Mo-
1nentA of the Distinguished
Statesman.

New YORK, October 10.-Hon. Will
liam II. Seward took cold at Albany,
and had been somewhat unWell for o
day or two. On Saturdayhe was seized
with q severe chill, and his physician
was summoned. He had been passing
the summer in his ordinary good health,
suffering only from theincOnvenience of
the contraction of the muscles of his
arms, and had been engaged III prepar-
ing for the press an account Of his re-
cent journey around the world. The
chill vas that Of ordinary aguc, accom-
panied by a harrassing cough, followed
last night. On Sunday he was mp in
the evening, and took his dinner, and
passed comfortably. On Monday, with
the exception of his cough and catarrh,
he was comfortable and dictated asusu-
al to his assistants in the completion of
his book. He played whist Monday
evening, but at ten o'clock at night Il
slight chill occurred, followed by dclir-
ium and fever, with an aggravated
catarrhal disturbance in the chest.
which lasted nearly allnight, his ply
sicians seeing him on this account af-
ter midnight. Tuesday morning, after
some sleep, he was again better, and
drove ont in the afternoon, but fever,
delirium and restlcssness returned.
Wednesday he drove ont two hours, and
dictated to his amanucnsis as usual,
though harrassed all day with a cough,
and catarrhal ctfUsiOn on the chest. On
"Wednesday evening his cough abated
for a while, and there seemed a prom
lse for 4 good night, but his fever and
cough returned.
At.bed time he was nearly sleeDlcss,
until five o'clock in the morning. At
four o'clock, to relieve the tedium Of ~
ing sleepless, he had his son William
read the New York Times to him, OF
Wednesday morning. He slept after
i've o'clock pretty well, till eleven
o'clock this morning, although his fc-
Yer kept up without intermission. At
half-paSt one o'clock he was seized with
| great difficulty Of breathing, caused
by a sudden catarrhal effusiOn into the
lungs. 1t commenced with the right
lung, and soon involved the left also,
which OccasiOned his death in about
two hours. lie entertained no appre-
hensIon but that he should recOverfrom
the attack of catarrhal ague till last
night, but this morning the addition of
muscular palsy and increasing fever, to-
gether with the catarrhal disturbance,
led the physician to apprehend fatal re-
snlts in a week OF SO, vet no Immediate
fear was felt. and dissolution was sud-
den and unexpected. Stewards intel
lectual faculties were clear and vigor-
Gus to the last, save when disturbed
by paroxysms Of fever. Just after an
ettusion from the lungs to-day, and
thinking it would relieve his breathing,
he was, at his own request, placed on a
lounge and bOlstered up, and moved
from his adjoining he'd room into his
study, where i'll the midst of his books,
and his literary and other papers, and
surrounded by his relatives and a few
friends and all his devoted dependents
he breathed his last. For the last hour
OF his life of nature were giving way
his condition became easy, and he spent
his time in l~eave-taking of friends and
dependents, and finally sunk quietly to
his last rest as if going to sleep.