Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-10-23
From Tho Independent.
Seward's Last Great Speech in the
Senate.

The opening weeks Of 1861 were weeks ofI
iuteusest national excitement Civil war was
imminent yet many hoped it would be avert
ed. South Carolina had voted itself out of
the Union and seized Fort Moultrie, on its
abandonment by Major Anderson Georgia
had taken possession of Forts Pulaski aud
Jackson, and Alabama Of Fort Morgan.
Military preparations on an extensive scale
were making throughout the South, and the
more sagacous OF loyal governors at the
North were giving attention to the arming
and discipiuing Of militia. At Washington,
poor weak Buchanan was held 10 check from
further treachery by Edwin NJ. Stanton and
John A. Dix, the new members OF his cabi-
net, when Thompson and Cobb and Floyd no
longer led him in their way. Congress cou
do little else than earnestly discuss the one
great question Of the day. One after an
other the leading representatives and senators
had expressed their views, and threatened or
warned, or defed, or ontreated, or calmly
cqunseled in the emergency; until the ulti-
mNite demands and concessions Of well.nigh
all we're understood, without any seeming
possibility Of avoiding the dread resort to
arms, yet with the still remaining hope oil
peace.
Few, very few, wished for war; few even
Of those preparing for it could contemplate
its terrible possibility save with a shrinking
from the " bloody chasm' it must open. Yet
how could it be avoided2 One thing alone
remained in doubt; hence, that one thing
was the chief source Of hope. The policy OF
President Lincoln was not yet fully proclaim
ed What would that bc2 Senator Seward |
was understood to he chosen premier Of the
incoming cabinet lie would probably know |
the plans of the new administration As yet,
he had given no opinion Of the crisis. lle
was foremost member Of the Senate, leader
in the dominant party, and now he stood as a
representative Of the new government Why
did he not speak out and tell the country OF
its future As the days went by, aud no.
thing was heard from him, the desire for his
utteranco became prevailing one at the ma
tional capital and his motions were watched
as though in sense he held the nations life
in his keeping
On Wednesday, the OH Of January, 1861,
the Presidents message on the state Of the
Union was under consideration in the Senate
Mr. Seward moved that it be made the order
OF the day for Saturday, the l2th INST, at !
p. m. Al once it was understood that he
would thea speak upon the all-absorbing
them9, aud the news of this spread like
wld.iro II was that evening the talk Of all
Washington. The story Of it was flashed
over the land, and national expectation was
aroused That very day X. NJ. i. Hunter,
Of Virginia, who had been called a moderate
man, had, in an elaborate speech, declared the
Union already dissolved, and announced i'm
plrously the terms on which the North might
possibly be received into the Southern Con-
iederacy. Mississippi passed its ordinance Of
secession The news also came from Char
lesion harbor Of the rebels firing into the
steamer Star of the West seut to supply
the garrison at Fort Sumter. These events
added not little TO the excitement Of the
hour. Alabama and Florada seceeded in the
next two days.
On aturday morning, by 8 o'clock, the
crowd commenced moving toward the Capt.
toll. By II the galleries Of the Senate Cham-
Der aud the adjoining corridors were closely
packed, At noon Vice President Breekeu-
ridge was Ia his place. Every Southern SEN
ator in town was there. Time dragged slow
ly 10 anxious waiting. Soon after IL the
Senate was called to order, aud Dr.. Gurley,
the chaplain, offered prayer. Ladies and 9TH
ers not entitled to place on the floor were
ordered to withdraw. The Journal was Rad
At II 20 Senator Seward came 10, and hum
dreds whispered simultaneously: There he
is I" Laying his speech portfolio on his desk, ,
he stepped to the Vice. Presidents scat aud
took pinch of suuh lie returned 10 his
seat, aud nodded familarly right and left
All eyes were on him-not for his sake, but
for his country's sake-not because there was
help IN him. but because there was help in no
one else. His country seemed on the verge
Of ruin. No man had yet said he could save
it, Would ho2 There was little mood for
routine business. All waited anxously the
coming hour. As ii the delay could no long
or be borne, at 1910 Senator Gwnn moved
that the order OF the day be now taken up,
as the Senator from New York was ready.
Every chair was turned toward Stewards. As
the Vice President said "The Senator from
New York has the floor" everybody in the
galleries told everybody else to hush. Then
all was still as death. Oh how they lis
tened.
Mr. Seward commenced in low tone of
voice but raised it as he proceeded, until his
every word was heard by all. The speech
proved a disappointment. 1t said nothing Of
administration policy. 1t dwelt chiefly on the
glorles aud advantages Of The National Union
and the terrible evils Of disunion. Yet it was
followed to its close by the listening multi