The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-02-28
"REMINISCENCES
.ssH rrap rs' D- OF 81 -.af.I.l ...i
PUBLIC MEN.
BY Ex GOVERNOR b. F. PERRY.
lcoNTINuED FROM LAST WEEK !
WILLIAM III. SEWARD.

Nonb fhom LAST WEEK.
81. -rn7 WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
L have never -seen q more per.
feet politician than William ~.
Seward. Bat he is greatly more and
higher than a mere politician. He
is Statesman of the first order of
intellect and attainments. He pos.
sesses a great mind, and is capa.
Die OF grasping great national ques.
tions. As a Statesman, he NAV
see, and does see, every question
in its true light and bearing, but
as politician, most dexterons and
adroit, well skilled in human ma
ture and the practical affairs of the
world, he may see, and will see
the same question in a very diff.
ferent light. He is a tall, spare
man, with long face and nose,
and head not very remarkable.
Ills manners are free and easy and
cordial. 7.. -.,a"' " .".-.. ~
q When I fret met Mr.. Seward,
after the war was over, I had Just
lett the Attorney General, Mr..
Speed, who complained to me, in
very unkind terms, of a speech l
had made few days previously.
l mentioned the fact to MIR. Sew.
ard. He replied that he himself
had jnst read my speech carefully.
and that he thought it a very good
speech, considering the stand. point
fiom which I made it. "You
spoke said he, "for South Carolina
and not for the Northern people
When | was Governor of New
York, l made speeches which were
severely criticised in Charleston,
but l said, what the devil have the
people of Charleston to do with nv
speeches? They were made for
New York, and not for South Car.
olina." Mr.. Seward is fond of a
joke, and has a great deal of wit
and humor. He likes to tell a story
on himself as well as others. He
told me of meeting, many years
ago, a young gentleman from
South Carolina, at the Virginia
Springs, who INDUCED very freely
in his abuse of Martin an Buren,.
"This," said Mr.. Seward, ~ en-
joyed very heartily, and found nv
companion good Wing. l
thought then, that, as lie had been
abusing 'the great man of New
York. much to my satisfaction, I
would crafty him, as a brother
Wing, in the same way-by abas-
ing Mr.. Calhoun little, sthe great
man of South Carolina But to
my surprise, he instantly flew into
a great passion, and swore that no
man should abuse Mr.. Calhoun in
his presence. began to think
that | should have to fight the fel.
low before l got away from the
Springs" -
Whilst acting as Provisional
Governor, / wrote Mr.. Seward
complaining. in very strong terms.
OF the conduct OF the negro troops
in South Carolina. He replied
that he knew it was very offensive
to the people of South Carolina 10
SEQ their former slaves stationed
amongst them as soldiers: but
that, according to the army regu-
lations, no difference could be
made amongst the troops on ac.
count OF color. / replied, that we
did not object to the color of the
Federal troops so much as to their
atr"oious conduct. He then wrote
me that as soon as South Carolina
organized her State Government
all the Federal troops should be
Withdrawn. Unfortunately this
promise was not kept, but Mr.
Seward is not to blame. He was mt
terly opposed to the Congressional
policy pursued towards the South.
ern States. He is too grea. States.
man to have continued such des-
Potism and oppression. remem
Der receiving letter from Gov.
ernor Hammond, Of South Carroll.
ma, shortly after he took his seat
IN the Senate of the United States,
in which he stated that Mr.. Sew.
ard was the only Senator from the
North, who was really and trnly a
Statesman, and had thoroughly
educated himself as such by study
and reflection. 49," ...' 49,"
When !, fret, saw Mr.. Seward
he was just recovering from his
wounds inflicted by tie assassin,
at the time of President Lincoln's
murder. de had not long previ. |
onsly lost his wife. 7 wished some |
paper prepared the rext day. He
said, no, | must 60 to church to. |
morrow, for I have not been since
my ywifes death" Thinking. he
had mistaken the day Of the Week, V |
/ said TO him" do Won oo to