The Portland daily press., 1872-10-11
Death of Hon. William III. Seward

OF Hon. Wllllam ii. Seward, at his residence
in Auburn, New York, Thursday afternoon. For
several years Mr. Seward has been confirmed
and almost helpless invalid, but the fact that
he dictated a letter few days since, in which
was displayed his accustomed clearness, led the
public to believe that he was in his accustomed
health --N.| .aAs-lL
William Henry Seward was born in Florida,
ancestors on his fathers side were of Welsh ex-
traction and on his mothers Irish. His father
was wealthy physician.
Mr.. Seward received his preparatory course
for college at Goshen Academy. AT the age of
fifteen he went to Union College prepared for
the Junior class but entered the Sophomore.
During his senior year he taught school in
Georgia six months, where he received his i'm
pressions hostile to slavery He graduated in
1919, and studying law was admitted to the bar
in 1922. The year following he removed to Au-
burn, where he entered practice in partnership
with Judge Miller, whose youngest daughter he
married in 1924. The same year he made his
first political address, taking ground against
the leaders of the Democratic party, then styl-
ed the "Albany Regency" He continued this
warfare until 1888, when the regency was over
thrown. He early espoused the cause of the
Whig party and made marked impression in
1928 as president of young mems convention
called in favor of the reelection of John Quin-
cy Adams On his return home he was ten
dered nomination for Congress, being then 27
years of age, which he declined. Two years
later he was elected to the State Senate as an
anti-mason. Young as he was he took prom
inent position in that body. Among the meas
ures he advocated were those relating to inter
nal Improvements, popular education and the
abolition of imprisonment for debt. He origi-
mated opposition to corporate monopolies. In
1888 he visited Europe. In 1884 he was nomi-
feated by Hon. w. L. Marcy, although he led
his ticket in every county. In 1888 he was
again candidate for Governor against Mr.. Mar
cy, and was then elected by 10000 majority.
The measures that he advocated during his ad-
minstration marked him as progressive states
man. Among these measures were those to Sc
cure the diffusion of common school education
among children of every class, avigorcus prose-
cution of the public works, including the en-
abilities imposed on foreigners, and remodeling
and simplifying the whole judiciary system of
the State. While he was Governor a contro-
versy sprung up between Mr.. Seward and the
executive of Virginia relative to the rendition
of two seamen charged with the abduction of
two slaves. Gov. Seward maintained that no
State could force requisition upon another
State founded on an act which was only crim-
nal by its own legislation, and which, compar-
ed with general standards was not only inno-
cent but praiseworthy.
He was reelected in 1910 and declined a third
nomination. Retiring from Office he resumed
his law practice which was most lucrative. His
practice was generally confined to civil matters,
but once in while his generous nature as his
deep seated aversion to slavery, led him to ap-
pear in criminal cases, where his efforts justly
held high place ON the records of criminal
trials. ea. .-Ir... .--....
In 1874 Mr.. Seward entered with energy into
the presidential contest in behalf of Henry
lor. With the election of Gen. Taylor and the
ascendency of his party in the State, he was
the unanimous choice of hisp party for the Unit
ed States Senatorship, to which position he was
elected in February, 18i9, receiving 121 votes to
30 for all others. When Congress met in De-
cember, the Southern members apprehending
that Gen Taylor's administration would be es-
sentiaily anti-slavery took grounds in oppos-
ton even before it was inaugurated. Gov.
Seward at the head of the friends of freedom
sustained it, and he at once became one of Gen.
To vi al fria ,JS ii 1,aJv
ing that Congress a violent contest was COM
menced on the slavery question, when Mr..
Sewrad declared he would make no further
concessions. In speech on the admission of
California, he declared 'sthat there was higher
law than the constitution which regulates our
authority over the domain and devotes it to no.
BILE purposes" His use of the term higher law
produced a sensation in political circles.
Nor did Mr. Seward expend all his energies
upon this great question. He made elaborate
speeches on the industrial and commercial rela-
tions of the country, on the Pacific Railroad,
the tariff, the public lands, American fisheries,
and ocean telegraph, etc., etc. In the succeed
ing years he was one of the few prominent an
ti-slayery champions and no man in the nation
was so generally accepted as leader by the
anti-slavery element. In speech in 1858 he
said: "Shall tell you what this collision
means? tits an irreprcssible conflict between
opposing and enduring forces, and means that
the United States must and will, sooner or lat
er, become entirely slave holding nation, or
entirely free labor nation''
During the last session of the 36th Congress
1S60-1-the Southern secession plainly reveal
ing itself, Mr.. Seward said: 81 ayow my ad-
herence to the Union with my friends, with
my party, with my State, or without either, as
they may determine; in any event of peace OF
war, with every consequence of honor OF dis
honor, of life or DEATH" He declared in con-
clusion that he would never give his ''vote di-
rectly or indirectly to sanction slavery in the
common territories of the United States or any
where else in the world.''
Mr.. Seward was most effective in the Ere
mont canvass in 1856 In 1860 he was eandi-
date in the Chicago Convention for the Presi-
dency, and undoubtedly the choice of large
majority of the anti-slavery masses throughout
the country. In the Convention he received
173 votes and Mr. Lincoln, the next highest,
103 on the first ballot. Mr.. Lincoln being final
ly nominated, Mr.. Seward ardently SUPPORTED
the nomination and entered warmly into the
canvass. -..r.... -. .......... .
Upon the election of Mr.. Lincoln, he tender
ed the chief place in the Cabinet, Secretary of
State, to the great party leader and statesman.
1t is not within the province of this notice to
dwell upon the condition of the government if
it may, by figure Of speech, be so termed, at
that time. There was no government, no ar
my, no treasury, no credit, hardly country
No statesmen of modern times have been call
ed to such perilous task as were Lincoln and
his Cabinet. The overshadowing issue of the
great civil war so absorbed the public attention
that Mr.. Stewards great services were for the
most part unnoticed. No foreign Secretary was
.ver called to so difficult and delicate tasks, and
It may be justly said that in modern times none
has ever displayed SO great skill or has been SO
successful. The leading powers of
Europe were naturally our foes and secretly de-
sired the overthrow of our government To
manage the thousand delicate and intricate
matters that involved the great Premier at eve
y hand required not only courage but the high \
sst degree of skill and wisdom. Ordinary men
would have involved us in foreign wars when
We were straining every nerve to save national
integrity; but the great Premier was no ordin-
Try man, but the first diplomatist of the age.
If would ha ip,nncSihla to c;nul. or+ boro-,,,l