Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-10-18
William m. Seward.

Mr.. Seward was born in Florida, Orange
county, New York, in 1901, graduated at
Union College in 1920, was admitted to
the Bar in 1922, and commenced practice
at Auburn In 1923. He was elected TO the
State Senate in 1880 and became the
champion of internal Improvements, Of
the abolition Of imprisonment for debt, and
OF giving the people more power in the
election of public officers. In 1888 he
visited Europe. Iu 1884 he was the Re
publican candidate for Governor, but was
defeated by Mr.. Marcy. In 1888 he was
again candidate, aud was elected by a
large majority.
As Governor Of New York he recon-
mended measures favorable to an increase
of education, internal Improvements, q
liberal policy towards foreign immigrants,
aud took the side Of abolition in the grow
ing controversies about slavery. He was
elected and served as Governor of the
State a second term. In 1949 he was
elected to the Senate Of the United States,
where he became the acknowledged leader
of his party, and in the debate on the ad-
mission Of California he promulgated what
was called his higher law" doctrine in
saying there was I" a higher law than the
Constitution which regulated the authority
of Congress over the national domain-the
law of God and the interests Of humanity"
In speech at Rochester, in 1855, he de-
clared that there was an irrepressible
conflict between opposing and enduring
forces and that " the United States must
become either entirely slave or entirely
free" In 1850 he again visited Europe, eA-
tending his tour to Egypt aud the Holy Land.
In 1850 Mr.. Seward was, perhaps,
the most prominent candidate for the
nomination Of the Republican party for the
Presidency, but was defeated by Mr..
Lincoln, and afterwards became Secretary
of State under him. In that position he
furnished tho brains that enabled the
North to bring to successful issue the
war that has cntailed such great ruin upon
tho South. His was the master spirit that
brought order out of chaos. But for him
the South to-day would be free and in
dependent people.
On the 14th Of April, 1865, et the same
time that President Lincoln was assassi-
mated by Booth, another assassin, named
Payne, entered the room of Mr.. Seward,
who was confined to his bed by sickness,
and inflicted upon him wounds that nearly
proved fatal. After the death Of Mr..
Lincoln MIR. Seward continued to act as
Secretary Of State until the close Of All
drew Johnson's Presidency. In 166S-'69
he made an extended tour through the far
Northwest, Alaska, California, Mexico and
other Countries In 1870 he again set out
on his travels through Eastern Asia, &c.
Indeed, since his retirement from office: he
has employed the greater part Of his time
in travelling.
He died at Auburn, Now York, on the
day before yesterday in the afternoon.
The South owes nothing of obligation,
of good will or Of gratitude to Mr.. Seward
or to his memory. He devoted the best
efforts Of the best years Of his life to the
task of educating the Northern mind to the
belief that the Constitution Of the United
States was 81 covenant with he'll and a
league with the devil" or at least that it
was Of no binding force, when it came In
conflict with their own individual notions.
How perfectly successful these efforts
proved, the present condition of the coun-
try mournfully attests.
1t is true that after the war in the field
had closed, as he surveyed the widespread
ruin he had brought about, he seemed TO
relent and to endeavor to check and to re-
strain the mad passions he had reused in
mems bosoms; but his failure in curbing
the passions Of men was as signal rs his
success in rOilsing them.
TO William II. Seward, more than to
any other man and more than to all other
men, il Is due that free government no
longer exists in America; that the COnsti-
tuition of the country and the liberties of
the people lie rnangled and lifeless at the
feet of military usiuper.
We desire not to reproach the dead, but
truth, lost cause, a grief-stricken people
aud deaolated country demand that VIC
should say this much.