New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-24

MIR. Seward resumed the practice OF law, anu
settled in Chautauqua county, as the agent
of the Holland Land Company. In 1888 he
was again nominated for Governor by the
Wings against his old opponent, Mr.. Marcy,
and this time was triumphantly elected by a
| majority of 10000. His administration o.
| the Executive Office of the State extended
| over a period Of four years, at a time when
| the nation, as well as many Of the individual
| States, was shaken by financial commissions,
and subject to intense political excitement,
| but his firm and straightforward course on
| these important questions won for him the
confidence of the people of his own State,
BESIDES giving him national reputation.
Both as Senator and as Governor of the
State Mr.. Seward was strenuous advocate
| of reform and improvement, and among the
! measures which received his ardent support
were those in favor of the abolition or inn
prisonment for debt, the amclioratlon OF
prison discipline, extension OF the popular
| franchise, improvement in the courts OF law,
| the general diffusion of education, and the
construction and enlargement of railroads,
canals, and other public works. n contro-
versv which excited considerable attention
in its day sprung up between Gov. Seward
| and the Governor of Virginia on an applica-
| ton of the latter for the surrender OF two
seamen, charged with abducting slaves. Mr..
Seward refused to give up the men, mann
tanning that no State could enforce requi-
sition upon another State founded Oh an act
which was criminal only by its own legisla-
ton. The correspondence which followed
this refusal, and which was known as the
Virginia Controversy" was widely pub
lished and attracted the attention OF the
whole nation. a similar instance OF his
firmness in a course which he believed to be
right was exhibited in lS4l, when he refused
to surrender to the British Government a
Canadian citizen named Alexander Mcleod,
charged with the murder of citizen of New
York at the burning Of the Carolne-a de-
cision he adhered to notwithstanding the
advice Of President Tylcr's Administration
and threats of hostility on the part of the
British Minister.
In 1913 Mr.. Seward declined third nomi-
nation for the Executive chair of his State,
and returned to the practice of law, in which
he Immediately took very high rank.
For six wears he was necessarily occupied in
a large practice in the State Courts, and i'll
numerous important patent cases before the
Federal tribunals. At the same time he
frequently took up the defense of persons ac-
cused of crime, in some cases not only giving
his services gratutously, but even furnishing
large sums Of money to secure thorough de-
Tense; and his arguments in the case OF the
negro Freeman, the murderer OF the Van
Nest family; of John Van Zandt, charged
with harboring fugitive slaves in Ohio, and
of the fifty citizens of Michigan indicted fol
conspiracy, hold high place in the records Of
American criminal trials. The last men
toned case occupied four months in the trial
t and involved the examination OF 400 wit
nesses. Thirty-eight Of the men were &C.
! Quilted. During this same period Mr.. Sew
ard was by no means withdrawn from an ac'
, tive interest in political affairs. In the
Presidential canvass of 1914 he heartily cs
poused the cause of Mr.. Clay, and made
several effective speeches in favor OF the
J tariff and in opposition to the annexation O
Texas and the Mexican war. In 1916 he
was instrumental in securing the call OF the
| Convention for revising the Constitution o.
the State of New York. In September
, lS47, he delivered an eloquent address in
, this city on the life and character of Daniel
} O'Connell, and in April, lS4S, pronounced an
, eulogy on John Quincy Adams before the
Legislature of New York. He took prom.
inent part in the campaign Of 1913, and can
vasssd several States in favor of the election
of Gen. Taylor. He was everywhere greeted
with enthusiasm, and his speeches were
among the most effective of those which
contributed to the triumph Of the Wing
party in the election of that year.
In the winter of 1850, and before the
Inauguration of Gen. Taylor, Mr.. Seward was
elected to succeed Gen. Dix in the Senate o.
the United States. During the first session
of his service in that august body Mr.. Seward
was distinguished by the great discussion o.
the slavery question, which resulted in the
compromise Of 1850. Although opposed tC
such giants in debate as Webster, Clay, CAL
houn, and Benton, Mr.. Seward declared him.
self as determined to make no further conces.
sion to slavery, and at once took the lead Of
1 &loa vy,o ny,nooaI IN fhc
His great speech on this subject was deliv.
cred ON the 18th of March, 1850, when he
declared that there is higher law than the
Constitution which regulates our authority
For his course in this controversy and his
annunciation of "higher law" than the
Constitution, he was violently assaulted, espe.
cially at the South, rs a dangerous aSitator
He also took part in other important Senate.
rial debates, making able and eloquent
speeches on the Pacific railroad, public lands
American fisheries, surveys of the Arctic and
Pacific oceans, the tariff, ocean telegraph
mail steamers, &C., always taking the most
advanced views in favor of public improve.
ments and the extension and development OF
commerce. Aside from the active part which
he took in Congress, Mr.. Seward engaged
from time to time in the argument of import
ant legal cases, and delivered public addresses
on various occasions. Among the most note.
worthy Of the latter was an Grafton at the
opening of the University of Ohio, on 1.-The
Destiny of America" and another before the
American Institute at New York, on "The
True Basis of American Independence" He
also pronounced eulogies of a high order on
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, and i'll the
summer of 1854 delivered the annual Grafton
before tho literary societies of Yale College
ON "The Physical, Moral, and Intellectual
Development of the American People," The
same year the degree of Doctor of Laws was
conferred upon him by Yale College.
Mr.. Seward was reelected to the Senate
in February, 1865, for an additional term of
six years, and during this second period OF
service in the National Legislature displayed
the same active interest in all measures OF
great public concern rs had distinguished
him in his previous Congressional career.
He took a leading part in the debates con-
nected with the troubles in Kansas, and
strcnuously opposed the admission of that
Territory under the LecOmpton Constitution,
insisting upon the right Of the people to de-
eide upon their own organic law. On all Oc-
casions, both IN and out of Congress, he
wased an uncompromising warfare against
the slave interest, and became well known
as A leader in the North of the party opposed
to the entertainments of that insidious pow