The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-12-06
SEWARD AT THE BAR.


When Mr.. Seward entered the legal
profession, Talcott. Van Nechten, Spen.
Ger. Butler, Cady, Noxon, Mathews,
Griffith ana others, whose names have
passed into history, were at the bar. lie
first appeared at the bar Of the court for
the correction Of errors in the case of
Walxeman We. Grover, which is still re-
garded as a leading case.-one that first
settled the law in reference TO assign
ments in trust Tor the benefit of credit
ors. IL created much interest, particu-
ly among the merchants in the city of
New York. Mr.. Seward was opposed
by Samuel A. Talcott, Benjamin F.
Butler ana Daniel A. Lord. lie was
assisted by Abraham Van Vechten.
To enter contest of this nature,
against such powerful opponents, was a
severe but profitable test of the young
lawyers abilities. Though nc was the
youngest counsel in the case, he won the
respect OF his colleague and of his OPP.
ponents 10y his strong, l-digested,
learned, but unassuming argument.
AS a lawyer, Mr.. Seward possessed 3
minute, comprehensive, and rapid OBJ
seryation-a memory at once retentive
and ready; penetrating mind, capable
of great exertion. Though he was not
distinguished for grace OF oratory, he
was an able debater and a skilliul adyo.
cate. His legal arguments were CHAR.
scterizad by force, celebrity, persp Guilty
Of detail plentItude of legal KNOW
edge, and continuity Of expression; it
was impossible TO follow HIM through
any of ais legal or parliamentary efforts
without at once being delighted and
improved; and yet, without close atteL-
ton, he was liable TO be misunders TODD.
Judge CoWen once said of Mr.. Seward
He is clear, logical and natural
speaker al the bar and yet he Is some.
tunes considered obscure from the intel.
lectual effort alone, which ii requires TO
follow him \ simil r remark was
once made of Edwin Burke, with the
further objection that his arguments
were too astrict and tumid.
Mr.. Seward united habits OF ab5trac-
ton in everyday practice, and hQ could
consider things IN general or IN detail,
as occasion required, differing from those
possessing knowledge Of general prin-
Ciples,-a talent for general reasoning
united with fiuency Of speech, and who,
10 the crowd, seem to possess abilities
suitable for any exalted position in life,
while wholly incapaciated for the con.
duct OF affairs requiring close argument
or minute attention to detail.
At the bar, and in parliamentary
bodies, Mr.. Seward, while comparative
ly young, came in collision with great
men-wlth Clay, Webster, Douglas. Ben.
TON, and, a. has already been said, VITA
the eminent lawyers of the past-with
men whose memory creates in the mind
feelings aNin 10 the emotions to the awe
struck pagan amid the ruins of Delphi, as
fancy brought 10 his ear the voice of
the oracle and the music of the invisible
harp, who beheld in the dismautled
shrine the alembic from which once
ernanated supernal wisdom, and history
will confirm the assertion that he lost
nothing when compared with his great
competitors.
HIS defense of William Freeman, the
murderer OF the Van Nest family. was
one or the most mastery and aole in
the history O. criminal trials But bril-
liant and great as was his effort in de.
tense OF Freeman the moral effect of his
defense OF Henry Wyatt renders that
she GROWING effort of his professional
lie. In that defense Mr.. Seward was
sustained with great learning and ability
by Hon. Christopher Morgan, of Auburn,
and Hon. Samuel Blatchford, of New
York. Both Of these eminent lawyers
we're then the law partners of Mr.. Sew
ard, and entered into the defense OF
Wyatt with great zeal and ability.
Wyatt, a convict in Auburn State
Prison, was indicted and brought to
trial for boldly and atrociously killing a
fellow prisoner while on the way to the
prison chapel. Mr.. Seward and his as
sociates interposed for their client the
plea of moral insanity-that plea which
insists that persons who are the subjects
OF natural or congenlal moral derange-
ment are not morally accountable, be.
cause, though they may know an act to
be wrong, cannot refrain fromd DING it !;
that "when disease is the propelllng,
uncomfortable power that urges a man
to commit crime, he is as innocent as
The weapon with which the deed is com.
mitted, the mental and moral elements
being as gui.tless as the material that
he might as well be punished Tor his
inability to distinguish between right
and wrong as for an incapacty to resist
mental disease which forces upon him
its choice of the wrong Though it
was believed by many that this plea
rested on subtle medical theory, and
therefore unpopular, yet in the case OF
Wyatt it was boldly, ingeniously, and
powerfully advocated, aud if uusuccess-
full it resulted, as will be seen, in the
Punishment of the lash and the whip.
ping post from the prisons of this and
other States, and from our navy.
While Governor of New York, Mr..
Seward frequently but fruitiessiy rec
commended the adjustment OF whips
ping as punitive measure in prisons.
Alter many closely contested objection
ne was permitted by the court to prove
That when a convict was sentenced to
the "cat," as the whipping was called,