Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-05-02

went forth to assemble the most avaiQble
troops for Immediate embarkation to the points
in America closest upon our northern border
A Cabinet council was promptly assembled
Four dispatches were drawn up on the same
day, the Both Of November three of them ad-
dressed To the British Minister at Washington,
Lord Lyons, and one to the Lords Commls-
sioners of the Admiralty. All OF them dis;
tinctly anticipated an immediate rupture and
made provision for the event. Looking at
these proceedings as calmly as can from our
present point Of view, II seems impossible for
me to doubt that tho issue Of this peremptory
demand has been already prejudged by her
Majesty's Ministers. They did not themselves
believe that the men would be restored. Yet,
had 1t been judged proper to await for few
days the reception of official intelligence, then
on It's way from Washington, these gentlemen
would have learned from Mr.. Seward that the
act was without authority, and that the Gov
crnment was ready to listen to any reasonable
representations that might be forthcoming II
was the writing of that preliminary dispatch
that saved the dignity OF the country. Mr..
Seward could point to IL to prove that his
action, when finally taken, had not been
prompted by intimidation. The precipitate
British course had betrayed the rudeness of
distrust and nothing more. He had been
ready to hear and discuss the question
impartially and solely ON its merits. a war
with Great Britain to maintain an unsOund prin-
cple merely because the people made hero
OF Admiral Wilkes, would probably have ended
I'm triumph of the rebellion and permanent
disruption of the Union. When the time came
for the assembly of the Cabinet TO decide upon
an answer to Great Britain, not sign had been
given by the President or any of the members
favorable to concession. Mr.. Seward, who had
been charged with the official duty of furnish
ing the expected answer, assumed the RESPONSE
bility Of preparing his able argument upon
which decision was predcated to surrender the
men. Upon him would have rested the whole
weight of the popular Indignation, had 1t
proved formidable. If have been rightly in
formed, when read, it met with but few com
ments and less appreciation. On the other
hand there was no resistance. Silence gave
consent. 1t was the act of Mr. Seward and
his name was TO be chiefly associated with ii,
whether for good or for evil. That name will
ever stand signed at the foot of the dispatch.
In my firm belief that act saved the unity Of
the nation. 1t was like the fable of the Roman
Curtius, who leaped into the foamng abyss
which could have been closed in no other way.
The people acquiesced rather than approved,
and to this day they have never manifested any
sign of gratitude whatever.
In 1869 Mr. Seward returned home TO Au-
burn, the wreck of his former self. The con-
tinuous conflicts of twenty years, and especial
| " those of the last eight, with the assassin's
| knife, had told heavily on his frame That
| home, too, was no longer what IL had been,
when the gifted partner of his life and q be-
| joy in peaceful times Worst of all the
| symptoms of a subtle disease, creeping slowly
| from the eXtrCmites, came to warn him that
rcpose would be synonymous with decay.
Nothing daunted he determined to fight the
enemy to the last. He undertook the laborious
| task of a journey round the globe The turn of
his mind, ever indulging in wide speculation
| upon the objects presented to his observation,
is as clearly marked in this as it Is in any of his
| earlier productions Hence it is clear that
however impaired may have been his
tenement of clay, the living principle
| within held out firmly TO the last
And now the chief part of my work is done
| have tried to test the statesman by the
| highest standard known TO mankind. His
career covers the whole Of what | desig
| mated as the second period Of our history, that
pending which, the heaviest clog TO freedom, d
! perilous legacy from our forefathers, was, af
| ter long and severe conflict, at last happily re-
moved. In this trial Mr. Seward playeda great
| part. His mind, taking in the broadest view
| of practical popular government, never failed
HMM the useful application of his powers to the
| removal of all adventitious Obstructions to its
| development. He was never a mere theorst ol
| dreamer of possibilities he could not reach. He
| speculated boldly, but he was an actor all the
| while, and effected results. 1t is in this senst
| that think my narrative has established fol-
him just claim to the high position assigned
| to him at my outset. He NAV not, indeed
rise to the full stature of the philosopher
statesman, equal to the present, reaching for
| ward To the future never seen even In tn,
palmy days Of ancient Greece, or perhaps any
where else, but at least he stands in the first
rank of those admitted most nearly TO ap
| proach 1t.
Thus far have considered him exclusively
in his public life. The picture would scarcely
seem complete If / omitted a word about hin
as "A man like all the rest Of US. By nature ht
| can scarcely be said to have been gifted Will
the advantage OF an imposing presence, sucf
| as fell to the lot of Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Web
| ster. Neither in face nor in figure would hC
have attracted particular notice, and both hi.
voice and articulation were little favorable Il
the power of his elocution; yet he had in n re
markable degree the faculty Of fixing the hear
er's attention-the surest test of OratOritaf su
peTiority. His familiar conversation rarely KEEP
| in the dreary round of commonplace, and Offer
| struck into original and instructive paths. Hi!
personal address was easy and careless, some
times rather blunt. 1t lacked something o
the polish of the most refined society, bu
there was simplicity and heartines
in his genial hours that often brough
one close to him in moment. \
times when in good spirits there seemed su
perabundant glee springing from his owl
thoughts, which spent itself in laughter NOR
robust than could be wholly accomte,
for by anything expressed. And ye
it had a sympathetic power over th
hearers almost irresistible. In his domes
tic relations he was pure and affectionat
ready to heed the monitions of a gifted an
refined partner, and profit by her prudent cour
sci. To his intimate friends he was deeply al
tached. The line of great statesmen in Amer
ca may or may not stretch out
| In yon bright track that fires the western skies,
to the crack of doom. But the memory of hir
who guided our course through the most az
palling tempest yet experienced in our annal
can scarcely fail to confront all future aspirant
in the same honorable career as an eXampl
which every one Of them may initiate to his aC
vantage, but which few can hope to be so fol
tunate as to excel.