, 1873-09-12
Early life Of william Henry seward


And, first, the schOol-bOy-say about
twelve years Of age: thin, pale, under
sized, sandy-haired, freckled-flce boy.
He lived then in pleasant, very small
village, of about a hundred inhabitants,
named Florida, in Orange county, New
York. His father was wealthy ply
sician, Of Welsh extraction, who gained
his fortune by addinga large mercantile
business to the practice of his profession
an exact, just man, who lent money
to the neighboring farmers, and made
them pay their interest punctually on
the day. DIR. Seward, like most OF the
progressive men Of that day, was a JEFF
fersOnian Democrat. He served in the
Legislature, and was County Judge in
Orange for seventeen years. He lived
to l849, when his son was the foremost
man Of the State Of New York.
An aneedote, which Mr.. Seward him
self used to relate, will set. .1Ahat sandy
haired schoOl-boy distinctly before us.
He was driving his fathers cows home
one evening, reading AS he walked, oh.
livious of everything but his book and
his cows. Some young friends Of his.
seeing him tlIus absorbed. kept throw
ing small stones at him, which he pan-
ried by walking backward his eyes still
fixed upon the page. He soon wan
dered from the path, and so, missing
bridge over small, deep stream. fell
into it. Luckily an elder brother saw
the catastrophe, and pulled him out, in
time to saveahis life. This little story
reveals to us the eager, studious boy, of
mind somewhat precocious, and body
ill-fitted for the worlds rougher work.
The housein which he was born was
standing a few years ago, and probably
still stands and tree of the ancient
primeval woods casts its shade over a
spring to which the boy was accustomed
to repair, in order to learn his lessons
in quiet.
Next, a college student at Union,
under President Mott an activenem-
Der Of his college society, foremost IN
the debates, and jealous for the interest
and honor ofthe society. He was one
OF those students who are out of bed at
four in the morning, and get their
work so well forward that, in the even
ing, they are gentlemen of leisure,
reading, visiting, practicing, or cram
ming for the next debate.
In his senior year he left college for
a while, and spent six mouths as a
teacher in Georgia. What he saw there
Of the working u the 'speeuliar ialsti-
tutionv made an indelable impression
upon his mind, and had an Influence
upon his conduct as a public man as
long as be was a public man. He
learned this lesson that no man Is
good enough to be intrusted with ire
sponsible power over another.
A lawyer next. In his twenty-second
year he went to live at Auburn, In the
State Of New York--R beautiful town,
blackened though it still was by the
stumps Of the original forest. And now
the romance OF his life occurred. He
entered the law Office Ofa practitioner
wli0 was old, rich, and almost ready to
retire from business, Elijah Miller BY
name. Judge Miller, as he was usually
styled, had a beautiful daughter. Such
was the engaging merit Of this most
fortunate Of young men, that, by the
time he had been year In Auburn, he 1
had won the confidence Of the father
and the heart Of the daughter; and
each Of them gave him the most decis-
i've possible proof Of preference. The
father gave him share in his business,
and the daughter her hand In marriage.
The business be could have acquired
for himself; but the wife whom
he had won had few peers among
women. In the circle which gathered
round them, there were always some
who had their objections to this or that
In Mr.. Stewards conduct but who ever
heard OF anything but praise OF his
Yifep have myself heard Mr.. Sew
ards most successful opponent speak or
bis wife e the best woman and most
perfect lady Of her time.
He was . labOri0us and successful
lawyer, who excelled IN patent and
other cases involving research. He ap-
pears, also, 10 have had q generous in
clination to defend the weak against the
strong. There was one remarkable
case In his practice, In which he set his
face against the community in which
he lived, and defended q man for whose
blood all Western New York seemed
The prisoner was a negro,
lately discharged from the STATE prison
at Auburn, who entered Z lonely farm-
house near Auburn, IN the night, and
murdered the whole family, nther,
mother, child and grandmother, II
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