Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-23

trolling the destinies of the nation, beset
with the difficulties of gigantic civil
war, cut of which grew countless
foreign complication, that constantly
brough to the attention of the Executive
for decision, new and intricate questions
of international law, he was really but 8
figure-head or a dummy, while his as
tute and experienced Secretary of State
had an intellectual superiority over him,
and directed the affairs of the nation in
the name of the martyr president.
The fame of William I'll. Seward is
secure, and will shine upon the page of
history as long as the principles of the
freedom and equality of man are hon
ored and appreciated. He has done too
much by pen, speech and action for the
advancement of his fellowmen to high
er plain of political action to be soon
forgotten, but the Chicago convention
of 1860, when they met to select the
candidate and give direction to the new
party, that was to come into power in
the nation for the first time, displayed a
foresight and skill in framing issues and
selecting men which has been vindicat-
ed to the commonest apprehension by
the thirteen years of trial and triumph,
that has passed into history, since that
time. And the fame and service of Mr..
Lincoln cannot be furnished by scholar
ly comparison of his sound Judgment,
persistent labors, brilliant perception,
and rough honesty with the subtle polit-
ical finesse, polished address, and adroit
and skillful tactics of his competitor be-
fore the convention. Both men were
valuable citizens and able statesmen,
and the world would never have been as
well off without either. ##
Both Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Seward
have finished their work and gone to
their rest, and we regret that this CON
troyersary has arisen; eat the friends Of
Governor Seward has forced it upon us,
and if it reacts against their fayorite,
they can only blame themselves for
bringing it about. Mr.. Adams made
his statements and his scholarly periods
were very soothing to the mourning ma
ton, so far as they praised the subject,
but every detraction from the reputation
of Mr.. Lincoln or Mr.. Chase, left
wound that all saw would be irritated
until in the vindication of the men
thus wrongfully attacked, the reputa-
ton of Seward would be assaulted and
impaired, Cassius NJ. Clay first came
forward with his firm dissent, and
spoke words that alone would destroy
the force of Mr.. Adams comparison.
Then Gideon Welles, the Secretary of
the Navy, in the cabinet of Mr.. Lincoln,
when Mr. Seward was Secretary of
State, publishes a lengthy expose of
affairs, that, if true, would wipe of
much of the vaunted claim of superior
craftsmanship from the New York Sec
rotary, and would show that while he
was an ambitious meddler and arrogant,
presuming ururper, that the stately
firmness of the president, kept him
where he did but little hurt, and re-
duced his Importance to that of a SERVE
ner of the administration IN communica-
ting with foreign nations. After MIR.
Wellses, comes Montgomery Blair
with a statement of facts, that he must
know about, and fully sustains him in his
deductions. .#...#. .#a
In 1860 the people passed upon the
comparative merits of the two men, and
never since that time has any one sought
a reversal of that judgment until Mr..
Adams eulogy was pronounced at AL
bany, The facts in reference to Mr..
LincoIrs administration, as related by
the surviving members of the Cabinet,
now show that it was for the best inter-
ests of Mr.. Stewards fair fame that his
eulogist should not have provoked this
discussion. 1t was nothing derOgatory
to the character or abilities of Mr.. Sew
ard that Abraham Lincoln should stand
above him, and his friends could well
afford to let impartial history care for
both, but they sought to press his repu-
tation into higher place than ii would
bear at the expense of the peoples IA
vorite, and they must suffer the humii-
alton of seeing it sink lower than it
would if let alone Truth Is mighty and
will indicate itself. |,.t 1855.