Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-13

trace him from the time he stood in fact the
sole Senator Of the United States that main.
tanned fully and fairly the doctrines con-
corning the issue of slavery, which could be
distinguished on the one side from comprom-
Use, and on the other side from the irasci.
bility Of strict abolitionism. Aud in that
twelve years, up to the year 1860, when he
became a candidate for the Presidency and |
left tho Senate, he had collected about him |
tweptY-soven Senators Of the same faith |
and Of the same opinions Who shall say
that in life time a man cannot accomplish |
great results in so vast country as this,
when in twelve years you see such noble at
tendance around such a leader7 And now
when the great question came whether a
party that had thus been led up, whether a
people that had thus been served was to
choose among the favorite citizens for the
highest place this statesman, and when the
choice fell upon another, aud when triumph
--and the first triumph of the party-crown.
ed with the chief laurel younger soldier
in the great cause, then afterward, without
a marked pause, without a sentiment Of
doubt, without single flaw 10 the composure
Of his spirit, he took the place Of supporter
Of the head Of the party, and encountering
the storm which bad been developed by the
principles which he had advocated and which
he had maintained, he quailed before no re-.
sponsibility aud failed 10 no duty. If the
anxietes that touched the private citizen in
this supreme period Of nations history
were too much to be borne without anguish
and solicitude, what must have been the
troubles that surrounded this leader who
had felt his leadership envelope the country
in the storms and peris Of civil war But
as from the beginning, conscience, duty,
patriotism, sacrifice, had been the sustaining
motive, so these were adequate to meet all
the perils, and against all the disasters to
the state.
We come then to administration, 10
which he assumed share in the conduct of
affairs, most difficult always when nation
is carried through civil war. Then re.
volt against the country moro extensive in
area, more numerous in its adherents, more
powerful in its resources than ever had been
quelled by any country in the world, showed
the true strength of nation that as yet had
no assurance that it had the necessary
means and resources for preserving its boun-
daries. Yet he met and he carried share
of the battle through in such manner that
challenged the admiration of the statesmen
of Europe, and secured the favor Of the
whole people.
Now when we look for the traits Of char
acter, which in all these various forms Of
duty make the life of William II. Seward
one always and the same, what do we hnd
them7 Serenity of Judgment, that power Of
reasoning himself into calmness such as could
not be disturbed by casual impressions, or
threatened and alarmed by temper and
passion, judgement which made him the mas.
ter Of the confused couusels Of others, and by
rejecting the future, could hold the present ia
the past. Next, there was great forecast by
which he was able 10 keep up the mental
processes which were going on to their legit-
innate conclusions, and would yield no faith t
less intelligent, less faithful, less accurate OBJ
scrvation, for it is forecast that leads fortune
There is no prosperity that can fail, if pru.
dence be yonr constant attendant. But be-
sides that there was patience, without which
forecast and serenity do not complete the de
nomination Of human affairs that is possible
to men. "One of the great points," say.
Pascal, ain success is to know how long q
time it takes to succeed" Aud how many
an enterprise, military and civic fails fol
the want of that patience that could wait uu
ill the explosion to see whether the reef wa,
demolished.
Now this great character suffered as mucl
in his lifetime from misconception aud from
misrepresentation, from political abuse, a
any less pure and less faithful servant of the
country. When shall we learn that, tina
evil disposition in human nature which make
truth and charity so difficlt in little affair
is ten.fold more strong in human affair
when great men and great transactions ar
concerned When shall We get over tn
feeling that evil spoken of great men is tru
because we cannot see the personal motiv
that wings the barbed arrow And, fellow
citizens il only truth were spoken agains
our great men there would be but little scan
dial in our public affairs. For men who low
truth do not love to speak evil.
No doubt the greatest achievement Of states
manship within our age has been the main
) tenance of the American Government
| u
, aud probably the most difficult and the mos
, unprecedented prosperity that went to max
\ up the great aud general success was tn
Q administration in a civil war which so abso
, lutely prevented foreign Intervention, an
: maintained peace with all the rest Of tn
, world aud then was able to secure and cor
a firm, after the trial was over, that absolut
Q Difference that was paid to US by the Us
t tons, and when We know that it is nc
= enough to avoid just causes Of quarrel Q
= just causes of Intervention, but that states
= man should see to it, whether just or unjus
i. that there is no Intervention. There is
q signal triumph of the diplomacy Of Sewarc
! Did he abate one jot or title from the brigt
: name of his country1 What did he do
s lie had the wisdom to see that the surrcndt
s of Mason and Slidel against the reiterate
d repugnhtion Of the whole nation was Il
r measure that should teach England that
h principle Of public law should DO maintaine
= though Eugland had done all she could
s. her history to teach US to break it, and
20 made his countrymen understand that the
rs could afford to do right because it was RICH
,. aud they could better afford to do it whe
d besides being right it was necessary to sa'
W the nation. lie expelled the French fro
r, Mexico when our civil war was still Co
lie Quoting, when the French Empire was Ion
to ing to recognize the rebellion and to tai
Of part in the contest, and had planned it al
rs put the men into Mexico for that purpos
is He compelled these to evacuate, and Wou
Il have saved Macmillan himself if it hi
W been in the power Of the compromise to c
v. cuse so great crime as the invasion Of d
n, nation. lie was triumphant over every effo
v. on the part of European nation to get no
err of ground or opportunity for the recogr
y, ton of the rebellion and for interference wi
~ our country, and then when our triuml
i. was complete, when our pride and onr !