New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-11
q CaRIsraAN STATESMAN.
-T-s.
How the Late Gsverner seward Over.
cana AiA RnAmfNa.

I How the Late GovoEmoF seward Over.
caae Ais Knenies.
Glove your enemies. bless them that
curse you, and do good to them that hate
you" said Christ; "for by 90 doing" added
Paul. "thou shalt heap Goals Of tire on his
head" A beautiful precept, but rarely
prscticed. Such metsphoricsl use of fire
Is too mild even for Christian warfare; but
who would think of res0rting to it to sub
due q political adversary And yet dis
tinguished Statesman over whose mortal
RENAME the grave closed four years ago,
was remarkable for using this Christian
method of overcoming evil with good, and
in most cases with signal success.
William II. Seward entered the United
States Senate in l849. His friends in that
body were few, his enemies many. His
higher law doctrine has subjected him to
foul aspersion and abuse. His rule of con-
duct was never to reply to personal at
tack, but always to treat his bitterest
enemy with marked kindness. BY this
one by one they became his friends For
even though they continued to assail him,
some, like Mr.. Foote, of Mississippi, would
| apologize to him privately, and say that the
assault was from no personal luminosity,
but to appease their constituency.
Some will say it was only the superior
| cunning of the politician, and not the high
| minded impulse Of the Christian: which
| moved him. But why attribute the good
conduct of q man to low motives when
higher ones may have aosuated him! If
| his uniform course of conduct is consistent
with the higher motives, why insist on the
| l0wers
In the winter of 1851 Louis Kossuth
visited this country, and was received with
Ovations in every city where he went. His
theme was Intervention in behalf of Hun
nf Inv fnR hot
country in its struggles with Austria, and
in favor of the doctrine OF non-interventi0n,
we're submitted to the Senate ana debated
ct length.
Seward delivered an able speech on the
subject, in the course of which he referred
to q proposition submitted bv General
Washington to the Senate in 1892, to effect
the ransom Of thirteen American citizens
from Algerine pirates. He said:
Il address myself to the honorable Sem
ator from Rhode Island (Mr. Clsrke), who
moved the resolution against any departure
from the policy of Washington. Would you.
cir, pay q Bsrbsry pirate $4,000 to ransom
thirteen captives, and $25 900 bonus, and
s25 900 annually for exemption from de-
predatiOns2 He looks dssentingly. l ap.
peal to nv mulous friend from New Jersey
mr. Miller) Would you, sir9 No, not he.
l demand of the other honorable Senator
from New Jersey Mr.. Ssockton), who in his
triple character of Senator, Commodore and
General, presided ar the birthday congress.
siOnal banquet in honor of Washington and
dishOaOr of his Hungarian disciple, kossutb,
would you, sir! No. not he. Not one would
vote in the Senate Of the United States for
the continuance of this wise and humane
policy of Washington. And whya The an
swer may be easy-the times have changed
and we have changed with them
1t 90 happened that Commodore Stockton
was NOT present when the speech was de-
hvered, but he read it in print the next day.
Misinterpretiny the illusion to himself hls
anger ives excited, and he rushed INTO the
Senate to give the ''niZger law" Senator
broadside. Mr.. BOrland, Of Arkansas, was
just finishing long speech on dry subject
to almost empty benches. As soon as Mr..
BOrland had ended. up rose the irare Com
modore, charged to the mu1zls with grape
and canister.
'.Mr. President" said he, Il rise to par
s0nsl explanation. | have before me the
report of speech delivered here yesterday.
I would allude to the auther of the
speech in tho most contemptuous language
possible, were it not that the rules of the
Senate forbid it,"
At this point Mr.. Underwood, of Ken
lucky, most genial and goOd-natured man,
rose and appealed to Nj. Stockton to give
way for Q motion to adjourn. Mr. Under
wood being quick to foresee that the Senator
was about to make blunder. lnterposed
with the hope of saving him from making a
wsuld be sorry. But it WAS of no avail;
the Commodore fatty refused to give way
for anything, snd continued thus:
"The rules of the Senate require that
shall be respectful. My remarks are d.
rected to the Senator from New York Mr..
Seward). do not call him gentleman, and
l am compelled to call him Senator. And
here let me say that he need not tiatter him
eelt that he is going to rise higher than his
present position, what his aspirations may
be. The people of this country know him
too well ever to put him in the place his
ambition fondly hopes for"
Here again Mr.. Underwood appealed to
his friend to postpone his remarks till TO-
morrow, it being now past the usual time of
adjournment and but few members in their
seats, but the Commodore again refused,
and continued substantially ss follows:
'Mr. President, pronounce that speech
tinent, malignant and mendaci0us. 1t will
deceive no one unless perhaps the Dutch.
in whose language l understand it is to be-
printed. The Senator in that speech
charges me With dishonor. He refers to me
as having presided in the triple character
of Senator, Commodore and General at the
congressional banquet in honor of Wash
ington and dishonor of Kossush, and says
would not vote for such treaty as Wash
ington proposed in 1872 Sir, rep1st lDo
speech W. deceive no one except the
Dutch, ana instead of helping the Senator
in his asp! atoms, will only sink him still
lower, until he steps out o. the place he
now so unworthily holds and finds his
proper levri."
Having finished his speech, and his ad-
versary to-, as he seemed to think, the
Commodor,- cOmplacently resumed his seat.
w rose Mr. Seward, cool and bland, as
he always was, and said:
Mr.. Pres 1ent-I disciaim most sincerely |
any design 70 say one word to wound the |
feelings Of ae honorable Senator from New |
Jersey, for whom have always entertained,
and still er rertain, the highest respect and
kindness. Indeed, can say that l cherish
bedy than The honorable gentleman from
New jersey. l am sorry he did not |
think to call my attention privately to that |
part of my speech which he deemed often |
sive, for am certain that could have ex.
planned it to his satisfaction. He has |
made singular misinterpretation of my |
language, IS l think he will readily see |
proposition made by Washington to ransom |
thirteen American citizens from Barbary |
pirates by the payment of $4,000 and
further considerable sum annually to &c.
cure exemption from their depredatiO ms.
That proposition was made when this coun
try was young and weak, with no ability |
to prosecute war with foreign power,
however insignificant. But now the times
have changed, and this nation has become
a power on earth. Therefore, in putting
the question to the avowed advocates of
the policy of Washington. to avoid entan-