The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-28

depressed into "reminiscences OF the Revolutionary
war the disastrous attack upon Quebec OF the bat
lou, OF his generals. Greene, Gates, Lafayette; Of
Talleyrand, of Dr. Franklin and even OF ms great
rival, Hamilton, whom he had slain. The interview
was held in my family. on a Sunday. He suffered no
passage IN 10 occur without addressing some pleasing
compliment to my wife, and all the while held ons OK
both OF my children on his knee At last he came 10
the object Of his VISIT thought was wary as wen
firm in declining his request that would facilitate
his application to rcinstate the chancery sun.
made his motion, with affidavit, which detailed
the proceedings ut our interview IN manne,
could not successfully impeach IT, aud Mr. George
Cf0wdcr was rccstablished In court with all tue uu.
vantagcs hc had twice lost. 1t some delay and
much effort TO procure, from time 10 time persons N
New York city competent TO give perJurcd testimony
Of conversations held with my clients on their farms
IN Cayuga in hich they confessed away tncir Title
and their rights. And so Mr. Burr suffered the Same
misfortune his predecessors and was twice ruled out
OF cour,Kc them, and twice came back again. throuHn
tho Same means OF afidavits. based upon gentle ana
seductive interviews with myself. DO not thnk tnas
ana support he protested in these interviews But his
conversation fascinating and, in one sense IN
structve, though on most subjects preJudceo anu IN"
sincere
Tux WIG PARTY.
In 1884 In the midst OF the great popular cxcitement
which had been awakened by me debates oh h
an nual charter election OF the city oil New OK, ~
which the opposition TO the federal ana state udmn
istrations had assumed tho name oil wing lne
wing cxct secured majority Of four in the Common
Council and only ailed OF elcctinR thcr canuunte lor
".
ton followed by town meetings which sverywnere
indicated revolution OF OPINION against the admins
II became manifest TO that party that It expect
defeat In the charter election which was soon to come
of IN the city OF Albany, like that which naa SUI,
upon the popular mind which would DO produced ny
defeats not only the metropolis. out In the State
capital, the party managers resored 70 an expeaent'
then quite a novel one, 10 avert defeat In Albany.
They introduced a bill remodelling the Guy cnarier
and post ponng the election year, during which time
the present incumbcnts should hold over. This high
handed measure, partakng of tho defiance OF popular
opinion which then Inc a. 81
throughout tho State. was relied upon TO be the or
gan o. that opposition, and challenged the proceed
ING as being fragrant political abuse and violation
of the spirit OF the State constitution II tailed In
this speech, the failure consisted IN my moderation.
Chief Justice Spencer, then political actor insisted
upon my dcnouncing the new law US a violation, not
merely OF the spirit but OF the letter OF the consttu-
ton.
After organizing party the next thing was to get
candidate On tho subject of this search Mr.. Seward
says
rhurlow Weed, Frederick whttlesey and myself
fastened to New York. hoping to ascertain there that
a nomination Of hat eminent citizen Cuban Q. yer.
New York Tor Governor would DO acceptable TO him
and satisfactory to the party IN the eastern region OF
the State On arriving there we ascerained that ME-
Verpanck would not listen to proposition, and
that any other nomination that could De conceived
would be more acceptable than his. We were now as
toria candidate little Greece frequently Is IN want
of King. In the midst OF our perpsexes our Sell
constituted commission adjourned across tho
river TO see some new mechanical invention, then
on exhibition in tho public garden OF Hoboken' Sit
ting down there rest with ices wines and cigars on
the table before u.s. in the garden, surrounded by
crowds OF idlers, We camc to final consultation In
This debate we brought under discussion all the promi
nent men OF party throughout the State. stated
the argument In favor Of and considered the popular
and other objections against them. ! nominated Mr..
Weed. Mr. Whittlesey sustained my motion. MIR.
Weed positively and pcremptorily declined On the
second ballot voted for Mr.. Whttlesey; Mr. whitte.
sey Tor me; Mr.. Weed gave the casting vote IN my
favor We rose promptly from the table, and was
directed by tho majority oi the commission. to hasten
yeption should assemble to whom this arrangement
should be submitted.
Hereabouts the autobiography ends and the eicrsbe
GIN When appealed to write this autobiography Mr..
Seward took several days for reflection and then wrote
to mis- friend, Mr.. j. C. Derby. of Appleton's:-
am clearing away from my table an accumulated
business and Correspondence. with view, II
find the necessary and to prepare an account not or
nv life and times, but of my own particular part In
the transactions and events OF the period in which
have lived
He began the work In the form Of narrative ad.
dressed his children and brought the story down to
1884. HIS death left it unfinished
THE LETTERS
The letters are even more entertaining than the
Tor they were not intended for publica.
ton and are therefore free and easy style and
more personal in matter In letter 10 his wife he
gives an idea of how his life at Albany was SPENT:
THURSDAY. Jan. q, 1881.
Another days labor Is ended No measure Of importance
OF interest," has yet occurred la the Leesa
ture rise in the morning with the idea that nave moth.
ing do ill eeven to the House, occupied ut most
half hours home dine, and after that hour
Is allowed to be busy As. Tor instance after din
to-day into my room wrote the first two lines
page, interrupted by call aud continued re-
ceving and Diminishing visitors until about sunset when
abandoned all hope OF writing more line till everybody
should have gone to bed. SO, in despair / sal
lied FORTH went with Mr. Fuller. OF the Senate,
and called Mr.. samuel NJ Hopkins; spent half an
hour with down Manchesers took tea called
Cruendens spent an hour with Mr. Spencer in arrans
tor Aument in the supreme Court went
across bid good evening Mr. and Mrs Tracy, dropped
into Mr. Ellis room. looked 10 Maynard came down.
supper and mud my self my room at halipast eleven
speeches. here is beyond my comprehension want to look
and the canal laws and two or three othe
besides doing old business but In truth
letters from seth Hunt lay on my table reproducing
negligence. Tracy and Maynard must make up my
be worth ANYTHING Tor practice in the
law. Doletu prediction for poor man! Adeu. Heaven
protect you ALL
| PORTRAITS.
The following is from letter to his wife,
JANUARY IL. 1891
Weed is very much with me, and enjoy his warmth
feeling. politician skiliu in design persevering II
execution exciting principle personal friendship
senterest that is just lhurow Weed
much mo like him than should IL he was seisi