The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-14
GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.

There seems TO be unusual mortalit.
among the noted ones of earth. Untor'
tanately the epidemic that has set IL
among them is no respecter OF persons
and heeds not the wishes OF mankind
There are many men more prominen
than Horatio Seymour whose dea
would not occasion the sorrow that vii
follow his. Now and then there Is 8
man who is great and good, and whose
life, passed in the full blaze of public
opinion, shows no bad spots and ugly
blotches. Seymour was one of them
For more Than forty years he was what
might be called public man, and for
more than fifty years his name and
influence we're known and felt beyond
his immediate neighborhood, and yet
during all that time nothing
that was true -edecting on his
character, integrity or patriotism has
ever been heard of him. His career
was truly remarkable, and one which
can safely be held before American
youth as furnishing an example that
is worthy of being followed. He was
born in 1910, and would therefore have
been 76 years of age on May 31st next.
His education was early completed,
and he entered the profession of the
law, having studied with and been
trained by Chief Justice Bronson, one of
New York's most revered judges.
While yet boy in years he was active
in politics, and was recognized as a
leader; in 1641 he was elected to the
New York Legislature, where he con-
tinued for four years, being Speaker of
the Assembly. In 1850, against his own
wishes in the premises, he was nomin-
ated for Governor of the Empire State,
but was defeated. Two years later. how
ever he was elected by an overwhelming
majority. 1t was during that term
that he vetoed the Prohibitory Liquor
BGI, and brought down upon his head |
The anathemas of the church and the |
eaTses of the temperance people. He |
was temperance advocate, and while |
not a teeboaler, rarely drank intoIi-
eating liquors, yet he realized that it |
was impossible TO stop liquor drinking |
and that prohibition could not be made |
10 prohibit; and besides, like his party, |
he was opposed 10 sumptuary laws. |
His veto defeated him for reelection.
and for the next seven years he devoted |
hAnSen to healing the divisions in the |
party. In 1862 he again became can
digfase for Governor and was elected, in |
spite of the fact that 1t was war time
and q. military man, General Wads-
worth, was his opponent. He
was opposed 70 the war, but
wien the Confederates crossed
into Pennsylvania, and showed |
that conquest as well as independence
was IN their hearts, he went in for the
speedy crushing out of the rebellion.
He was stubbornly opposed to the
Consumption act, giving the President
power TO cali out for military service.
all able bodied men between the ages
of Is and 45, and so impressed the
people of his State with his views, that
there was for time danger of a con-
hict between New York and the Fedora,
government, eliminating in the draft
riots. When these latter occurred Gov
eHnor Seymour, seeing that the supreme
power must be obeyed, used his in
fuence to aliay the storm provoked by ,
he daft. The peace Democrats wanted ,
him to act in such way as to ,
the general government, {
which he could not have done .
joining hands with the rioters $
md that wonld have been an overt act {
VI rebellion. At the close of his term of I
flee in the administration OF which he I
lad displayed so much wisdom and h
xecutive ability, he retired to private 4
lie, from which he was again dragged
orth in the Presidential contest of ISss I
iinte then Mr.. Seymour aslived quietly @
nth the exception of in 1871, VIII en- u
'e consented after much solicitation to G
eeome candidate for the Legia iture /.
the struggle that was being m ..de to G
ct the eorruptionists out of office and q
nstere the State TO honest govern Il
vent. As each successive four years al
anne around, he was talked of for the 8,
emocratic nomination for President. o.
at positively refused to become can fs
'date, though always reads and willing +
give the party, and its, leaders the m
sneft Of his advice and wise counsel. st
Among the names that viii grow dina Of
Oway in America, is that of Horato G,
'yDou+u p,