The Wilmingtonian., 1886-02-20
Governor Seymour.

Another among the already heightened
list of deaths of prominent men has to go on
record. Governor Horatio Seymour of lew
York is dead. He was the ideal democrat.
1t is said that there never was the time when
the Seymours family contained any man that
was not democrat.
Horatio Seymour was born at Pompey, in
Ono ndago County New York, May 81 1910.
The family moved to Utica when he was
only seven years ofage His fathers wealth
maGle his early life free r.. N the trials usua-
lily the lot of the average youth. He took mp
the profession of law anr'% taauated at an
early age. In 1S41 he was elected mayor of
Utica N. Y. This was quickly followed by
his election to the state assembly from One-
da County. Subsequently he became speak
er, aud in 1862 was elected governor of the
state of New-York by over twenty-five thou
sand majority. As governor lie became
obnoxious to the prohibition party on account
of his vetoing their bill on it's presentation
to him for signature as governor of the state
His reasons were that he believed it to be a
sumptuary law, and that statutory prohibi-
tion was opposed to the state constitution.
In politics he was, as democrat, firm in the
belief of local sef-government. The stand
he took at the moment previous to tue out
break of the rebellion docs him and that
party he represented the greatest credit.
Ex-Governor Seymour, whose. devotion to
the Union and reverence for she constitution
were his most striking characteristics, and
whose calm, unprejudlced mind insured him
against being mslea by passion or prejudice,
was not likely to make mistake. While he
was too clear headed not to see, aud too sim
cere not to expose, the venom and cunning
on the part of Nothern agitators who had
provoked and irritated the Southern States
to draw them into false position, the same
qualities prevented him from closing his
eyes to the aggressions and oyerbearing nso
lence of the fire. eating portion of the South.
The ground he took from the start was that
whatever grievances the Southern people
have, if any, must be remsdied under the
constitution and within the Union, and he
avowed his confidence that il real grievances
did exist, the better sentiment of the North
would aid in removing theTea~eyn.
At the memorable peace tG.sention in
1861 in Albany Mr. Seymour held that no.
thing could justify an attack on the life of
the nation. So firmly did the better element
of Republicanism in his own state believe in
his loyalty, tbat.in 1882, with the Union soldier
General Wadsworth as his opponent, backed
by thousands Of disgruntled democrats, he
was elected governor by majority twenty
two thousand votes over his rival When
on June 10, Lincoln called for twenty thou
sand recruits from the Empire State with
out bounty" and while unjust conscriptive
discrimination was made against New York
on account of its Democratic procivities the
same hour two thousand New Workers mar
ched for Philadelphia, and three days after
twelve thousand OF them stacked arms in
Harrisburg, Pa. This loyal ctlerity on the
part of governor Seymour evoked warm
thanks from tine I. esident and Secretary Stan
| IiS ti,,nr tn, a.l
regard to the Police Board and the draft
riots redourd to his credit as high minded,
loyal citizen. During those troubles il the
governor received unfair treatment at the
hands of heated pat altisl"s, his conduct at
the critical moment Of the riots received
sufficient Endorsement to compensate him
for the injustice. He was a friend to the
soldiers, aud though he was bitterly assailrd
for his veto of a law passed by the Republi-
can State Legislature, enabling soldiers of
the state, while absent in the field, to vote
for state officers in the elections his action
was vlndicated by the fact that it was clearly
| oppOScu " bue COuotitutlOh aul MOulu nave
Immediately been invaldated by the coults.
THE Governors reasons for the veto were
unanswerable, and he had proved his desire
to give absent soldiers the privilege of voting
by previously recommending to the Legisla-
ture an amendment to the constitution which
could be perfected in time to secure to SOL
dicrs and seamen "a just participation in the
choice of the next administration of the ma.
tional government" The Legislature sus-
tanned the vote aud subsequently inaugura-
ted the constitutional amendment suggested
by the Governor, and under which soldiers
and sailors voted in 1864
He was a sound fiuancisr, brought down
the expenses Of the government, and proved
himself capable OF ignoring party considera-
tions for the p4blic good, His political
career was closed by the record of his pres-
dental nomination in 1893 The nomina-
tion of Grant had long been a certainty, Gin
deed it was believed that the democrats
would lady take him as their candidate if
the republicans should pass him over. De-
conclusion. Governor seymour accepted
the result phlosophically and when General
Grant visited Utica he was the first to we!-
come and congratulate him. Thus the
great governor of New York state closed his