Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-25

- r
EX-GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.
Horatio Seymour, whose death occurred
at Utica. N. Y, on the 18th Instant, was
born in Pompey, Onondaga county. N, T.,
May 81, 1910. Civilization had only just be-
gun to redeem that portion of the State from
the Wilderness Syracuse had no existence
and Utica was but a hamlet: Henry Sey,
mour the father of Horatio, had emigrated
from Litchfield, Conn.,, and belonged to that
famous Seymour family which gave his
brother, Horatio Seymour, to the United
States Senate from Vermont, and in Con-
necticut gave one nephew, Judge Orlgen 5.
Seymour, to the Bench, and another, Ihom-
as H. Seymour, to the Gubernatorial chair.
Horatio Seymour was sent successfully to
Oxford Academy, Geneva (noW Hobart)
College and Capt. Partridge's military
school, at MiddIetown, Connecticut. In 1878
the family removed to Utica, where Henry
Seymour at once took a prominent position,
socially and politically, becoming. after
wards one of the members of the famous
Albany regency. 1t was natural that ms
son SnOulu early llHoipe q IVY ioi Wv.
Democracy which he learned at home, and
before his education was completed he had
received from other sources also q strong
bias in favor of a public or political life. In
1926 the cadets of Capt. Partridge's school
visited Washington and were presented
to President John Quincy Adams. After
review by the President the young cadets
visited Mount Vernon, where they saw
the remains of Washington removed from
their original place of interment and where
young Seymour placed his right hand on
the great patriots coffin-a hand that al"
ways remained worthy of the touch of that
sacred dust.
In 1882 Mr.. Seymour was admitted to the
Bar. His entrance in his profession was
soon followed by his marriage to Miss Mary
Bleecker, of Albany. Mrs. Seymour brought
large estate to her husband, and he found
his time so occupied with its care and with
the management of his own modest fortune
that he never accumulated any legal prac-
tce.
Until after he was thirty years of age Mr.:
Seymour aspired to no elective office. But
his ability as political leader could not
long rema in hidden. In 1912 ne was elect,
ed a member of the State Assembly, and
there he made his mark. In the same
wear he was elected Mayor of Utica, and
the next year he was again chosen to the
Legislature and was made Speaker Of the
House.
But this quiet was destined in be rudely
broken by the din Of political discord. In
the fall of 1850 Mr.. Seymour was called to
take the Democratic nomination for gov
ernor. The Democrats then were in hope
less minority in the State and there was no
expectation Of success; but MIR. Seymour
unhesitatingly responded to the call OF
his party, madea vigorous campaign ana
was defeated, but only by the small plurali-
ty of 262 votes. Under the circumstances his
vote was marvellous, and in 1852 he was
unanimously renominated and again threw
himself ardently into the canvass. This
time he was successful, being elected by a
plurality of 22,596. Governor Seymour's
administration was distinguished for its
honesty and economy. Its record has no
blot. In the winter of 1854 he was called
upon to manifest the courage of his opin-
ions by vetoing the so-called Maine liquor
law that had been approved by the Legisla,,
ture. The bill was vetoed on the ground
that it deprived people of their property in
q manner prohibited by the Constitution,
and that it sanctioned an iniqutous right
of search. For this action the governor
was unsparingly denounced. The clergy
and the churches set themselves in array
against him, and, as Il natural consequence,
when he ran again tor Governor in 1851, he
was defeated. Myron H. Clark, the Whig
and Temperance nominee was elected by
plurality of 800 votes.
From this time until the breaking out of
the civil war Governor Seymour remained
quietly at home, occupied with his busi-
ness cares. In its incipient stages he was
onnosed to the war and did all that he could
to maintain peace. He did not believe in
the enforced abolition of slavery. He
doubted if it would result to the advantage
of the negro. In his opinion the slavery
agitation had resulted disadvantagcously
even to those black people who lived at the
North. Holding such views it was not to
be expected that Governor Seymour would
hasten to array himself against the South.
But when the war had broken out and it
was manifest that the Union of the States
was in deadly peril, he came patriotically
to the front and did good service in the
committees charged with the enrolment Of
troops and their care in the field.
LINCOLN AND SEYMOUR.
In the darkest hour of the war HOratio
Seymour was again called upon to lead his
party as its candidate for Governor. Mr..
Seymour made sixty speeches, visiting all
of finding himself returned by majority
of 1872 votes. On March %, 1868, Presi-
dent Lincoln addressed letter to Governor
| Seymour, marked "Private and contiden-
tial l." in which he said: "YOu and l are
substantially strangers, and l write this
chiefly that we may become better ac-
| quainted. I, for the time being am at the
| head of a nation which is in great peril, and
YOU are at the head Of the greatest State
of that nation" and asked the views of Mr..
Seymour. The response came: 81 assure
you that no political resentments, no per-
sonal purposes, will turn me aside from
the pathway l have marked out for N.Y.
SELF x For the preservation of the
Union l am ready to make any sacrifice of
interest, passion or prejudice" He had al
ready said as much in his inaugural address
on January !, 1868: "Under no circum-
stances can the division of the Union be
conceded. We will put forth every eXer-
ton of power; we will put forth every
policy Of conciliation; we will guarantee
! them every right, every consideration de-
nanded by the Constitution and by that
fraternal regard which must prevail in a
common country, but we can never vOlun-
tarily consent to the breaking up Of the
Union Of these States or the destruction of
the Constitution"
In July, 1868, Governor Seymour was in
rnander, that the defences of the metropolis
were in SO insecure condition as to render
the city liable to capture by an expedition
from the sea. The Governor visited the de-
fences OF the port and found it to be SO. On
Sunday, July -, while at Long Branch for
the purpose of investigating the question
of coast defences, he received telegram
stating that conscription of recruits had
in Nnw Work n had bapn ordered