Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-18

Dcnsh OF Ex-Governor seymour al
Utica, Now York = sketch OF His
Distinguished Career.

Utica, Now York = sketch of His
Distinguishes Career.
uTIcA, Feb. 12.--Ex- Governor Seymour
died at 10 o'c oek tonight, at the residence
Of his sister, Mrs. Roscoe Conkling. He
began to fail perceptibly at o'clock this
afternoon. Shortly afterwards, owing TO
stimulants being administered to him, he
rallied u little, uut soon relapsed into total
Inconsistencies. During his illness he ex-
perienced little, II any, physical suffer Ing
and to-day was wholly without pain. Mrs.
Seymour, VINO Is very i'll, suit with her hus-
band during the afternoon. Most OF the
time the ex-governor rested peacefully and
his condition could only be distinguished
from natural sleep by the ashen pallor of
his countenance and his labored breathing.
AT $50 he was sinking rapidly, his pulse
could scarcely be counted and the respira-
ton was more and more difficult. He died
without a struggle and us peacefully as II
falling asleep. The immediate cause OF his
death was cerebral eifusion, the usual pro
cess of death In old age. Those present
when he passed away were Mrs. Seymour
and her sister, Mrs. Nelson of New Bruins
wick, N. j., the ex-governor's brother, John
II. Seymour oil Utica, his sisters, Mrs. Linck-
laen and Mrs. Conkling, DIR. W. Il. Ford aud
Judge Bulger. AS yet no arrangements
have been made for the funeral.
The beginning OF Governor Seymours
which befell him in the summer OF 1876
while he was industriously at work on the
roads OF his town as pathmaster, an office
which he was wont to say he had asked for.
He exerted himself beyond his strength In
the extreme heat and the consequence was
a severe attack Of vertigo, with pain in the
head and some irregularity Of the heart.
lt left him weak and always afterwards
his walking was less easy, and on occasions
he was unsteady while standing on his feet,
He accepted the stroke as warning and he
never felt that he completely recovered
from 1t. He was so little disposed to tell of
his inhrmttlies that he was pressed to labor
In behalf Of Mr.. Tilden beyond his strength.
He maintained on the whole comfortable
condition from that time until the spring OF
1880, when he took cold, which brought on
congestion OF the lungs and acute inflam-
nation OF the kidneys. He suffered much
and death seemed to be imminent. Several
medical consultations were held and his
recovery, which WIS supposed to be inn
possible, followed.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED.
Horatio Seymour was born on the 3lst Of
May, 1910, III Pompey, 0nondaga county,
New York. Both of his grandfathels,
Major Moses Seymour OF Llttlefleld, Conn.,,
and Lieutenant-C Colonel Jonathan Formun
of New Jersey, We're distinguished soldiers
or the Revolution. Henry Seymour, his
laehois louiONou lIOHl OOuubcllcul 10 NtW
York early Ia the century, and was canal
commissioner of the state, living ut Utica.
Horatios academic education, begun in
New York, was finished at partridges
Military Academy, Middletown, Connecticut,
and the graduating class made journey
to Washington as battalion, young Seymour
and some others dining with President John
Quincy Adams.
Mr.. Seymour studied law with Green @,
Bronson and Samuel Beardsley, both OF
whom were afterward chief Justices of New
York. When became to practice, however,
he proved too good hearted TO be I'm
aggressive, fighting attorney, and while set
thing his fathers estate he accepted few re-
tainers, generally advising hts clients 10
settle their differences without litigation
This conciliatory temperament, however,
soon advanced his political fortunes. He
was a Democrat before he could vote and
continued SO IRON convictions all his life.
The cardinal principle of his creed was re-
sistance to centralizing tendencies and the
| maintenance OF local self-government.
He soon became prominent in politics in
Utica and in 1888 Governor Marcy APP
pointed him military secretary. He held
this office till Marcy's term expired, in 1889,
and In 1871 was elected to the New York
assembly from the Utica district. Before
his term expired he was chosen mayor OF
Utica, but he came back to the assembly in
4 1917 anu III 1910 ut WAS 6lbtItu speaker oil
| the house. The Democrats were then
divided into the bunker and Barnburnel
| factions, and after the latter had defeated
Cass by supporting Van Buren, in 1913 Sey.
mour, who was Hunker, reconciled the
two so well that he was Nominated fol
governor in 1850. Washington Hunt beat
him by 1852 majority, but Seymour was re
nominated and defeated Hunt by 23,00l
majority In 1852.
| As governor he vetoed the prohibitorl
liquor bill, which was subsequently revived
and enacted only to be pronounced uncun
stitutional by the court OF appeals on tn
grounds taken in the veto. Seymour wa
renominated in 1854, but d feated. He con
tinued to lead Ia New York politics till tn
civil war, and in 1862 was again nominate,
and elected governor, in which capacity b
flrmly supported President Lincoln an,
refused to be drawn into a plot against him
although offered tie Presidency as price
One of his greatest triumphs was his coul
/ ageous speech to tho draft rioters Of Jul
, 18th, 1868, when all his friends feared h
, would coms to bodily harm, whereas hi
kindly manner Gained the mob. In 1864
was once more nominated for governor, bl
] defeated.
4 In 1868 the Democratic party united o
Q him as its Presidential candidate, although
as Il delegate to tho convention at Ne,
1 York City, he supported Salmon r. Chast
His nomination produced great enthusiasm
, but not even he could defeat Gen. Gran
Since that time he has lived Il retired life 1
Deerileld, near Utica, interrupted only b
I delegations of Democrats bent on persuaC
g Ing him To carry the pnitys standard ono
: more. Strong pressure WAS brought [
| | bear upon him 10 become the candidate "a
q | governor in 1877 when l.ucius Robinso
, was renominated and dufcated by the Kel
! bolt His health, however, was not such
to warrant the sacrifice and he refused
$ take any active part in public affairs.