The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

not only a biography of the man, tut q
partial history of his time; and in dealing
with a man like Seward this method Of
treatment is almost inevitable. 1t would
hardly have been possible to write OF hi L
as one can of-Lincoln or Napoleon q
Grant, from the personal point of view
merely sketehing the history of current
events His life was bound up with 20
litical movements for more than thirty
years, at a critical period of the coIntry's
development
The personal element in this biography
is, however. not sighted, and it is in ali
respects interesting. The first chapter
gives a pleasing and graphic account OF
the childhood and youth Of William Henry
Seward. from the time OF his birth. 1901.
until his marriage with Miss Frances NIL
Ter, daughter of his law partner, in 1924.
The author says:
He was the fourth Of six children, two Of whom
were girls. His native village had about dozen
houses. His earliest vivid recolecticrs Of the
eclipse OF 1906, and Of stories about witches that
swelt at night in the attic of the little country
school house, and that during the daytime haunted
the wooded cliff just above it. He remembered
that his father once placed him on the counter OF
the store to give poeticsl recitation, and that
when the pleased listener asked the child which
one of his fathers callings he intended 10 adopt,
be replied that he expected to be justice of the
peace.
Florida had an academy" and j; was decided
that William 10 be the son favored with q
liberal education. because he was the fraiest.
Excepting six months more in Goshen. a few sears
lister. it was in Florida that he prepared for
college Recalling this time, after t.ree-score
he hot Sft,fita Mt Z he
morning and closed at at night. Yet there were
winter evenings when neghbors came in, and APP
pies, nuts. and cider were brought forth, and the
young student was allowed to sit by the open fire
and enjoy them, while listening TO long CONVEX
cations on politics and religion. 1T WAS
my business to drive the COWS, morning and even
ing, 10 and from distant pastures, TO chop and
carry in the fuel for the parlor fire, take the
grain to the mill and fetch the -four TO bring the
lime from the kiln, and to do the errands Of the
family generally; the time of my elder brothers
being TOO precious to permit them TO be with
drawn from their labors in the store and on the
farm
After a brief account of young Stewards
early experiments in politics, the author
goes on to sketch the rise of political anti
Masonry and the excitement which pre-
vailed in New York during the years in
which this subject was agitated. The
height of the disturbance was reached
after the disappearance of Morgan, for
mer Mason, who, It was alleged. intended
to write a book betraying the secrets of
the order. The author says of the condi-
tons prevailing during the campaign of
1888:
Newspapers presented each side in the most
infammatory articles. Private affairs neglect
ed, and the energies of the people absorbed
in denominations or were devoted 10 enduring
he pf fI5rup
from the communion table The influence of near
~ every religious denomination tlrp@.E
against the order, and in the town of Poatney
every doubtful preacher was required TO declare
the institution of Masonry bad institution
before he was given bearing on religious ques
tions. Even women held meetings and resolved
that their daughters should not marry Masons
When Masons and Others justly
planned Of all this absurd excitement they were
promptly answered with the question; Where is
Aorgans'
It may be remarked in passing that this
agitation may have had something TO do
with the decline OF the influence of the
churches in this country. When intelli~
gent men were turned away from the
church door simply because they belonged
10 a secret society of which the .ienomina-
tionalists did not approve. it probably set
them to thinking on religion in general In
way which did not encourage support of
the church. But the agitation made some
political leaders. and che of them was
young Seward
Among the most interesting chapters
in the book are those which deal with
Stewards career as Governor of New York
1t was a critical time both for the State
and the country, and the new Governor
gained many adherents by his boldness
and courage in pushing work which need
ed TO be done and taking a definite stand
on certain yexed questions. One of the
matters over which the State was then ag-
itated was the question of internal i'm
proyements, such as railways and canals.
The conservatives were afraid of the ex-
pense, while the progressive party favored
prosecuting such work, regardless of cost
Seward stood with the progressive party,
and was above all things optimistic. so
that his theories. when confronted with
cold facts. sometimes fell TO the ground
like a house OF cards. He also aroused
much opposition, and secured some support
by his radical views on the school ques-
ton. But far more important than any
action of his which affected merely his
own State was his platform on the fugitive
slave problem. At this time the question
whether or NOT a slave was property was
Just coming UP for discussion. If he was
property, held as such in the entire I'm
ion, he could he eXtradited from one State
by another, it he CHANGED TO run away
precisely as any other strayed chattel
could be reclaimed. SectionaIism was al
ready running high. and the South had
begun to feel that there was a strong
party in the North absolutely opposed TO
slavery. When Seward utterly refused to
comply with the requisition of Virginia
Cor fugitive who had taken refuge In
New York his action served to crystal
lie feelings and convictions which had,
until then, been indeterminate Everyone
knows that IL bucket of water is allowed
20 stand perfectly still in a cold place it
will remain just on the point of freezing
when the atmosphere is below freezing
point; but let it be Jared even In slight
degree and ice crystals will form all over
the surface of the liquid. The situation
In regard 10 the status Of fugitive slaves
was very much like that, except that the
condition of the public mind was nearer
boiling than freezing. Stewards decision
hastened the crisis. II was quite evident
that something would have to be done.
The Fugitive Slave law made every
Northern man and woman potential
ve-catcher. There was a large party in
the North who refused this duty. at the
risk OF mourning the penalties of the law.
The general public was not thorough
ly awake to~the difficulties of the situation
II needed 10 be aroused and Stewards de-
cision was one of the things which effect
ed this. In 1870. the Legislature of New
York passed a Law granting a trial by
fury to every person claimed as a fugi-
tive slave. and making 1t extremely in
convenient for claimants to secure their
runaway servants During March OF the
following year. in retaliation, Virginia's
Executive refused to surrender forger
on the requisition OF Governor Seward.
The latter made himself obnoxious TO four
Southern States and gained the good will