The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-07
W. SEWARD HERE
Son of Lincoln's Secretary Of State
+ Going to Alaska. 8
WARNER MILLER IN THE PARTY
MIR. Seward Last Of Historical Group
: Present mt Signing of Alas
! kan Treaty.


Alaska rendezvoused, in. Minneapolis to-
day. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Seward
Of Montrose- on the Hudson, ex-senator
Warner Miller" Of New York; his daugh-
ter Miss Miller; Mr.. and Mrs. George w.
jThayer Of Rochester, N. Y; Rufus H.
Thayer, Washington, and. Miss Barnes,
Albany, N. Y. The Messrs. Thayer are
brothers of. Samuel r. Thayer of Min
neapolis,, who, with J.. S. Bradstreet and
r. G.. Rodman of this city, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Samuel Hill Of Seattle, will be Of
the party. They spent to-day in making
a tour Of the two cities in Thomas Low
RVS private car, as the guest OF Mr..
Thayer. and will leave for the west to-
morrow morning.
A peculiar interest attaches to the visit
of Mr.. Seward. He is the son of the late
w. H. Seward, secretary Of state under
Lincoln and Lincoln's most formidable
opponent for the nomination for president
in the convention of 1860. Frederick Se-
ward was one, of the two persons who
were at" the bedside Of the great secre-
tary when. the assassin Payne" made his
attack, on him on the evening Lincoln was
shot by Booth. Frederick Seward and
a woman: servant grappled with. the as
sassin, and it was due to their interfer-
ence that his father was not Instantly
killed. The woman, who was dangerously
injured, was rewarded with life position
in the treasury department and still lives
and Is employed there.
Frederick Seward was assistant private
secretary to three presidents, Lincoln
Johnson and Hayes, and was later minis
ter to China. He feels a great interest
IN the development of Alaska from the
fact that it was due almost wholly to the
efforts Of his father that the Alaskan
purchase was made The official transfer
Of title from Russia to- the United States
was made at midnight! in the presence OF
w. H. Seward, Frederick W. Seward, the
Russian minister, stoeckl, Brodiska, Sec
retary Of the Russian legation, Messrs
Hunter and Chew of the state departmen
and Senator Charles Sumner. OF that
group, which was immortalized on can
vas by Leutz, Frederick W. Seward is the
sole survivor.
Mr.: Seward accompanied his father
when he visited the northwest thirty
three years ago on his way to Alaska tc
see something Of the immense district
which under his administration of the Of
flee of secretary of state was added to the
dominion of the United States.
1t was on that trip that exSecretary
Seward made the memorable address al
st. Paul which is SO often referred to as
the prophecy now being fulfilled. Sec
retary, Seward, when in the senate, ha6
predicted the Importance of the Pacific
to American commerce and was more ap
preciative Of the possibilities Of our grea
northwest than any other public man OF
his day. He always regarded it as once
the most serious mistakes of our diplo:
macy that we did: not secure the boundary
line which, at the time of the '54: 40 OF
fight" agitation, would have given us the
whole Pacific coast ON the American con.
tinent to Lower California. His acquisi
tion Of Alaska was an attempt to rectify
as far as possible the mistake made a.
the settlement Of the 54:4O controversy.
|. In his speech at st. Paul he said: Sc
had always supposed that the City o.
Mexico: was to be the center of American
power, but since being at St. Paul ant
Minneapolis I have changed my mind
Here. then, is to be- the great center O.
American power, influence and wealth.
| The speech which he made on that oc
casion betokened a. familiarity with: tn
resources and possibilities. of the country
which created great surprise. Mr. Sew
ard had made a study of the northwes
and its resources, and was peculiarl.
qualified to discuss them. But it is prob
able that some Of the detailed information
which surprised his hearers on: that oc
icasion was received on. the very day OF
| which. the notable address was made. H
was fortunate enough to meet on that oc
Cd6lou L"O ucu HULL LuS CuW0Sl
who we're thoroughly familiar with tn
country and its resources, and at the YER.
hour at which the company was assem-
bling before whom he was to speak wa
engaged in interviewing these men from
the northwest and taking copious note
on, their reports; with regard to the char
acter Of the country. These facts he: i'm
mediately wove into the speech and gav
it peculiar interest and value.
Frederick W. Seward, who was assist
ant to his father in the Office Of secretar.
Of state, and who is here again after NOR
than thirty years Of absence to view tn
changes that have occurred in that period
was interested in the efforts to build
telegraph line to Asia and Europe by tn
way Of: Bering straits The Atlanti
cable, up to- that date had not proved
success, and it was believed that the onl.
way to establish telegraphic communica
tion to the other side Of the globe wouk
be. through the narrow channels of Ber
ing's3 straits. That plan, however, was o
course abandoned when the cable acros
the Atlantic was ultimately made sue
CESS. - :
|; ENf7l AMI W0iII' n ITRADEH