Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-06-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How William H. Seward
Won his Reelection
By Holland

Cndnceu 10 De IN Albany IN the
early winter OF 1865 and at the very
time when the Legislature was to
select a successor TO William ".
Seward as United States Senator"
said ex-Postmsster General Thomas
J.. James to me recently AT that
time | was the editor OF weekly
newspaper published at Hamilton. y.
Y. was originally Democrat,
but had gone over to the new Re
publican party on the free-soil is
sue.
81 have Witnessed many dramatic
scenes in my life but ! don't know
as any Of them exceeded in dramatic
interest something that occurred in
the Legislature on the day before
the election Of Mr. Stewards success
sor as United States Senator
In the year 1854 the Know-Noth-
ing party was at the height OF its
influence. II had GOT a very strong
hold IN New York State. II was or
gained for the purpose Of excluding
foreign-born citizens from public
Office
Seward himself was from the be-
ginning strongly opposed TO the prin-
ciples OF the Know-Nothing party.
He was told that unless he were care
ful the knOw-Nothings would beat
him for reelection TO the United
States Senate He said in reply that
he would rather be beaten than to
have It said that he was lukewarm
toward the Know-Nothings or in
different to them
"A good many Know othings we're
elected to that Legislature Some Of
them we're also old Wings In the
Wing caucus for the nomination of
the Wing candidate for the United
States Senate, Seward received
large majority OF the votes. There
were, however, a number of Know
Nothings who asserted that they
would not vote for Seward when the
election came up, but would deadlock
the Legislature, as they thought they
could do IL if that we're necessary to
! prevent the reelection of Seward
Word was sent to Seward that his
reelection was in peril. but he re
/ piled practically in these words: If
my Whig friends stand by my nomi-
nation, the Know-Nothings cannot
beat me-
81 learned afterward what the
reasons for Senator Stewards conf
dence in his reelection we're. He had
been confidently informed that If the
Know Nothings undertook 10 dead
lock the Legislature and prevent his
election a sufficient number of DEM
ocratc members of the Legislature
would join the Wings in supporting
him.
"Thurlow Weed once told me this, "
said General James, that William
II. Seward had greater popular
strength with the Democrats than
any other man who was not in the
Democratic party / myself after
ward discovered that this was true.
When the resolution relating TO
the proceedings for the election OF
the United States Senator came up
before the Assembly there we're in
timations that Mr.. Seward would mol
receive the support Of any but one oil
two Know-Nothing members.
There was a very bright Irish
American member of the lower house
OF Albany named OKeefe He repre-
scented one OF the New York city dis
tricts. He got the floor as / after.
ward learned, by reason of a secret
agreement he had made with th'
speaker of the Assembly, the late ID
G. Littlejohn
"O'Keefe had beautiful voice. and
il he had only cultivated his native
gifts as an orator he would have "a
no superior. He was always listened
TO closely. but at this time the entire
Assembly sat absolutely silent ever,
eye beino fixed upon O'Keefe, fol
there seemed TO be a general under
standing that he was about TO make
most important announcement.
THAT understanding was correct
Turning about so that he could fac
the assembly and looking steadily a
the Know. Nothing members, O'Keef
said that II would be a dishOnor e
New York State If. in spite of th'
Whig majority in the Legislature. tn
Know-Nothing Wings bolted the nom
ination Of Seward for United State
senator and thus defeated his cleo
ton.
Then in a singularly penetratin
and yet musical tone of voice
OKeefe said, I tell you that yo
can't defeat this great mans re
election And then he intimate
that there were enough Democrat
, pledged secretly 10 vote for Sewar
OF these votes we're needed to max
good the loss Of the Know Nothin
: votes. The members of the Assem-
, hly knew that OKeefe was speakn
, by the book They knew that
, and other Democrats stood ready I
vote for Seward IL IL were necessar,
and they surmised that the Viii
leaders also knew t.
a when O'Kcefe sat down the A,
semby was again for q moment Al
solutely silent. But II was the kin
. OF silence that Is the greatest tribui
which a speaker can receive In
moment silence was followed
cheers The opposition TO Sewsi
2 melted away for the Know-Nothinl
). saw they could not beat him. and
was reelected The prediction ";
then made that some day he Won
l. he the candidate of the new Repu
r. lican party for President OF Il
Il United States. prediction N
failed in 1860. when Lincoln vi
nominated
= Copyright. 1918. by r. ! Edward
All rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
e Emerson and Bancroft as TIL
e Neared the End"