The Washington herald., 1915-01-21
HISTORY BUILDERS
Two Political Opponents Who Were
Friends.
By DIR. Z. J. EDWARDS.

II suppose there has been no man in
public life at any time in the history
of the United States who was so toler-
ant of those who differed with him po-
IiticaIly and who numbered so many
personal friends among the leaders of
| party to which he was a politically
opposed as was William H. Seward" :"
This statement was made to me by the
late Charles c. CLARKE, a few years
before his death. Mr. Clarke had been
intimate as a public official at Albany
with the distinguished men of both the
Whig and the Democratic parties in the
fOrties. He was on cordial terms with
Silas Wright who would have been Vice
President under Polk had he been will
ing to accept the nomination. He knew
intimately Hamilton Fish when the lat
ter was governor of New York; William
L. Marcy. one OF the great statesmen
of the past. and Millard Fillmore, who was
also a public servant at Albany when
Mr.. Clarke was in the service of the
State, and afterward President of the
United States.
1t was probably due in part to Mr..
Clarke's intimate relation with the dis
tinguished men of each party in New
York State that Commodore Vanderbilt S
attention was fixed upon him SO close
ly that at last he asked Mr.. Clarke to
become a member of his staff at the be-
ginning of his railroad career. In that
service Mr.. Clarke remained for fifty
years, having been much of the time Vice
President of the Vanderbilt system. He
was often brought into friendly relations
with William II. Seward, and he told
me that Mr.. Seward had once said to
the law students in his office at Auburn,
one of whom afterward became associate
justice of the Supreme Court at Wash
ington, that they ought to join one of
the political parties, adding that it didn' I
make much difference which.
That remark" said Mr.. Clarke, illus
trates the whole career of Mr.. Seward
so far as his personal relations with
Democrats were concerned. AT the time
Seward was the leading figure in New
York State politics of the Whig and
afterward the Republican parties. Dean
Richmond. of Buffalo. was the leader of
the Democracy, and a very powerful
leader he was. He was a very busy man
and yet he found time to serve for years
as chairman of the Democratic State
committee. He fought vigorously, but
he always fought fairly. After political
battles in New York State, no matter
which side won. Seward and Dean Rich
mond would get together and talk for
hours about the battle, exchanging COM
pillutulS anu lLe Ollt WHO Hdu DGGA
beaten Congratulating the other.
Mr.. Seward thought that Richmond
should have received from the Demo-
cratic party nomination for some i'm
portant Office, saying that he would
make a splendid executive, but when he
ventured to suggest to one of Dean Rich
mond's friends that the party ought to
nominate Richmond for governor he was
told that Richmond would not accept the
governOrship il it were offered to him
upon q silver platter. He liked to carry
on the political battle. He liked the
leadership in organization politics, but
he had a strange aversion for holding
office.
While Mr. Seward was Secretary of
State he heard that Dean Richmond was
lying very i'll in New York City. Seward
at once communicated with Mr.. Rich
munds friends, expressing his hope that
Richmond would recover, saying also
that he was one of the rare citizens OF
New York and that his example both as
man Of affairs and as a leader of po-
IiticaI organization was one which any
young man would do well to follow. Now
was that not a handsome tribute from
one great politic-l leader to another"
Copyright, 1915. by z. ]. Edwards. All rights
ressTTedO
Tomorrow DR. Edwards will tell of
The Man Who Made One Road Out of
Seven