Year: 1862




MIR. SEWARD 1EoLISEs THE PRES


Mr. Seward is no less a patriot than
statesman. We doubt if the history of
great statesmenin this country can show
a parallel of true and lofty patriotism
with the determination made by Mr..
Seward when, to assist in preserving the
country from ruin, he voluntarily as
sumed position in the new Cabinet
which, under the existing circumsta nees
OF the times, must necessarily cut him
off from a future position which the
country would have assigned him with
great unanimity of sentiment. The let
ter below was called out by an assoeia-
tion recently organized in Philadelphia
!! for the purpose of forwarding Mf. Sew
lard 's4 claims to the next Presidency.
| w bile many will regret Mr.. Seward s
discrimination, all admire his patriotic
disinterestedness:


WASHINGTON, December 16, 1861.
DEAR SRI have received the let
ter which was addressed to me on the
9th instant, by you, an officer of po-
litical association recently organized in
Philadelphia.


You will excuse me, my dear sir, for
what may seem unkind or ungrateful in
this reply to that communication, which
| has given me some uneasiness, and
which only fails to inhict severe pain
upon me because l do not regard the
movement it describes as one of very
considerable magnitude.
The club, as you inform me, have
adopted resolution to exert themselves
to secure my advancement to the Pres
idency of the United States, and this
resolution is generally based upon q
high appreciation of such public servi-
ces as | have hitherto attempted to per-
| form.


| I avail myself Of the good will of the
club, thus tiatteringly manifested, to say
that l consider the proceeding as one
altogether unwise andytending to pro-
duce only public evil in crisis when
every possible path of danger ought to
be carefully avoided. e is partisan
movement and, worst of all, partisan
movement of a personal character.


If, when the present civil war was
looming up before US, had cherished
an ambition to attain the high position
you indicated, I should have adopted
one of two courses which lay open to
me-either to withdraw from the pnb-
lie service at home to position Of
honor without great responsibility
abroad, or to retire to private life, and ;,
avoiding the caprices of fortune, await
the chances of public favor.


| But l deliberately took another
course. l renowned all ambition and
came into the Executive Government to
aid in saving the Constitution and the
| integrity of my country, or to perish
with them It seemed to ma, then that
must necessarily renounce all personal
advantage, in order that the councils |
might give to the President in such a
crisis should not only be, but be recog-
nized as being, disinterested, loyal and
patriotic.


| Acting on this principle, I shun no
So neither look for, nor, if it should
be offered to me, would | ever hereafter
accept my reward.


The country is to be saved or lost by
the highest efforts of public and pri-
vate virtue before another Presidential
election shall occur fit shall be saved,
as 1 believe it will, do not fear that
my zeal in that great achievement will
be overlooked by the grateful genera
tions to come after u.s. If, on the other
hand, it shall be lost, he who shall study
the causes of the great ruin shall not
find among them any want of self-sacri-
fee on my part. l could never consent,
if unanimously called upon, to be a
President of division of the Republic.
I cheerfuly give up my aspirations for
rule in the whole Republic, as contri-
button to the efforts necessary to main
tain it in its integrity. [ hardly need
add that it results from these ci'cum-
stances, that not only ask, but per
emptorily require, my friends, in whose
behalf you have written to NE, to drop
my name henceforth and forever from
among those to whom they look as
possible candidates for national distinc-
tions and preferments.


Very truly yours,


WM II. SEWARD.