Year: 1866

secretary Seward the Happiest MAN IN


All Creation.


We once knew Wall street financier who
conducted his immense business upon very
peculiar plan. Having determined that GER
tain stocks would rise or fall within a given
time, he made his investments, ordered his
brokers to buy or sell when the market
assumed this or that phase, and then started
of to enjoy himself in his yacht, or on the
road, or in another city. During the interval
which occurred between his Investments and
the realization of his hopes nothing could
induce him to set foot in Wall street. He was
afraid that he might be excited by the rumors
constantly anoat there; that he might become
frightened and withdraw from the speculation,
or that he might grow too bold and venture
farther than he intended. A thousand crcum-
stances might arise to annoy and battle him If
he should remain at his office; but so long as
he kept away from Change and let things
take their own course he was safe, unless he
had greatly erred in his original schemes.
Secretary Seward seems to have initiated our
friend the financier. He has made his invest
ments in politics, in diplomacy, in Mexico, in
reconstruction and in a hundred other affairs,
and now he has gone of to sea to wait until
something is decided by events. When he
comes back he will be ready to 60 with the
winning side, and in the meantime he has
escaped all the trouble, all the confusion and
all the labor of considering vexed questions
and making up his mind upon disputed points
and embarrassing subjects. This is great
Improvement upon Talleyrand's plan of allow
ing his letters TO answer themselves by throw
ing them into drawer and not looking at
them for month. Secretary Seward allows
his whole Department TO manage itself, and is
free from all care and all responsibility in
regard TO perplexing matters of State.


We can imagine the jaunty Secretary smoking
his cigar and drinking his eau de vie beneath
the blue skies and in the balmy air of the Gulf
stream. The long, listless hours glide quietly
away, undisturbed by rumors Of wars or by the
babble Of politicians. The most important
event of the day is the dinner and at night,
rocked in the cradle of the deep, the happy
Premier sleeps soundly and has no fevered
dreams. When tired of philosophic medita-
tions upon the past and future of the country
he can crack jokes with the captain or listen
TO the sea slang of the crew. So long as the
sun shines and the waves are not large enough
10 occasion inward qualms the Secretary has
no cause for uneasiness. or the occurrences
of the present, outside of his ship, he is in
bIissful ignorance. The radical may rage and
rave but he hears nothing Of their clamor. A
strange sail ON the horizon is of more interest to
him than an impudent despatch from Druyn de
Lhuys or Congressional resolution. No one
to bcstow, except an occasional cigar or glass
of grog. which may fall to the share Of favor
ite MILDLY. He thinks more Of black cloud
than of the black race, and more of the barom-
eter than of public sentiment. There are no
morning papers to aflict him with the news;
and since nobody knows where be is, there is
no chance of his being annoyed with corre-
spondence. If he had gone up in balloon
be could not be more completely out of this
busy, busting, anxious, energetic world, nor
more Indifferent to its proceedings. Our
Minister may be Withdrawn from England; we
may declare war with France; Maximilian may
evacuaie Mexlco-it il all one to Secretary
Seward. The radicals or the conservatives
may rule; the South may be declared in the
Union or out of II; President Johnson may be
sustained or condemned by Congress-the
Secretary drinks his Burgundy and knows
nothing about It. He il more troubled because
his cigar will not draw than about any Of our
O,.:- sv, III tol ,kvunoo
interest have no concern for him. Instead Of
puzzling himself about diplomatic prscedents
he is only bothered because be cannot remem-
ber the names Of the ships ropes. We doubt
whether the yard-arm suggests JEFF. Davis, or
whether he ever remembers that arch-traitor
except with the mildest geniality. II is all
sea and sky and sunshine and good living and
peaceful contemplation with the jovial Sccre-
tary. In the world, but not Of it, with all its
comforts and none of its cares, we may safely
pronounce Mr.. Seward the happiest man in all
creation.


While the Secretary OF State is thus tran
quilly adoat the political agitation at Washing
ton is at its height; but he il not obliged TO
take any part in 1t nor to side with one
party or the other. The President IL labor
ing hard to reconstruct the Union, and the
radicals ere endeavoring to tear down the Pre-
sident's work; but Mr.. Seward is ignorant, Of
The Presidents efforts and the plots Of the radi
Gals. More dsinterested than Davy Crockett's
wife during the celebrated combat between her
husband nrd the bear, be not only does not
care which wins. but be will not even stay 10
see the eight. There will be time enough to
decide upon his course when be comes back;
for This delightful cruise must have an end
some day He knows himself TO be secure OF
his official position 20 long rs he stays away
from Washington; for the President cannot pos