Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1886 — SEYMOUR IS AT REST. [ARTICLE]

SEYMOUR IS AT REST.

New York’s Ex-Governor anti Statesman Dies Peacefully at His Home in Utica. | His Illness Brief and the Eesult Not Unexpected—An Eventful Life Ended. Horatio Seymour died at the residence ot his brother-in-law, cx-Seaator Roscoe Conkling, in Utica, N. Y„ on the evening of the 12th inst. He passed away peacefully and without pain. From t’ e dispatches we glean the following particulars of his death: ’M s.’Seymour was so prostrated that she had to be carrh.d to and' from the room. Those who stood a ound the. deathbed were Mrs. Conkling, ths Senator's Bister; Mrs. Nelson, the Gove nor's wife s sis'er, of New Brunswick, N. J.; and Dr. I'. r I and wife. It is greatly feared that Mrs, Se m -ur .will not survive the terrible shock. The Governor’s health was pretty good during the fill, but a short time previous to Jan. 1 Mis. Seymour was taken down with a painful illness which alarmed and distressed the Governor, and since that time he had been failing. About ten days ago he left his farm at Doorfield and came here to visit his sister, Mrs. Conkling. Almost immediately he was attacked with, bilious trouble, but was not deemed to be seriously ill. Last Sunday he became restless, and that night was able to obtain little sleep. Monday he had no appetite, and suffered from nausea. Tuesday he went out for a ride. He said that he was not particularly sick, but had a. feeling of exhaustion which ho had not experienced before. Tuesday night he slept better, until toward morning, when he had an attack of nausea and distress, complaining of pain in the head. Wednesday tho first sickness developed qhat had a serious look. Thursday ho complained of a feeling of great exhaustion, and said that he thought he ought to die; that he had lived long enough, and ought to have died when sick before, and he did not know why friends did anything to bring him around again. This was all said in a cheerful tone and manner. His emotions were somewhat disturbed by weakness,but his intellect seemed calm. This was the third day that he had not partaken of sufficient food, but he had not vomited much during the last twenty-four hours. He obtained more sleep last night, but did not seem refreshed by it, and was perceptibly weaker to-day. Yesterday lie' was able to raise and move himself in oed to such an extent as to cause a belief that his vitality was not being exhausted verv rapidly.” J Horatio Seymour, “the farmer statesman,” was born in May, 1810. His birthplace was Pompey, a little village which overlooked the site of Syracuse, N. Y. Then Central New York was almost a wilderness, its sturdy inhabitants fighting with the wild beasts for possession of the soil. The infant Horatio first saw the light deep in the backwoods, shut out from civilization, but he lived to be the leader of a great political party. He was born in “the days of vital piety, sound Democracy, and pure liquor.” He was reared in a community which recognized that one man at his birth is as good as another. Social exclusiveness was not a mark of distinction in his day. In his village inn all classes of men met on equal footing, and discussed public affairs. Under such conditions he passed his youth.

In his boyhood he was sickly and weak, and in consequence, not so advanced in his studies as other boys, but he was a keen observer, and picked up a vast store of information without effort. At 10 years of age he was sent to the Oxford Academy, and from there to Hobart College, but his health continued delicate, and he was sent to a military school in Middletown, Conn. Here he gained health and strength. When 16 years old he and the other cadets visited Washington, and Mr. Seymour always had the liveliest recollection of his first visit to the capital. The cadets were received by President John Quincy Adams and the members of Congress. Young Seymour was most favorably impressed with Henry Clay, whom ho has described as “tall in stature, graceful in action, and most winning in speech.” On this visit he saw Washington’s remains removed from their first to their present tomb. He was allowed to place his hands on the coffin, and he over afterward spoke of the occurrence as one of the greatest events of his life. When he left the military academy he studied law in Utica, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar. At about this time he married Miss Mary Bleecker of Albany. Later he was made one of the staff of Governor William L. Marcy of New York, and in time he became bis confidential friend. While with Governor Marcy he became familiar with the workings of legislative bodies and when, in 1842, he was elected to the Statl Assembly, by the Democrats of Oneida, he a once took a prominent (position. That Legislat ture was composed of men of more than ordinary ability, and it was a surprise even to his friends that Mr. Sevmour should hold the place he did. Returning to Utica, ho was elected Mayor, and in the following winter again chosen for Representative. The session of 1845 was the most exciting and important one in the history of New York Assemblies. The bitter debates which grew out of the opposition to Governor Bouck’s administration led at last to national Democratic defeat. Mr. Seymour divined this, and advised moderation, but his warnings were laughed at, and he was called an alarmist. A year before the Democrats had achieved their greatest and most decisive victory over the Whigs. In New York the Whigs had been buried out of sight by great Democratic majorities, and Henry C'ay, the hero of the Whig party; the idol of his friends, had been defeated for the Presidency by the obscure James K. Polk. In view of this it was ■considered madness in Seymour to prophesy ultimate defeat. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1845, after a bitter contest, by the “Hunker” wing of the Democrats. He acted with them on party questions against the “Barnburner" faction of the party. The split in the Democracy grew wider, the “Barnburners” finally joined the Whigs on a State question, the Democracy was defeated, and the trouble culminated in the election of Taylor to the Presidency and the overthrow of the'National Democratic party. Mr. Seymour’s predictions were fulfilled.

For five years after this Assembly he was in retirement. He then, in 1850, accepted the Democratic nomination for Governor, and was defeated. But he made a strong fight, and two years later again headed the Democratic ticket. This time he was successful, after an exciting campaign. He became Governor in a critical period of the State’s history. The Legislature succumbed to the clamor of the temperance party and passed a most stringent liquor law. Gov. Seymour vetoed the bill, and his message on that subject has been much quoted. This drew upon him the wrath of the pulpit, and he was denounced as an apostle of drunkenness. His every public act was looked upon with suspicion, and a thanksgiving proclamation which he issued was characterized by a religious paper as a “disgraceful production, evidently written by a man of infidel tendencies.” It happened that a learned and pious minister of the gospel had written the proclamation for the Governor. He was again a candidate for Governor in 1854 and was defeated by Myron H. Clark, the Whig and temperance candidate. In 1862, at the expiration of the term of Edwin. D. Morgan, the Republican War Governor of New York, Mr. Seymour was elected Governor by the Democrats. There were many who believed that he would not support the war measures of the General Government, but he responded to every call for troops, although never in accord with President Lincoln. In 1868 he presided over the Democratic convention m New York which nominated him for President against his wish. Ho accepted the nomination, however, and in so doing made, as he has said, the greatest mistake of his Ide. He received but eighty electoral votes, suffering a painful defeat. He was never again prominent in public life. Speaking of his retirement he has said: “I have made up my mind that no man should, cheat himself out of the repose of his old age. In his last days, if his life had not been a barrow one, it seems to me that every man should have much to think of; that he should devote himself to such thought and such usefulness in his private circle as he might be fitted’ for. It is for these reasons that I have refused in my age toaccept public station.” 1