Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1886 — SEYMOUR IS AT REST. [ARTICLE]

SEYMOUR IS AT REST.

New York’s Ex-Governor and Statesman Dies Peacefully at Hts Home In Utica. } His Illness Brief and the Be3ult Not Unexpected —An Eventful Life Ended. Horatio Seymour died at the residence ot his brother-in-law; ex-Eoaator Iloscoe Conkling, in Utica, N. Y., on the evening of the 12th lust. Ho passed away peacefully and w T ithout. pain. From the dispatches wo glean the following particulars of his death: •'M e. Seymour was so prostrated that she had to ha carried to and from the room. Those who stood around the deathbed were Mrs. Gonkling, tho Senator’s sister; Mrs. Nelson, the Gove nor’s wife s sister, of New Kranswick, N. J.; and Dr. lard ajid wife. It is greatly feared that Mrs, 80 mour will not survive the terriblo shock. The Governor’s health was pretty g&od during tike f all, but a short time previous to Jan. 1 Mrs. Seymour was taken down with u painful illness which alarmed and distressed the Governor, and since that time ho had been failing. About ten days ago he left his farm at Deerfield and came here to visit his sister, Mrs. Conkling. f Almost Immediately he was attacked with bilious trouble, hut 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 apjiotite, and Bu'ffered from nausea. Tuesday he went out for a ride. He said that he waa hot,particularly sick, but had a feeling of exhaustion which he had not experienced lief ore. Tuesday night ho slept better, until toward morning, when he had an attack of nausea and distress, complaining of pain in the head. Wednesday:the first sickness developed That had a serious look. Thursday he complained* of a feeling of great exhaustion, and said that ho thought he ought to die ; hod lived long enough, and ought to have died when sick before, and ho 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 he was able to raise and move himself in oed to such an extent as to cause a belief that his vitality was uot being exhausted very rapidly.” 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 iu 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 milage inn all classes of men met on edual 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 studios as other boys, but ho was a keen observer, and picked up a vaßt store of information without effort. At ID 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 membors of Congress. Young Seymour was most favorably impressed with Henry Clay, whom he 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 'llia hands on tho coffin, and he ever afterward spoke cf the occurrence as one of the greatest events of his life. When he loft the military academy he studied law in Utica, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar. At about tins time he married Miss Mary Bleeckqr of Albany. Later he was made one of the staff of Governor William L. Maroy of New York, and in time he became his confidential friend. While with Governor Marcy be became familiar with the workings of legislative bodies and when, iu 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 bisk friends that Mr. Soymour should hold the place he did. Returning to Utica, he -was elected Mayor, and in the following winter again chosen for' Representative. The session of 1845 was the most exciting and im; ortant one in the history sis New York Assemblies. The bitter debates which grew out < f the opposition to Governor Houck's administration led at last to national Democratic defeat. Mr. Seymour divined this, bind advised moderation, but his warnings were laughed ($,, and he was called an alarmist. A year before the Democrats had achieved their greatest and most decisive \ictory over the Whigs. In Nevy. York the Whigs had been buried out of sight by great Democratic majorities, and Henry Clay, tho hero of the Whig party, the idol of his friends, had been ! defeated for the Presidency by tho 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 1815, after a bitter contest, by the “Hunker" wing of the Democrats. He acted with them oil party questions against the "Barnburner” faction of tho party. Tho split in the Democracy grew wider, the ''Barnburners” finally joined tho Whigs on a State question, the Democracy was defeated, and the trouble culminated in the election of Taylor to tho,Presidency aud the overthrow of the National Democratic party. Mr. Seymour’s predictions were fulfilled. For five yoars after this Assembly he was in retirement. He then, ifi "iSSO, accepted tho Democratic nomination for Governor, and was defeated. But ho made a strong fight, and two years later again headed the Democratic ticket. This time he was successful, after an exciting' campaign.. Ho became Governor in a critical period of tho State's hisjory. Tho Legislature succumbed to tho clamor of the temperance party aud passed a most st ingent liquor law. Gov. Seymour vetoed the bill, and his. meßsage on that subject has been much quoted. This drew upon him tho 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 Candidas# - for Governor in 1834 and was defeated by Myron H. Clark, the Whig and temperance candidate. In 1802, at tho 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 tho war measures of the General Government, but he 1-re-sponded to every call for troops, although never in accord with President Lincoln. In 1868 he presided over the Democratic convention in flew York which nominated him for President against his wish. He accepted the nomination, however, and in so doing made, as he has said, the greatest mistake of his life. He received but eighty electoral votes, suffering a painful defeat. He was never again prominent in public lifo. Speaking of bis retirement ho has said: 1 *' . ”1 have made up my mind that no man should cheat'him seif out of *he repose of his old age. In his last days, if his life had not been a barren one, it seems to me that every man should have much to think of; that ho should devote himself to such thought and such ussfulpess in his private circle as he might be fitted fort It 1b for these reasons that I have refused ill my age to accept publfo station.” George W. Childs sent SIOO to the Baltimore fund for a monument for Francis Scplt Key, the author of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” 1 John Rqach, the ship-builder, has resigned the Presidency of the Chester Rolling Mill Company, and S. A Crozer succeeds him. ' , August Neapglelyozkonszizauka, a Pole, took out a marriage licenseat Wilkesburre, Pa. t the other day. Ex -President Arthur is suggested by the Hour for President of Yale College, t