The Life of William H. Seward with Selections from His Works - Google Books

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CONTENTS.

CONTENTS OF THE MEMOIR.

THE SEWARD FAMILY.-John Seward. -Revolutionary Anecdote. —

Samuel S. Seward.-The S. S. Seward Institute.-The Mother of

William H. Seward.-Irish Lineage.-Ireland and Irishmen...PAGE

WILLIAM HENRY SEWARD. - Birthplace. -Boyhood.-School-Days.-

His Father's Slave.-Orange County.- Goshen.- Warwick.-Flor-

ida. Settlement.-Scenery.-George, James, and De Witt Clinton.

-Anecdotes.-Farmer's Hall Academy.- Aaron Burr.- Noah Web-

ster.-Young Seward enters Union College at Fifteen......

His College Life.-Characteristics.-Favorite Studies.-Visits the South.

-Becomes a Teacher.-Slavery.-Anecdotes.-The Slave and the

Blind Horse.-The Slave Mother.-Return to College.-The Adel-

phic, Philomathean, and Delphian Societies.-Exciting Contests.—

Triumph of Seward.-Orator of the Adelphic Society.— Graduates.

-William Kent.-Dr. Hickok.-Professor Lewis.-Seward appoint-

ed to address Daniel D. Tompkins.- His Relations with Dr. Nott

and his College Companions....

Enters the Law-Office of John Anthon as a Student.-Completes his

Studies with John Duer and Ogden Hoffman.—Admitted to the

Bar. Removes to Auburn.-Associated with Judge Miller.-Mar-

riage. Children.-Auburn, its Characteristics.-Mr. Seward's Re-

ligious Principles.-His Early Devotion to Public Improvement.-

Character as a Lawyer.-John C. Spencer.-Joshua A. Spencer.-

Albert H. Tracy.-John M. Hulbert.-William M. Brown.- Mr.

Seward's Success at the Bar....

His Political Predilections.-His Father an ardent Democrat.-The

Leaders of the Democratic Party unfaithful to Freedom.-Mr. Sew-

ard takes Ground against Slavery.- His Views and Course.- His

Views of the Albany Regency in 1824.-Delivers an Oration July 4,

1825. His Position then on Important Questions.- Oration for

Greece.-Eulogy on David Berdan.-Young Men's Convention.-

Mr. Seward presides.- Favorable Impressions excited.-John Q.

Adams and General Jackson.-Anti-Masonic Excitement.- Mr. Sew-

ard nominated for Congress in 1828.- Declines.-Supports the Na-

tional Republican Party.- Nominated for the State Senate.-Elected 29

Mr. Seward enters the Senate of New York.-Circumstances.-His
Position and Course.-His Maiden Speech.-Militia Reforms.-In-
ternal Improvements.-Imprisonment for Debt.-Universal Educa-
tion.- Elections by the People.-The United States Bank.- Prison
for Females.-Erie Railroad.-Origin of the Whig Party.-Banking.
-Prison Reform.- Corporations......

Presidential Election, 1832.- Clay and Wirt.-Mr. Seward's Course.-

Visits Europe.-Letters from Europe.-Returns and resumes his

Seat in the Senate.-Speech on the Removal of the Deposites.-Gov-

ernor Marcy's Loan Law.-The Court of Errors.-Mr. Seward as a

Judge. His Eulogium on Lafayette......

Nominated for Governor, 1834.-Defeated. His large Vote.-Deliv-

ers an Address on Education and Internal Improvements at Auburn.

-Appointed Agent of the Holland Land Company.-Delivers a Dis-

course on Education at Westfield, Chautauque County, July, 1887.

-Triumph of the Whigs.-New York and Erie Railroad.—Mr.

Seward's Efforts in its Behalf.-Second Nomination for Governor,

1838. Circumstances of the Canvass.-Elected Governor.-Com-

plete Success of the Whigs, and Overthrow of the Regency.....

Mr. Seward the First Whig Governor of New York.-Peculiar Circum-

stances. Mr. Seward's Course and Measures.- His Devotion to Im-

provements and Reforms.-Agriculture.- Education.-The School

Controversy.-Immigrants.-Law Reform.- Decentralization of the

Regency Power.-Reforms in the Banking System.-Small-Bill Law.

-Geological Survey.-Notes on New York.-Abolition of Impris-

onment for Debt....

84

Governor Seward's Course in the Anti-Rent Difficulties.- Vindication

by the Court of Appeals.-Militia Reforms.—Election Laws.-Veto

of the Registry Act suppressed.-Disturbances in Canada. The

M'Leod Case.-General Harrison.—Mr. Webster.-Mr. Crittenden.

-Mr. Fox.-Mr. Van Buren.-Willis Hall. -John Tyler.—Mr.

Seward's Firmness and Wisdom illustrated...

Governor Seward and the Canals.-The Enlargement Question.-Re-

port of S. B. Ruggles.-Mr. Flagg's Policy.-The State Debt.—

Financial Crisis.-Erroneous Estimates by the Canal Commissioners

discovered.-A General Panic.-Suspension of the Public Works.—

Governor Seward's Course.-Resumption of the Public Works.- His

Policy vindicated and re-established in 1854.- Railroads: New

York and Erie; Hudson River; Pacific.-Governor Seward's Plans

on the Eve of Completion...

Governor Seward's Exercise of the Pardoning Power.-Pardon Cases.

-The Insane Murderer.- Female Convicts.-Juvenile Delinquents.

-Benjamin Rathbun.-John C. Colt.-Catherine Wilkins.-The

Slaveholder.-James Watson Webb and Thomas F. Marshall.-The

Veto Power.-Cases.-Madame D'Hauteville.-Thurlow Weed.-

The Registry Act.-Suspension of Public Works.-Refusal of the

Legislature to receive Governor Seward's Messages

Governor Seward's Course on Questions relating to Slavery.-Repeal

of the Nine-Months Law.-The Lemmon Case.-Jury Trial for Fugi-

tive Slaves.-State Officers prohibited from assisting in Arrest of

Fugitive Slaves.-Recovery of Kidnapped Negroes.—Solomon Nor-

throp.― African Suffrage.—The Virginia Controversy.-Extraordin-

ary Proceedings.-Imprisonment of Colored Men in Slave States.-

Governor Seward's Course.-Resolves to decline a Re-Election.-

General Harrison's Election in 1840.-Mr. Clay's Nomination in 1844.

-Governor Seward's View.-Annexation of Texas.-Increase of

Anti-Slavery Votes.-Defeat of the Whigs.-Luther Bradish.-- Gov-

ernor Bouck.-Close of Governor Seward's Second Term..

Mr. Seward in Private Life.- Receives John Quincy Adams at Auburn.

-Their Intimate Relations.-Death of John Quincy Adams.—Mr.

Seward's Eulogy.-Address at Union College in 1843.-- Repeated

at Amherst.-Mr. Seward as an Advocate.- Practice at the Bar.-

United States Courts.-Patent Causes.-Invention.-Extract from

Argument. Criminal Cases.- Liberty of the Press. Cooper vs.

Greeley. — Capital Trial at Cooperstown. - Fugitive Slave Trial.-

Extract from Argument.-Eulogy on O'Connell.-Extract........

The Wyatt and Freeman Cases.- Massacre of the Van Nest Family.-

Extraordinary Excitement.-Conviction of Wyatt.-Trial of Free-

man.- Unprecedented Proceedings.-John Van Buren.- Mr. Sew-

ard's Defence of Wyatt and Freeman.-Scenes in Court.- Popular

Feeling. Denunciations of the Press.-The Verdict.-Extract from

Mr. Seward's Argument.-Sentence of Freeman.-Strange Scene.—

Mr. Seward's Bill of Exceptions.-New Trial granted.-Death of

Freeman. Change in Public Opinion.— Review of the Case..

The Trial of Abel F. Fitch and Others for Conspiracy at Detroit in 1851.

-Fifty Persons indicted.-Michigan Central Railroad Company.-

Mr. Seward's Defence.-Extract from his Argument.-Character of

Mr. Seward's Professional Labors.- Liberty of the Press.-Fugitive

Slave Law.— Rights of Inventors.- His Views of Libel-Suits....... 115

Mr. Seward recalled to Public Life.-Retrospect.-Organization of the

Native American Party.-Burning of Catholic Churches.-Mr. Sew-

ard's Course.- Henry Clay.-Annexation of Texas.- War with Mex-

ico.-The Oregon Question.-Hunkers and Barnburners.- Constitu-

tional Convention, 1846.—Mr. Seward's Views.—Internal Improve-

ments. Right of Suffrage.-Decentralization.- Presidential Election,

1848.- General Taylor.-The Canvass.- Mr. Seward's Speeches.-

His Speech at Cleveland.-Extract.-The Whig Platform in 1848.-

Freedom and Slavery.-Speeches in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,

and New York.-General Taylor, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Webster.- Mr.

Seward's Estimate of the Presidency.....

President Taylor.-Mr. Seward elected Senator.- Visits Washington.

-Effort for Freedom.-His Relations with General Taylor.-Cali-

fornia. - New Mexico. -The Higher Law. -The Compromise.—

Freedom in District of Columbia.- French Spoliations.-The Public

Lands.-Kossuth.—Smith O'Brien.—Thomas F. Meagher.-Freedom

in Europe.-American Steam Navigation.-Survey of the Arctic and

Pacific Ocean.-American Fisheries.-Visit to Vermont.-Agricul-

tural Address.-Extract.-Visit to Canada.-Montreal.- Quebec... 131

The Presidential Election of 1852.-Review of the Slavery Contest of

1850.- Mr. Seward's Opposition.- Mr. Clay.—Mr. Webster.-Gen-

eral Cass.-General Taylor's Position.- Mr. Seward supports it.—

Denounced as an Agitator.- Utah and New Mexico.-The Fugitive

Slave Bill.-The Compromisers.-Death of President Taylor.- Mr.

Fillmore. His Course and Coalition with the Democrats.- Mr. Sew-

ard's Opposition.-The Baltimore Conventions of 1852, Democratic

and Whig-Franklin Pierce.-General Scott.-Millard Fillmore.-

Daniel Webster.-Platform for Slavery.-Position of Mr. Seward's

Friends. Mr. Webster's Course.-His Death. -Triumph of the

Democrats.- Election of Franklin Pierce.-Overthrow of the Whigs.

-Defeat of General Scott.-Effect upon Mr. Seward..

XXXII Congress, Second Session 1852-'53.—Mr. Seward's Speeches.

John Quincy Adams and General Cass.-Vindication of Mr. Adams.

-John C. Calhoun.-The Monroe Doctrine.- Annexation of Cuba.

-Mr. Seward's Views.-Mexico and the Continental Railroad.—

Suspension of Duty on Railroad Iron.-Extract from Mr. Seward's

Speech on Railroads.-Texas and her Creditors.-Oration at Colum-

bus.-The Destiny of America.—Address before the American Insti-

tute. The True Basis of American Independence.- Eulogium on

James Tallmadge...
150

XXXIII Congress.-Nebraska.-Inauguration of President Pierce.-

High Expectations of Beneficent Legislation.-Revision of the Tariff.

-The Homestead.— Pacific Railroad.— Disappointment.— Introduc-

tion of the Nebraska Bill by Mr. Douglas.- Veto of the Bill for Re-

lief of the Insane.-The Nebraska Bill.-Fruit of the Compromise

Measures of 1850.-Senators Everett, Chase, Sumner, Truman Smith,

Wade, Bell, Houston, and Fessenden.- Mr. Seward's Letter to the

New York Merchants. His Position.-His First Speech.-Second

Speech. Passage of the Bill.-Effect of Mr. Seward's Speeches on

the Country. His Speech on the Reception of a Remonstrance from

3050 Clergymen.-The Right of Petition vindicated.-The Gadsden

Treaty.-The Reciprocity Treaty.- Review of Mr. Seward's Course

in the Senate.-Eulogium on Henry Clay.-Eulogium on Daniel

Webster.-Debates in the Senate.-Address before the Phi Beta

Kappa Society of Yale College.-Honorary Degree of Doctor of

Laws conferred upon Mr. Seward.- His Relations to the Whig Party

and to Mr. Fillmore's Administration.-Conclusion...

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