William Henry Seward

William Henry Seward (born the May 16th 1801 in a small community of the county of Orange in the State of New York and deceased the October 10th 1872 with Auburn) is a lawyer and American Politicien Gouverneur and senator of New York then Secretary of State of the the United States of America.

Beginning of career

William H. Seward is born in a small community from the State from New York named Florida in south-west from the town of Newburgh. His/her father is a recognized physicist which officiates during a few years like Juge. He follows his studies of right to the Union College of New York and obtains his diploma in 1820. The previous year, at the time of a study trip in Georgia, he discovers the reality of the slavery which shocks it deeply. Admitted with the bar of New York, it meets his future wife, Frances Miller and is then established in Auburn (where it will pass the remainder of its life) in 1823 where it works with his future father-in-law, judge Elijah Miller. One year later, he asks for the hand of his daughter to him. The couple will have in all five children.

Political career

In New York

Seward launches out to old 29 years in the policy like partisan of John Quincy Adams. He is elected with the senate of New York in 1830 like opponent with the sights of Andrew Jackson then joined the Parti whig. It remains at this station during four years before being elected Gouverneur of New York in 1838 and re-elected in 1840. During its two mandates, he works with the reform of the Prison S and the education, mainly by introducing the idea that the immigrants can have their own schools with courses given in their own languages by members of their own religions. He joined the movement anti-slavery also at that time lately creates.

At the end of its second mandate, in 1846, it fails the elections and turns over to Auburn to practice its lawyer trade. For this reason, he is the defender of William Freeman, an Afro-American mentally ill, murderer of a white farmer and his family. During the lawsuit, Seward pleads the madness (what is a first). It loses the lawsuit but gains in call.

As senator

In 1849, the assembly of the State elects Seward as senator of New York and remains at this station until in 1861. During these twelve years, he is Member of the Commission of the foreign relations and works to join together the California with the Union as a free state and without slavery. Whereas the partisans of the Compromis of 1850 support that the admission of a new state must be without restriction, he calls upon a “law higher than the Constitution” to justify his moral opposition.

On the internal plan, it helps with the organization of new the Republican party and in 1855 adheres officially to it in front of the decline of the Party whig, which makes its behavior political sometimes contradictory. In particular, its speeches on the abolition of slavery become more moderate, which carries some to suppose that it has presidential sights.

In fact, Seward loses the nomination for the presidential election against John C. Frémont in 1856. He repeats in 1860, but he once again is débouté, some deputy fearing his too radical past and certain others, carried out by Horace Greeley, reproaching him his political turn on the left. When Abraham Lincoln gains the nomination, Seward supports it honestly and starts a great election tour to support it in the states of the West to the autumn 1860.

With the government

“ I cuts advised Mr. L. that I will not declines. Inevitable It is. I will try to save freedom and my country. ” William H. Seward, 1860.

After its election, Lincoln proposes the post of Secretary of State to Seward which accepts it only unwillingly. It remains however at this station of 1861 until 1869. One of its first tasks is to help to write then to sign the Proclamation of emancipation which becomes a law on January 1st 1863, but whose official announcement is delayed until the first great victory of the troops of the Union.

During the American Civil War, Seward creates a secret police which stops thousands of suspectés citizens of actions of Espionnage, of Sabotage or simply of propagation of seditious information. Some of the defendants are true political prisoners, but the majority of the cases prove to be due to overzealousnesses of generals (that the administration did not want to recall to the order). Many suspects did not even know the reasons of their arrest and were slackened without investigations and lawsuit.

For the same period, Seward convinces the British government not to recognize the Confédération and can calm the play between the two nations during the Affaire of the Trent. It is also implied in the success of the withdrawal of the French troops at the end of the Expédition of Mexico in 1867.

Into night of April 14th 1865 (the same night when Abraham Lincoln is killed), Lewis Powell, a associate of John Wilkes Booth, is introduced into the room of Seward and stabs on several occasions it. Seward recovers quickly from its wounds and continues its mandate of Secretary of State under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

The March 30th 1867, it knows one of its most media successes by finalizing the Achat of Alaska to the Russia for the sum of $7 200 000 dollars (either less than 5 dollars the km ²). The public opinion, little convinced, calls the new state under the various nicknames of “ Seward' S Icebox ”, “ Seward' S Folly ” or “ Andrew Johnson' S whodunnit bear garden ”. Nowadays still, Alaska celebrates this event last Monday of March, called Seward' S Day . Finally. the August 28th 1867, it approves the annexation of the Atoll of Midway to the territory of the United States.

End-of-life

In 1869, it withdraws public affairs. He visits Alaska in June then engages in a round the world tour which will last 14 month. When it turns over to Auburn, it begins a book describing this experiment but dies at his place, on October 10th, 1872, after a short disease.

Trivia

Its portrait decorates the tickets of 50 dollars of the series emitted in 1891. Very few examples of this series still exist.
the town of Seward, the Peninsula of Seward (both in Alaska), the town of Seward in the State of New York as well as the park Seward with Seattle are all named in its honor.

Some publications

Trade in the Pacific ocean. Speech off William H. Seward, in the Senate off the United States, July 29,1852 (1852; text and images digitalized)
continental The rights and relations off our country. Speech off William Henry Seward, in Senate off the United States, January 26,1853 (1853; text and images digitalized)
The destiny off America. Speech off William H. Seward, At the dedication off Capital University, At Columbus, Ohio, September 14,1853 (1853; text and images digitalized)
Alaska. Speech off William H. Seward At Sitka, August 12,1869 (1869; text and images digitalized)

See too

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