CHAPTER III.

HIS LEGISLATIVE CAREER.

IN 1841, Mr. Seymour accepted a nomination for the Assembly from the county of Oneida, and was elected by one of the largest majorities ever given a democratic candidate in that ancient stronghold of the party. At this period, just twenty-seven years ago, commenced his public career.

Mr. Seymour entered the Assembly the recognized friend of Governor Marcy, and an adherent of the established and national organization of the Democratic party. In the Legislature, he was a bold and efficient defender of the time-honored principles of the Democracy.

Judge Hammond, in his "Political History of New York," referring to Mr. Seymour at this time, says:

"We have seldom known a man who possessed higher and better qualifications for usefulness and success in a popular government than Horatio Seymour. Kind and social by nature, affable in his deportment, possessing a shrewd, discerning mind, fluent, and at times eloquent in debate, enlarged in his views, liberal almost to a fault to his opponents, and fascinating in his address, no man seemed better calculated to acquire an influence in a legislative body than he, and few, indeed, at his time of life, have, in fact, acquired a better standing or more substantial moral power. He had early made himself well acquainted wth the great and varied interests of the State of New York, an acquisition which aided him much in

debate, and gave him an advantage over older members, and which, at the same time, enabled him to render services in legislation highly useful and beneficial to the State."

Mr. Seymour had previously been a member of local and State Conventions, but this was the first position in which he attracted the attention of the public outside of his county. The Assembly of 1842 comprised many talented men such as John A. Dix; Lemuel Stetson, of Clinton; Geo. A. Simmons, of Essex; John A. Lott, of Kings; Levi S. Chatfield, of Otsego; Michael Hoffman and Arphaxad Loomis, of Herkimer; Solomon Townsend, William McMurray, Sandford E. Church; John Kramer, of Saratoga; Charles Humphrey, and others. Levi S. Chatfield was elected Speaker. Mr. Seymour at once took rank as a prominent and leading member. The great contest of the session took place on the passage of the celebrated bill of Michael Hoffman in relation to the finances. It was an act to provide for paying the debt and preserving the credit of the State. The bill passed the Assembly by a large majority, Mr. Seymour voting for it with Michael Hoffman. In 1842, Mr. Seymour was elected Mayor of Utica. He was, however, a member of the Legislature of 1843, and of each succeeding session until and including that of 1865. At the session of 1843, Gov. Bouck's Administration was met at the threshold by opposition, and a bitter sectional feeling sprang up. Mr. Seymour exerted his influence to prevent the schism which ultimately destroyed the democratic ascendancy in the State. In 1843, a large democratic majority

HIS CONTEST WITH MICHAEL HOFFMAN.

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was returned to both houses. One wing of the party urged for Speaker Michael Hoffman, while the other wing was anxious to present the name of Horatio Seymour. Mr. Seymour, however, withdrew in favor of Elisha Litchfield, of Onondaga County. It was at this session that the great contest took place between Michael Hoffman and Horatio Seymour on the canal and financial policy of the State. On the 23d of April Mr. Seymour made a report as Chairman of the Committee on Canals, on that portion of the Governor's message relating to that subject. This report covers seventy-one large octavo pages, and has been pronounced one of the ablest and best written documents ever presented to a legislative body.

Accompanying it was a bill making a practical application of the theory advanced and supported in the report. This passed both houses, Mr. Seymour's friends and nearly all the Whigs voting for it; Mr. Hoffman's friends voting against, but Mr. Hoffman himself refusing to vote. This was a great triumph for Mr. Seymour. A writer, speaking of this session, says:

"In the excited and somewhat acrimonious contests that occurred in the Assembly, Mr. Seymour very soon became looked upon as the champion of the friends of the democratic administration. In this as in the performance of the regular duties that devolved on him on the floor as well as a member of important committees, he acquitted himself with marked ability. Mr. Hoffman was a powerful antagonist, and had been universally regarded as the most formidable man in debate in the legislature. Such, however, was the charm of Mr. Seymour's manner, and such the manliness and frankness of his general course, that he secured from Mr. Hoffman the most respectful consideration, and it was regarded by many as a remarkable sight

to behold the dictator of the house defer to the commanding courtesy of his competitor."

At the session of 1845, Mr. Seymour was elected Speaker, and filled the chair with great ability. He had declined the position at the previous session. At this session the bill providing for a convention to revise the Constitution was adopted. This was originally a Whig measure; and though the Democracy desired to effect certain changes in the Constitution they wished to accomplish it in the manner provided by the Constitution itself. This was Mr. Seymour's view, and the debate between him and John Young, the leader of the Whigs, was characterized by great eloquence. Time has confirmed all the objections made to the new Constitution as well in its political aspects as upon the interests of the people of the State. With this session ended Mr. Seymour's legislative career, and ended also the ascendancy of the party in the legislative and executive departments of the Government. Divisions had done their work, and in the State elections of 1846'47 and '48, the Democratic party of New York sustained a series of defeats. Soon after the election of 1848, in which Mr. Seymour ardently supported Cass and Butler, he co-operated in movements to close the breach between the different sections of the party; and in the work of reconciliation became more prominent than any other of the National Democracy. He spared no honorable efforts to unite and consolidate the party upon a broad and consistent National platform. In this laudable work he for the time alienated the feelings of some of his old

ELECTED SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY.

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friends, and subjected himself to much unjust suspicion, but the end justified his course, and vindicated his sagacity and magnanimity. In 1849, the Democracy of the State partially regained their power, but soon lost it by a local and temporary issue in reference to the immediate enlargement of the Erie canal. We close our necessarily brief review of Mr. Seymour's early legislative career and his exertions in behalf of the union of the Democratic party of New York, by recalling the remarks made at the time by a leading opponent in reference to his social and personal qualities:

"The courtesy and liberality of this leader of the Democracy in public life, were not more distinctly marked, than were his urbanity and generosity in private intercourse. His troops of friends, among all of those with whom he is brought in contact, constitute a cloud of witnesses to bear testimony to his general kindness of heart, and the many acts of delicate courtesy and considerate benevolence, which eminently characterize him as a citizen and as a man."