HORATIO SEYMOUR.

HORATIO SEYMOUR was born at Pompey | up with the management of his large

Geneva Academy-afterward Hobart was elected a member of the Assembly

52

Michael Hoffman. As Chairman of the Canal Committee of the Assembly he made a report upon the canals which outlined a policy of their management which was followed by the State for many years afterwards. In 1845 he had become so distinguished that he was elected Speaker of the Assembly. His services to his party were so highly thought of that in 1850 he was nominated for Governor by the Democratic party. He was beaten, however, by the Whig candidate, Washington Hunt, by a majority of 262 votes. In 1852, at the National Democratic Convention, he earnestly favored the nomination of William L. Marcy for President. The same year he was again nominated for Governor and this time was elected over Washington Hunt by a majority of 22,596. In the course of his administration a law prohibiting the sale of liquor was passed but he vetoed it on the ground that it was unconstitutional and adverse to public policy. In 1854 he was again the candidate of the Democratic party but was beaten by Myron H. Clark, the Whig and temperance candidate. In 1856 Mr. Seymour, at the Democratic National Convention, favored the nomination of James Buchanan for President. When the war of the Rebellion broke out he loyally supported the war, measures of Presi dent Lincoln, although he had opposed his election. In 1862 he was again the candidate of the Democratic party for

Governor, and was elected by a majority
of 10,752 votes; his Republican opponent
being General James W. Wadsworth.
One of his most conspicuous acts as
Governor in 1863 was to suggest that a
constitutional amendment be passed
permitting soldiers at the seat of war
to vote. This amendment was subse-
quently adopted. Riots of most danger-
ous character in New York city in opposi
tion to the draft in 1863, called for all his
diplomacy; but through his action and
that of General John E. Wool within
forty-eight hours the rioters were subdued;
although not before 1,000 lives had been
lost and property valued at $3,000,000
had been destroyed. Another striking
act during Governor Seymour's adminis
tration was his recommendation to the
Legislature that the principal and interest
of the State debt be paid in gold. In
1864 he was renominated for Governor,
but was beaten by Reuben E. Fenton,
the Republican candidate. His highest
honor was reached in 1868, when he was
nominated for President, the opposing
Republican candidate being General
Ulysses S. Grant. General Grant was
elected, receiving 214 electoral votes,
while Mr. Seymour only received eighty
electoral votes. This ended Mr. Sey.
mour's political life. He retired to his
farm at Deerfield, near Utica, and lived
there for the remainder of his life. He
died in Utica, on February 12, 1886,

MYRON H. CLARK.

MYRON H. CLARK was born in Naples,
Ontario county, New York, on October
23, 1806. He received a good common
school education, and early went to
work. He also early became interested
in the political affairs of his fellow.
countrymen, in which he took an
active part. After holding
minor offices he was elected Sheriff of
Ontario county in 1837. He then re-

some

moved to Canandaigua and served In the office of Sheriff for three years. In 1851 and again in 1853 he was elected a member of the State Senate. In 1854 he was nominated for the office of Governor in the Whig Convention, the State Temperance Convention, and in that of the Free Soil Democrats. These elements subsequently consolidated and named the Republican Party,- thus, he

were