REMARKS UPON THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS OF CHAS. SEWARD, WITH INCIDENTS AND COMMENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE AND VIEWS AS TO THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE BY GIDEON WELLES, Ex-Secretary of the Navy. NEW YORK: SHELDON & COMPANY. 1874. E451 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1874, by in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. PREFACE. IN submitting the following pages, it is proper that the circumstances which led to, and attended their preparation, should go out with them. The "Memorial Address on the life, character and services of William H. Seward," which Mr. Adams delivered at Albany in April 1873, by invitation of the legislature of the State of New York, attracted general attention, and is a document which, if permitted to pass uncorrected, would be likely to contribute to, and strengthen false history. For a third of a century, Mr. Seward occupied prominent positions in his native state, and no inconsiderable space in the service of his country. It was appropriate that the state which had honored him with its confidence while living, should commemorate his death by an official observance such as the legislature ordered, and Mr. Adams was invited to fulfil. From a variety of considerations, the selection of the orator seemed proper; for there was much in his association with the deceased to commend it, and it opened a field of historic interest worthy of his pen. The extreme of panegyric, if the eulogist chose to indulge the partiality of friendship in that direction, was allowable and probably expected; but it was not anticipated that the occasion would be used to elevate the reputation of the deceased statesman at the expense of others, and certainly not by deprecia 297745 |