country's history of unexampled difficulties and danger, you have discharged the various and exacting duties of your high office. While they do not doubt, however, what on that point will be the verdict of that tribunal from which there is no appeal, they especially desire to bear testimony to the fact, that neither the pressure of public cares nor the weight of private sorrows- the latter seemingly too heavy to be borne - have served to disturb the exercise on your part of that courtesy towards subordinates which renders official intercourse so gratifying, and the discharge of official duties so pleasant. Earnestly hoping for their country's sake that your useful life may be greatly prolonged, and for your own that it may be attended with every possible blessing, the undersigned subscribe themselves, your obedient servants, GEO. J. ABBOT. MR. SEWARD'S REPLY. E. HAYWOOD. H. D. J. PRATT. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, D. C., March 3, 1869. GENTLEMEN: I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of the very kind letter which you have just laid upon my table. It gives me sincere pleasure to recognize among the names subscribed to it every loyal, capable, trustworthy, and reliable officer whom I found in this Department when I entered it, with the exception of those who have voluntarily retired from the public service. It gives me equal pleasure to witness that there is not among the subscribers of your letter one person whom I cannot recommend for continued public service. A comparison between the list of subscribers and the official roll, as it stood when I entered the Department, and as it stood at various periods afterwards, discloses the honorable and gratifying fact, that although the country has passed through a long and severe civil war, and has subsequently passed through many political commotions consequent on the restoration of peace, only two persons have been dismissed the service for disloyalty, two or three at most for incompetency, and one for betraying the confidence of the Government. Gentlemen, it would be as idle as it would be presumptuous for us to undertake to fix a standard for the popular appreciation of our own services. That will be the task of history, which delights in contemplating studiously the vicissitudes of nations; and that task can only be performed when we shall have ceased to be. Let us therefore, be content for the present with claiming for ourselves and conceding to each other the humble pretension, that whatever may be the errors which history may at any time detect, those errors have been in all cases errors of judgment, and not of motive or purpose. In the name of the President of the United States I thank you all, and each of you, for the efficiency, fidelity, ability and courtesy with which you have performed your several trusts; and I pray God to have you all constantly, with your respective families and friends, in His holy keeping. I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. To Messrs. W. HUNTER, R. S. CHEW, E. PESHINE SMITH, GEORGE E. BAKER, R. S. CHILTON, &C., &c., &c. SEWARD. EIGHT years of service, such as greatest kings Thou hast rode out from first to last the storm The assassin's knife, and keener blade of scorn How could'st thou pause each step to vindicate A. D. F. R. |