Horatio Seymour (Brother, S&B 1835, Newphew S&B 1867)
Democratic. Politician. Episcopalian.
Seymour’s second term proved to be even more tumultuous than his first one. As governor of the largest state in the union from 1863 to 1864, Seymour was one of the most prominent Democratic opponents of the President. He opposed the Lincoln administration’s institution of the military draft in 1863 on constitutional grounds, an act which led many to question his support for the war. In the aftermath of the war Seymour joined other Democrats in supporting President Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction policies, and was a strong opponent of Radical Reconstruction, with its emphasis on guaranteeing civil and political rights for freed slaves.[3]
1 Jan 1863 - 31 Dec 1864 - 18th Governor of New York
Lieutenant: David R. Floyd-Jones. Preceded by Edwin D. Morgan. Succeeded by Reuben Fenton.
1860 - In the secession crisis following Abraham Lincoln’s election (1860) Seymour strongly endorsed the proposed Crittenden Compromise. After the start of the American Civil War, Seymour took a cautious middle position within his party, supporting the war effort but criticizing Lincoln’s conduct of the war. Seymour was especially critical of Lincoln’s wartime centralization of power and restrictions on civil liberties, as well as his support for emancipation. [3]
1860 - candidate for Democratic nomination for President.
1 Jan 1853 to 31 Dec 1854 - Governor of New York
Lieutenant: Sanford E. Church Preceded by Washington Hunt. Succeeded by Myron H. Clark
7 Jan 1845 to 31 Dec 1845 - Speaker of the New York State Assembly
Preceded by Elisha Litchfield. Succeeded by William C. Crain.
1 Jan 1844 to 31 Dec 1845 - Member of the New York State Assembly from Oneida County
Serving with Justus Childs, James Douglass, Richard Empey (1844), Andrew Billings, Merit Brooks, Calvert Comstock (1845)
Preceded by Dan P. Cadwell, Amos S. Fassett, David Murray, John H. Tower Succeeded by Chauncey C. Cook, Benjamin F. Cooper, Daniel G. Dorrance, Russel Fuller
1 Jan 1842 to 31 Jan 1842 - Member of the New York State Assembly from Oneida County
Serving with Ichabod C. Baker, Ebenezer Robbins, DeWitt C. Stephens Preceded by Calvin Dawley, Joseph Halleck, Luke Hitchcock, Nathaniel Odell Succeeded by Dan P. Cadwell, Amos S. Fassett, David Murray, John H. Tower
1842 to 1843 - Mayor of Utica, New York
Preceded by John C. Devereux Succeeded by Frederick Hollister
When, in the late 1840s, the New York Democratic Party split between the two factions of Hunkers and Barnburners, Seymour was among those identified with the more conservative Hunker faction, led by Marcy and Senator Daniel S. Dickinson. After this split led to disaster in the elections of 1848, when the division between the Hunkers, who supported Lewis Cass, and the Barnburners, who supported their leader, former President Martin Van Buren, Seymour became identified with Marcy’s faction within the Hunkers, the so-called “Softshell Hunkers,” who hoped to reunite with the Barnburners so as to be able to bring back Democratic dominance within the state.[3]
Died 12 Feb 1886, from Not Known. Age 75.
Note:
Brother … John Forman Seymour (S&B 1835)
Newphew, son of John Forman Seymour (S&B 1835) … Horatio Seymour (S&B 1867) 1877 to 1881 - State Engineer and Surveyor of the State of New York 1874 to 1877 - Assistant Engineer of the Erie Canal Former Chairman of the Michigan Iron & Land Co. Society of the Cincinnati.[6]
[1] - Spartacus-educational.com - Horatio Seymour
[[3] - Academystamp.com] http://www.academystamp.com/product485.html
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