William H. Seward threw off restraint, or seemed to throw it off, in reality, while the world he threw it off, like a politician, for effect.
He was an optimist. He had imagination. He was reaching out always toward the future, and dwelling upon it. His wiry hair, now silvery white, was more apt than not to be disheveled; his clothes were scarcely ever in style; and he had a slight stoop from years of desk-sitting. His voice was husky, his face sallow, his ears protruded, and his large beaked nose and keen eyes peering out from under gray, grizzly eyebrows gave him an alert and rather bird-like appearance.
People were drawn to this vital figure with the large, hawklike nose, bush eyebrows, enormous ears, once bright red, had faded now to the color of straw. There were many differences between Mr. Lincoln and his New York State rival for the Republican presidential nomination.
Seward seemed to get less enjoyment out of his legal profession than Mr. He had practiced law for profit, not pleasure. His early political career was a financial struggle β especially his two terms as Governor, during which he went heavily into debt in order to support an expensive lifestyle in Albany.
Seward and Mr. Lincoln first met during the Whig presidential campaign when both were campaigning in New England. Seward recalled Mr. Freedom is in harmony with our system of government and with the spirit of the age, and is therefore passive and quiescent. Slavery is in conflict with that system, with justice, and with humanity, and is therefore organized, defensive, active, and perpetually aggressive.
