[132] "Seymour was among the most effective and eloquent platform orators in New York. Less electrical than John Van Buren, he was more persuasive; less witty, he was more logical; less sarcastic, he was more candid; less denunciatory of antagonists, he was more convincing to opponents. These two remarkable men had little in common except lofty ambition and rare mental and social gifts. Their salient characteristics were widely dissimilar. Seymour was conciliatory, and cultivated peace. Van Buren was aggressive, and coveted war."—H.B. Stanton, Random Recollections, p. 178.
[133] Thurlow Weed Barnes, Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 218.
[134] F.W. Seward, Life of W.H. Seward, Vol. 2, p. 188.
"Many thought: the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. Seward was the political juggler, or Mephistopheles, as some called him, and the result was regarded as his triumph."—James F. Rhodes, History of the United States, Vol. 1, p. 262. "Some of the prominent Whig newspapers of Georgia declined to sustain Scott, because his election would mean Free-soilism and Sewardism. An address was issued on July 3 by Alexander H. Stephens, Robert Toombs, and five other Whig representatives, in which they flatly refused to support Scott because he was 'the favourite candidate of the Free Soil wing of the Whig party.'"—Ibid., p. 262.
[135] New York Tribune, October, 1852.
[136] Seward's Works, Vol. 3, p. 416. Date of letter, June 26, 1852.
[137] "The argument of the Post, that the Democratic candidate and platform were really more favourable to liberty than the Whig, was somewhat strained; the editor failed to look the situation squarely in the face. He was, however, acting in perfect harmony with the prominent New York Democrats who had, four years previously, bolted the regular nomination. Salmon P. Chase, although still a Democrat, would not support Pierce, but gave his adherence to the Free-soil nominations, and tried hard, though in vain, to bring to their support his former New York associates."—James F. Rhodes, History of the United States, Vol. 1, pp. 264-65.
[138] John A. Dix spoke in the New England and the Middle States. From October 11 to 29 he made thirteen speeches "in the great canvass which is upon us."—Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John A. Dix, Vol. 1, pp. 269, 271.
[139] Horatio Seymour, 264,121; Washington Hunt, 241,525.—Civil List, State of New York (1887), p. 166.
[140] Thurlow Weed Barnes, Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 219.