William H. Seward (1801-1872) was a politician. One close to Lincoln and the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
He was born in Florida, New York on May 16, 1801 and died on October 10, 1872 in Auburn, New York.
This New York native studied law at Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1816-1820. In 1819 (cutting into his college years) later, he briefly taught at a Georgia school before going back to New York to enter in politics. He continued to study law before he was admitted to bar in 1822. Later that year, he worked with Judge Elijah Miller. In two years, he would marry Elijah's daughter, Francis Miller and have 5 children plus one adopted daughter.
In 1830, Seward was elected into the New York Senate. He later became the leader of the Whig party until he was soundly defeated for his run for governor in 1834. He went back to studying law for years.
William Seward was finally elected New York governor in 1838 for the Whig party.
The next year, Seward's abolitionist side stood out. He caused a minor controversy after speaking on slavery, then, he refused to extradite (turn over) some runaway slaves back to Virginia.
Seward left office in 1842 and went in debt, forcing him to become fully dedicated to law practices.
He returned to politics in 1849 when he was elected into the United States Senate. He was actually one of the largest critics to the Compromise of 1850. This was a group that tightened the Fugitive Slave Law and maintained the slave trade system in the south.
Seward was re-elected into the Senate in 1855 and joined the Republican Party a little later. Actually, he was even the leading candidate in presidency, until the Republicans chose to go with Lincoln, hoping he would bring more votes in the mid-west.
In December 1860, William Seward accepted Lincoln's invitation as Secretary of State. He was first hesitant, and even doubting, but accepted the job.
When Lincoln brought up his idea of Emancipation in 1861, Seward suggested that Lincoln wait for a Union victory before issuing the Proclamation, because if he had issued it in the Union's period of defeat, it would seem as a surrendering document. So because of this Secretary of State, the Emancipation Proclamation was posponed to 1863, after a few more Union leads.
On July 13, 1862, Lincoln read his initial draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to Seward and another Secretary of State Gideon Welles.
When the Civil War was over, Seward was almost killed as part of the Abraham Lincoln assassanation. He had to be treated in a hospital, clinging to his life, for face and neck wounds.
Farther following the assassanation and stabbing insident, Seward returned to work as Secretary of State under President Andrew Johnson.
As you can see, William Seward had some part of the Emancipation Proclamation, as Secretary of State and fellow Republican, as a listener to the first babysteps towards it, and as an abolitionist. He played a small, yet MAJOR part in the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
He was born in Florida, New York on May 16, 1801 and died on October 10, 1872 in Auburn, New York.
This New York native studied law at Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1816-1820. In 1819 (cutting into his college years) later, he briefly taught at a Georgia school before going back to New York to enter in politics. He continued to study law before he was admitted to bar in 1822. Later that year, he worked with Judge Elijah Miller. In two years, he would marry Elijah's daughter, Francis Miller and have 5 children plus one adopted daughter.
In 1830, Seward was elected into the New York Senate. He later became the leader of the Whig party until he was soundly defeated for his run for governor in 1834. He went back to studying law for years.
William Seward was finally elected New York governor in 1838 for the Whig party.
The next year, Seward's abolitionist side stood out. He caused a minor controversy after speaking on slavery, then, he refused to extradite (turn over) some runaway slaves back to Virginia.
Seward left office in 1842 and went in debt, forcing him to become fully dedicated to law practices.
He returned to politics in 1849 when he was elected into the United States Senate. He was actually one of the largest critics to the Compromise of 1850. This was a group that tightened the Fugitive Slave Law and maintained the slave trade system in the south.
Seward was re-elected into the Senate in 1855 and joined the Republican Party a little later. Actually, he was even the leading candidate in presidency, until the Republicans chose to go with Lincoln, hoping he would bring more votes in the mid-west.
In December 1860, William Seward accepted Lincoln's invitation as Secretary of State. He was first hesitant, and even doubting, but accepted the job.
When Lincoln brought up his idea of Emancipation in 1861, Seward suggested that Lincoln wait for a Union victory before issuing the Proclamation, because if he had issued it in the Union's period of defeat, it would seem as a surrendering document. So because of this Secretary of State, the Emancipation Proclamation was posponed to 1863, after a few more Union leads.
On July 13, 1862, Lincoln read his initial draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to Seward and another Secretary of State Gideon Welles.
When the Civil War was over, Seward was almost killed as part of the Abraham Lincoln assassanation. He had to be treated in a hospital, clinging to his life, for face and neck wounds.
Farther following the assassanation and stabbing insident, Seward returned to work as Secretary of State under President Andrew Johnson.
As you can see, William Seward had some part of the Emancipation Proclamation, as Secretary of State and fellow Republican, as a listener to the first babysteps towards it, and as an abolitionist. He played a small, yet MAJOR part in the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation.