Seward’sactionwascharacteristic。Havingreturnedacurtanddryreplytotheguardedphrasesofthegovernor，hepressedbyhimwiththePresidentandhisassociatestothe``ExecutiveChamber’’neartheentrance，thewaytowhichhe，ofallmen，wellknew。InthatroomtheSenatewereassembledand，ontheentranceofthevisitors，GovernorFentonendeavoredtointroducetheminaformalspeech;butMr。Sewardwastoopromptforhim;hetookthewordsoutofthegovernor’smouthandsaid，inawaywhichthrilledallofuswhohadbeenbroughtuptoloveandadmirehim，``IntheExecutiveChamberoftheStateofNewYorkIsurelyneednointroduction。IbringtoyouthePresidentoftheUnitedStates;thechiefmagistratewhoisrestoringpeaceandprosperitytoourcountry。’’
Thewholesceneimpressedmegreatly;thererusheduponmeastrongtideofrecollectionasIcontrastedwhatGovernorFentonhadbeenandwas，withwhatGovernorSewardhadbeenandwas:itallseemedtomeaghastlymistake。TherestoodFenton，markingthelowestpointinthechoiceofaStateexecutiveeverreachedinourCommonwealthbytheRepublicanparty:therestoodSewardwho，fromhisboyhoodincollege，hadfoughtcourageously，steadily，powerfully，andatlasttriumphantly，againstthedominationofslavery;who，asStatesenator，asgovernor，asthemainfounderoftheRepublicanparty，assenatoroftheUnitedStatesandfinallyasSecretaryofState，hadrenderedserviceabsolutelyinestimable;whoforyearshadbravedstormsofcalumnyandridiculeandfinallytheknifeofanassassin;andwhowasnowadheringtoAndrewJohnsonsimplybecauseheknewthatifheletgohishold，thePresidentwouldrelapseintothehandsofmenopposedtoanyrationalsettlementofthequestionsbetweentheNorthandSouth。I
noticedonSeward’sbrowthedeepscarmadebytheassassin’sknifewhenLincolnwasmurdered;alltheothers，greatlyasIadmiredGrantandFarragut，passedwithmeatthattimefornothing;myeyeswerefixedupontheSecretaryofState。
AfterallwasoverIcameoutwithmycolleague，JudgeFolger，andaswelefttheCapitolhesaid:``Whatwasthematterwithyouinthegovernor’sroom？’’Ianswered:
``Nothingwasthematterwithme;whatdoyoumean？’’Hesaid:``ThemomentSewardbegantospeakyoufastenedyoureyesintentlyuponhim，youturnedsopalethatIthoughtyouwereabouttodrop，andImadereadytoseizeyouandpreventyourfalling。’’Ithenconfessedtohimthefeelingwhichwasdoubtlessthecauseofthischangeofcountenance。