, and the Democracy was being resolved into
antagonistic factions. Seward's nomination for the presidency seemed
assured. He was the foremost statesman in his party. He had crystallized
its ideas, interpreted its creed, and marshalled its forces. He had an
enthusiastic following who believed that the occasion had met the man;
but there were others who objected that his very superiority would
provoke assault against him, which might hurt the cause for which he
stood. They reasoned against his availability, and their argument
prevailed. He led on the first two ballots in the convention, but, on
the third, Abraham Lincoln, then comparatively unknown, became the
Republican standard-bearer. Seward met this reverse tranquilly, rebuked
certain manifestations of disaffection, proffered the candidate his
hearty support, and, in a series of remarkably able and eloquent
speeches, extending from Massachusetts to Kansas, contributed materially
to his election.

Seward accepted the portfolio of State in Lincoln's cabinet and
immediately assumed the gravest responsibilities. American relations
with foreign governments during the Civil War were uniformly serious and
sometimes perilous. The duties of the Secretary of State were exacting
and delicate. Seward, by his tact and discretion, as well as his courage
and wisdom, kept peace with the world, without debasing the honor or
forfeiting the rights of the republic. One of the most intricate issues
arose in the first year of the war. It is known as the Trent case. Mason
and Slidell, Confederate envoys to England and France respectively, were
forcibly taken by an American naval commander from a British vessel and
lodged in Fort Warren. The American public was exultant over the capture
and protested vigorously against their release; but Seward had to decide
officially the question of their surrender to the British Government,
and, when the demand was duly made, he yielded to it, basing his
conclusion, with admirable adroitness, not only upon international
comity, but also upon American precedents. The president, at first
disposed to take the contrary view, conceded the force of Seward's
argument, the people acquiesced, and a war with England was avoided.
Seward's state papers and despatches are models of style, and by their
frankness of statement and hopefulness of tone did much to sustain the
Union cause abroad. In accord with Lincoln in holding that the paramount
task of the Government wa