Mr. Seymour's Sentiments

The New York Times devotes over thirteen columns to a kindly review of the career of ltsold political adversary Ex-Governor Seymour, who lias now permanently retired trom public life. Such tributes to political opponents do much to sof ten the asperity of partizanship and are all too rare. Whatever may be thought of the retired political leader and his career, there can be but one opinión of the following just and humane sentiments to wbich he gives utterance : "And during all these years and through all these struggles, have you had any one aim or end in view?" I asked the Governor when he had finished the recital. Ilis ready response was: "Yes; yes indeed, and if you like, I will teil you just what it has been." "I should like very much to hear," was, of course, my reply, and he went on: "I liave aimed to take an interest in everythiug in this world with which I had a right to concern myself. During a long life I have learned that people who have the happiest and healthiest niinds take an active part in everything which concerns their comuiunity, their State or the country at large. A proper interest and sympathy for others gives men vigorous minds and n bsaad vipw, while selfish views tend to contract even great intellects. A thoroughly sellish man must, in the end, be a thoroughly unhappy one. "The study of raen has taught me still another great truth. It is that, while their conditions as to wealth, the character of their homes and roundings are very different, the variety of vvorlds they live in is still more varied. Money may iix tlie character of a man's house, but only intelligence and culture can give beauty and interest to thesphere or world in which he passes his life. Every single object on this eartli is of value to those who know its charaeter, its liistory, and its use, while those who are ignorant of these things take no interest even in the choicest productions of nature, To one man the heavens are filled with great systems of mighty worlds. To another the skies are simply so much blue space dotted witli brieht, but to theni meaningless points of liglit. To one the earth is an exhaustless museum, giving endless subjects for study, thought, and happiness; to another it is simply a clod in which to grow potatoes and cabbages. "Appreciating and acting on these familiar truths, I decided at an early age to take an active interest in everything that conceined the general welfare, and, above all, to keep my mind vigorous and sympathetic. I determined to know something, no matter how little, regarding every object or subject which came under my notice. I did not seek to be learned in a high degree with regard to any of these things.'but I did seek from my own labor and the labora of others to gain a reasonably clear conception of the progress of science ana the ends it has eained. I uviviuju .1111.1 vuj jiLAi3 íj 110,0 lUUVM. _L believed that by doing so, while life lasted, no matter what change of healtli or fortune came.I would be able to lind some subject, or object in the world by which I might be interested and rendered content." Heferring to hia last ojívoraution wltn Mr. Marcy, Gov. Seymour said ! "Xhat last interview with the good, great man who had been my lif e-long friend impressed me deeply. I then made up my mind that no man sliould cheat himself out of the repose of bis oíd age. In his last days, if his life iiad not been a barren one, it seemed to me that every man should have much to think of, that he should devote himself to such thought and to such usefulness in his private circle as he might be ficted for. It is for these reasons that I have determined not to accept public station."