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William H. Seward

William H. Seward Books

Former Governor of New York

William H. Seward was a prominent American politician known for his role in U.S. diplomacy and his stance on the issue of slavery. He served as the Governor of New York and later as the United States Secretary of State under President Lincoln, playing a crucial role in shaping American foreign policy and advocating for the abolition of slavery.

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“I know and all the world knows, that revolutions never go backwards.”

Knows World Revolution Backwards

Author:William H. Seward

“The color of the prisoner's skin, and the form of his features, are not impressed upon the spiritual immortal mind which works beneath. In spite of human pride, he is still your brother, and mine, in form and color accepted and approved by his Father, and yours, and mine, and bears equally with us the proudest inheritance of our race - the image of our Maker. Hold him then to be a Man.”

“There is no social life outside of Christendom.”

Social Christianity Social Life Christendom

Author:William H. Seward

“Whatever policy we adopt, there must be an energetic prosecution of it. For this purpose it must be somebody's business to pursue and direct it incessantly.”

Purpose Policy Direct Pursue Energetic Incessantly Prosecution

Author:William H. Seward

“No man will ever be President of the United States who spells 'negro' with two gs.”

Men Two States President United United States Spells

Author:William H. Seward

“The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible.”

Humans Whole Growing Progress Influence Suspended Human Progress

Author:William H. Seward

“Revolutions never go backward.”

Politics Atheism Revolution Positive Atheism Rebellious

Author:William H. Seward

“The circumstances of the world are so variable that an irrevocable purpose or opinion is almost synonymous with a foolish one.”

World Purpose Growth Change Opinion Circumstances Foolish Variables Irrevocable Starting Anew

Author:William H. Seward

“The two systems slave and free-labor are incompatible. They have never permanently existed together in one country, and they never can.”

Two War Country Together Labor Slave Civil War

Author:William H. Seward

“I have learned, by some experience, that virtue and patriotism, vice and selfishness, are found in all parties, and that they differ less in their motives than in the policies they pursue.”

Found Party Virtue Policy Vices Pursue Selfishness Motive I Have Learned

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“It is the maintenance of slavery by law in a state, not parallels of latitude, that makes its a southern state; and the absence of this, that makes it a northern state.”

States Law Slavery Absence Southern Parallels Maintenance Latitude

Author:William H. Seward

“There is not only no free state which would now establish it, but there is no slave state, which, if it had had the free alternative as we now have, would have founded slavery.”

Ifs States Slavery Slave Alternatives Free State

Author:William H. Seward

“I speak on due consideration because Britain, France, and Mexico, have abolished slavery, and all other European states are preparing to abolish it as speedily as they can.”

States Speak Europe Slavery Dues France Britain Consideration Mexico Preparing Abolish

Author:William H. Seward

“Sir, there is no Christian nation, thus free to choose as we are, which would establish slavery.”

Christian Nations Slavery Christian Nation

Author:William H. Seward

“There is a higher law than the Constitution.”

Law Higher Constitution Black Power Higher Law

Author:William H. Seward

“We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them, and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

War Shows Slavery Slave Civil War Bondage Emancipation Proclamation

Author:William H. Seward

“It would be contrary to the spirit of the American Government to use force to subjugate the South.”

War Use Government Would Be Spirit Force South Contrary Civil War American Government

Author:William H. Seward

“The constitution regulates our stewardship; the constitution devotes the domain to union, to justice, to defense, to welfare, and to liberty. But there is a higher law than the constitution, which regulates our authority over the domain, and devotes it to the same noble purposes. The territory is a part, no inconsiderable part, of the common heritage of mankind, bestowed upon them by the Creator of the universe. We are his stewards, and must so discharge our trust as to secure in the highest attainable degree their happiness.”

“But there is a higher law than the Constitution, which regulates our authority over the domain, and devotes it to the same noble purposes.”

Law Purpose Higher Authority Constitution Noble Domain Higher Law

Author:William H. Seward

“It is an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces.”

Force Conflict Endure Opposing Irrepressible

Author:William H. Seward

“But assuming the same premises, to wit, that all men are equal by the law of nature and of nations, the right of property in slaves falls to the ground; for one who is equal to another cannot be the owner or property of that other.”

Men Law Fall Nations Equal Assuming Property Slave Wit Owners Laws Of Nature Premises

Author:William H. Seward

“But I deny that the Constitution recognizes property in man.”

Men Constitution Property Deny Ethos

Author:William H. Seward

“Therefore, states are equal in natural rights.”

States Natural Rights Hair Equal Natural Rights

Author:William H. Seward

“The United States are a political state, or organized society, whose end is government, for the security, welfare, and happiness of all who live under its protection.”

Ends States Government Happiness Political United United States Security Protection Welfare Organized

Author:William H. Seward

“I deem it established, then, that the Constitution does not recognize property in man, but leaves that question, as between the states, to the law of nature and of nations.”

Men Doe States Law Nations Constitution Property Laws Of Nature

Author:William H. Seward

“But you answer, that the Constitution recognizes property in slaves. It would be sufficient, then, to reply, that this constitutional recognition must be void, because it is repugnant to the law of nature and of nations.”

Would Be Law Nations Answers Constitution Property Slave Recognition Sufficient Void Laws Of Nature

Author:William H. Seward

“But the Constitution was made not only for southern and northern states, but for states neither northern nor southern, namely, the western states, their coming in being foreseen and provided for.”

Made States Constitution Western Southern Foreseen

Author:William H. Seward

“I mean to say that Congress can hereafter decide whether any states, slave or free, can be framed out of Texas. If they should never be framed out of Texas, they never could be admitted.”

Ifs Should Mean States Slave Congress Texas Hereafter Framed

Author:William H. Seward

“Simultaneously with the establishment of the Constitution, Virginia ceded to the United States her domain, which then extended to the Mississippi, and was even claimed to extend to the Pacific Ocean.”

States United United States Ocean Constitution Establishment Domain Virginia Pacific Mississippi Pacific Ocean

Author:William H. Seward

“The proposition of an established classification of states as slave states and free states, as insisted on by some, and into northern and southern, as maintained by others, seems to me purely imaginary, and of course the supposed equilibrium of those classes a mere conceit.”

States Seems Courses Class Slave Mere Southern Imaginary Propositions Conceit Equilibrium Classification Free State

Author:William H. Seward

“The right to have a slave implies the right in some one to make the slave; that right must be equal and mutual, and this would resolve society into a state of perpetual war.”

War States Equal Slave Mutual Resolve Perpetual Perpetual War

Author:William H. Seward

“Idea is a noble one — an idea that fills and expands all generous souls; the idea of equality — the equality of all men before human tribunals and human laws, as they all are equal before the Divine tribunal and Divine laws.”

Men Humans Ideas Law Political Politics Party Noble Tribunals

Author:William H. Seward

About the Author

Born: May 16, 1801
Died: October 10, 1872
Known for: Former Governor of New York
Quotes: 32

Related Topics

States Constitution Law Slave Men Slavery Nations Property Purpose War

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