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1879.
Fourth of July
AT
AUBURN PRISON.
PROCEEDINGS,
AND
ADDRESS
..
HORATIO SEYMOUR.
A GRATIFYING CELEBRATION FOR THE INMATES.

UTICA, N. Y.:
Observes Office Print, 113 Genesee Street.
• $Y
PROCEEDINGS.
Governor Seymour arrived in town on Thursday afternoon, and
by previous invitation of Agent and Warden Moses, visited the
Prison as the guest of the latter gentleman, remaining until last
evening, when he returned to Utica by the 6.38 train.
At nine o’clock, on the morning of the Fourth, the Chapel of
the Prison was filled, the prisoners occupying their usual places,
while the gallery and many seats below, were held by members
of the families of officers and their friends, only a limited number
of invitation cards being issued.
The platform was occupied by Governor Seymour, Agent and
Warden Moses, Chaplain Searls, Rev. Dr. John Brainard of St.
Peter’s, Rev. T. Stacey of Wall Street M. E. Church, and Rev.
W. H. Allbright of the Second Presbyterian Church. To the
left of the platform was the full Forty ninth Regiment Orchestra.
The platform was handsomely and appropriately draped with
National Hags, over a portrait of Governor Seymour.
Previous to opening the exercises, the Chaplain addressed a
few brief remarks to the men, requesting them to signify their
approval only by the clapping of hands: an admonition which
was strictly observed throughout. In fact, by their earnest
attention and quiet demeanor, they earned the praise of officers
and spectators. The remark was, that the occasion was the
most orderly and quiet of any similar demonstration ever made in
the Chapel.
The exercises opened with music by the orchestra, who gave
some selections from the Opera “ Pinafore ” in their very best4
style. The rendition was especially fine, and was deservedly
received with a hearty round of applause, in which the entire
audience joined.
Rev. Dr. Brainard read appropriate selections from Scripture,
with the remark in preface, that he had an hour before read the
same lessons to his own flock.
Music by the orchestra followed, the selections being given at
good length and in the most artistic manner, in carrying out the
plan of the day, as an especial treat to the prisoners, for whose
benefit the exercises were presented. Their gratitude and satis-
faction were earnestly expressed in the prolonged applause.
Rev. Mr. Stacey then offered an earnest and fervent prayer,
the men showing by their respectful demeanor their appreciation
of the solemnities, as well as they had of the enjoyments of the
occasion.
More music followed, the orchestra giving “ Sweet Home ” with
rare effect, the familiar strains of the air touching many a heart
in the large assemblage of men whose homes are so widely cut off
from their approaches by the frowning walls that bar them from
the outer world.
Chaplain Searls then made a few remarks introductory of the
distinguished speaker about to address tile assemblage, in the
course of which he made some facetious allusions which put his
hearers into a state of smiling serenity. He alluded to the high
public services and distinguished record of New York’s eminent
statesman, who was greeted with an enthusiastic reception as he
took the desk. Governor Seymour then delivered his address.
As may be inferred from the language of the speaker, his
words sank deep into the hearts of his hearers, and in many
instances drew tears of regret and repentant sympathy from
those who, although confined as criminals, yet have the feel-
ings of men and are susceptible to the better influences when
rightly approached. As a lasting lesson, and matter for reflec-
tion and good result, the address of the eloquent speaker will, no
doubt, bear good fruit. That it sank deep into their hearts, was
evinced by the frequent and prolonged applause, followed by a
hushed attention which caught every word and inflection. Not
even a cough or a shuffle of the foot was heard among all the5
thousands and,more men, and when, at the conclusion, Mr. Searls
suggested that those who felt thankful to Governor Seymour for
his interest in them, should express it by rising their hands, every
man quickly thrust both hands above his head, with a prompt
action that indicated an eager desire to show full appreciation of
the Governor’s kindness, in thus visiting them when in prison.
It was a most gratifying occasion and well repaid the time
spent in thus making a pleasant day for the prisoners. We wish
to add our thanks as a public journal, to those so expressly given
by the participators in yesterday’s exercises: for this good work
in the cause of common humanity.
The audience dispersed, after Benediction by Rev. Mr. Albright.
The orchestra continued playing afterward, for the benefit of the
convicts, who showed their appreciation by hearty applause.
As Governor Seymour was escorted out of the chapel by the
Agent and Warden, the men saluted them with prolonged clap-
ping of hands, which compliment was also paid the Chaplain.ADDRESS.
I have declined all invitations this year to make public
addresses; but when your Warden asked me to speak to you
to-day, I made up my mind to do so, although at the hazard of
my health. My interest in the inmates of this and other prisons
grows out of official duties, as I have had to act on many cases of
applications for pardons. I have learned from a long experience
with men in all conditions of life, that none are without faults
and none without virtues. I have studied characters with care.
I have had to deal with Presidents and with prisoners. I have
associated with those held in high honor by the American people.
On the other hand, the laws of our State have placed the lives of
criminal men in my hands, and it has been my duty to decide if
they should live or die. The period in which I took the most
active part in public affairs was one of great excitement, when
passions and prejudices were aroused; and in common with all
others engaged in the controversies of the day, I have felt the
bitterness of partisan strife; nevertheless experience has taught
me to think kindly of my fellow men. The longer I live, the
better I think of their hearts, and the less of their heads. Every-
where, from the President’s mansion to the prisoner’s cell, I have
learned the wisdom of that prayer which begs that we may be
delivered from temptation.
Another great truth is taught by experience: hope is the great
reformer. We must instil this in men’s minds, if we wish to cul-
tivate their virtues, or enable them to overcome their vices. It
has been said that despair is the unpardonable sin; for it para-
lyzes every sentiment that leads to virtue or happiness. To help8
us do our duty, we must cherish hope, which gives us courage
and charity, which gives us hopes for others. For this reason,
when Governor of this State, I did all I could to gain the passage
of laws which enable each one of you, by good conduct, to shorten
the term of your imprisonment, and if I had my way, you would
have a share in the profits of your labor. But I stand before you
to-day to speak of another ground of hope, of a higher and more
lasting character than mere gain or shortened terms of punish-
ment; and what I have to say does not point to you alone, but to
men of all conditions. I do not mean to take the place of those
who teach you your religious duties. They are far more able
than I am to make these clear to your minds; yet it is sometimes
the case that we see things in lights in which they are not usually
placed before us, and some thoughts which have occurred to me,
in a review of my life, may be of interest and value to you.
When we grow old we are struck with the fleetness of time; our
lives seem to be compassed into,one brief period; we suddenly
find that pursuits we have followed are closed, and we are con-
fronted with the question, not what we have gained, nor what
positions we have held, but what we are in ourselves. We know
it is our duty to do what is right, and to avoid doing wrong, but
when we look back, if we add up all of our good deeds on the
one hand, and our bad acts on the other, we find a startling
balance against us. When men reach my time of life, their
minds turn towards the past, and they travel backward the paths
they have followed. They see things from the opposite side
from which they were viewed in youth onward, and are struck by
truths which never break upon their minds until they look back
upon them.
Sitting before my fire on a winter evening, and musing, as old
men are apt to do, about their acts, their errors, their successes
or their failures, it occurred to me what I would do if I had the
power, and was compelled to wipe out twenty acts of my life.
At first, it seemed as if this was an easy thing to do. I had done
more than twenty wrong things for which I had always felt
regret, and was about to seize my imaginary sponge and rub
them out at once, but I thought it best to move with care, to do
as I had done to others, lay my character out upon the dissecting
table, and trace all influences which had made or marred it. I
found to my surprise, if there were any golden threads running9
through it, they were wrought out by the regrets felt at wrongs;
that these regrets had run through the course of my life, guiding
my footsteps through all its intricacies and problems; and if I
should obliterate all of these acts, to which these golden threads
were attached, whose lengthening lines were woven into my
very nature, I should destroy what little there was of virtue in
my moral make-up. Then I learned that the wrong act, followed
by the just regret, and by thoughtful caution to avoid like errors,
made me a better man than I should have been if I had never
fallen. In this, I found hope for myself and hope for others, and
I tell you who sit before me, as I say to all in every condition,
that if you will you can make yourselves better men than if you
had never fallen into errors or crimes. A man’s destiny does not
turn upon the fact of his doing or not doing wrong—for all men
will do it—but of how he bears himself, what he does and what
he thinks, after the wrong act. It was well said by Confucius,
that a man’s character is decided, not by the number of times he
falls, but by the number of times he lifts himself up. I do not
know why evil is permitted in this world, but I do know that
each one of us has the magical power to transmute it into good.
Every one before me can, if he will, make his past errors sources
of moral elevation. Is this not a grand thought, which should
not only give us hope, but which should inspire us with firm
purposes to exercise this power which makes us akin to the
Almighty; for He has given it to us and has pointed out in Ilis
words how we shall use it. The problem meets us at every step.
There is nothing we do which will not make us better or worse.
I do not speak merely of great events, but of the thoughts upon
our beds, the toil in the workshop, and the little duties which
attend every hour. God, in his goodness, does not judge us so
much by what we do; but when we have done things, right or
wrong, our destiny mainly turns upon what we think and do after
their occurrence. It is then we decide if they shall lift us up to
a higher level, or bear us down to a lower grade of morals. Our
acts mainly spring from impulses or accidents—the sudden temp-
tation, imperfect knowledge or erring judgment. It is the after-
thought that gives them their hue. The world may not see this;
it may frown upon the deed and upon the man, who, nevertheless,
by his regrets, makes it one which shall minister to purity and
virtue in all his after-life. You, who sit before me, in some ways10
have advantages over other men whose minds are agitated by
the hopes and fears of active pursuits, who find no time for
thoughts which tend to virtue and to happiness. With each of
you, in a little time, the great question will be—not if you are to
be set free, not what the world thinks of you, not what you have .
—but what you are; for death often knocks at the door of your
cells, and some of your number are carried from their narrow
walls to the more narrow walls of the grave.
Let it not be thought that I prove wrong may be done so that
good may follow. With Saint Paul, I protest against such infer-
ence from the truth that men are saved by repentance of their
sins.
But let us look further into this subject, for it deeply concerns
us. Though we are unable to recall the errors of the past, we
may so deal with them that they will promote our virtue, our
wisdom and happiness. Upon this point I am not theorizing.
Whoever thinks, will learn that human experience proves this.
Let us take the case of our errors. We should. find if we could
rub them all out that we should destroy the wisdom they have
given us, if we have taken care to make our errors teach us
wisdom. Who could spare their sorrows ? How much that is
kind and sympathetic in our natures, which leads us to minister
to the griefs of others, and thus to gain consolations for ourselves,
grow out of what are felt as keen calamities when they befall us.
Following out the line of my thoughts, when I assumed that I
had the power and was compelled to drown in Lethean waters
certain acts, I found I could not spare errors which call forth
regrets, mistakes which teach us wisdom, or the sorrows which
soften character and make us sensible of the sympathies which
give beauty to the intercourse of life. As I had to obliterate
twenty events, I found I could best spare the successes or triumphs
which had only served to impart courage in the battle of life and
had but little influence in forming character. It is true, that
wherever and whatever we are, we can so deal with the past, that
we can make it give up to us virtue and wisdom. We can, by
our regfets, do more than the alchemist aims at when he seeks to
transmute base metals into gold, for we can make wrong the
seed of right and righteousness; we can transmute error into
wisdom; we can make sorrows bloom into a thousand forms like11
fragrant flowers. These great truths should not only give us
contentment with our positions, but hope for the future. The
great question, what we are, presses itself upon us as we grow
old, or flashes upon us when our lives are cut short by accident
or disease. Within these walls, but few days pass without that
question being forced upon the minds of some who have reached
the end of life’s journey. Surely, it should give hope and conso-
lation to all to feel that they can, in the solitude of the cell, or in
the gloom of the prison, by thought, by self-examination, make
the past, with its crimes, its errors and its sorrows, the very
means by which they can lift themselves into higher and happier
conditions. This work of transmuting evil into good, is a duty
to be done by all conditions of men, and it can be wrought out as
well in the prisoner’s cell, as in the highest and most honorable
position, for when you do this, you work by the side of the
Almighty. All human experience accords with the higher teach-
ings of religion, that holds out hope to men who feel regret for
every evil act. I wish to call your minds to that amazing truth,
that there is a Being who rules the world with such benevo-
lence, that He enables weak and erring mortals, if they will, to
turn their very sorrows and errors into sources of happiness.
We have many theories in these days in which men try to tell
us how the world, acting upon certain fixed laws, has made itself;
that it goes on by a progress that regards nothing but certain
rules of advancement, regardless of all other considerations save
their own irresistible self-compelling principles. But here we
have a truth not oidy given us in Holy Writ, but proved by our
experience, that mental regret will convert a material wrong into
a blessing, or, if the offender wills, it will make the same a hun-
dred-fold more hurtful if he rejoices in his wrong-doing, or
hardens his heart against regret. Materialism, evolution, pan-
theism, or any of the theories which deny the government of an
intelligent God, are all phases of fatalism, and are confuted by
this truth, that we can, by conforming to His laws, which demand
repentance, convert evil into good, or by violating them makes
evil ten-fold more deadly and destructive. We can, by our minds
and sentiments, change the influence of material events, and vary
the action of laws which govern the world. If man, with all his
weakness, can do this, it can only be by the aid of a higher power
which shapes, directs and regulates.12
I know that what I have said is hut an imperfect statement of
great truths, compared with the teachings of the pulpit which
you hear each Sunday. As my purpose is merely to speak to you
of what I have learned in the walks of life, I can give you from
this narrow field but partial views of great truths. They may be
of no value to you, yet I trust you will accept them at least as
proof of my sympathies with your condition and sorrows, for if
any ambition lingers in the breast of him who speaks to you now,
it is that he may be the friend and adviser of the erring and
wrong-doer. He has been taught by self-examination and the
study of others, that we all belong to that class, and that we owe
to one another any aid we gan give to our fellows when they fall
by the wayside.*