Horatio Seymour

Horatio Seymour Historical Figure Nationality: United States Date of Birth: 1810 Date of Death: 1886 Cause of Death: Natural causes Religion: Episcopalianism Occupation: Lawyer, Politician Spouse: Mary Bleecker Political Party: Democratic Party Political Office(s): Mayor of Utica, Governor of New York State Fictional Appearances: The Guns of the South POD: January 17, 1864 Type of Appearance: Contemporary references Political Office(s): Governor of New York, President of the United States

Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810 - February 12, 1886) was an American politician. He was Governor of New York in 1853-4 and 1863-4.

Seymour was a so-called War Democrat who supported the Union's military cause; however, during his second term as governor, he became a leading Northern opponent of President Abraham Lincoln's administration during the American Civil War. Seymour protested Lincoln's restriction of civil liberties during the Civil War, as well as the Emancipation Proclamation and the Union's military draft. He advocated the vigorous prosecution of the war, but protested against the extensive use of war powers by Lincoln.

Seymour also ran for President in the 1868 election with Francis Preston Blair Jr. as his running mate. The ticket lost to Republican candidate Ulysses S. Grant and his running mate Schuyler Colfax by a margin of 214-80 in the electoral college.

Horatio Seymour in The Guns of the South

Horatio Seymour was able to gain the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in the immediate aftermath of the Second American Revolution, running on a ticket with Clement Vallandigham. Seymour narrowly defeated Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election. The election was a close one, and it was over a week after the election before Seymour's victory was determined. Seymour was able to carry 138 electoral votes from ten states.

Under Seymour, the United States shifted its focus away from its southern border towards its northern one. Eventually, the U.S. invaded the Canadas, and began a war with Britain in 1866.

Comment on Southern Victory

It was once suggested that Seymour also defeated Lincoln in 1864 in the Southern Victory series. The primary proponent was Steven H. Silver, who maintains Harry Turtledove's website and established this wiki. Thus, the administrators of this wiki have for some time supported this position.

However, as no canonical evidence was ever produced, the administrators have reconsidered this position. In light of this wiki's anti-speculation policy, all references to Horatio Seymour defeating Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 election in TL-191 have been removed.

See Also

• Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States in OTL.
• Hannibal Hamlin, the 17th President of the United States in "Must and Shall".
• George McClellan, the Democratic Party nominee for President in 1864 in OTL.

Political offices (OTL)
Preceded by Washington Hunt	Governor of New York 1853-1854	Succeeded by Myron H. Clark
Preceded by Edwin D. Morgan	Governor of New York 1863-1864	Succeeded by Reuben E. Fenton
Party political offices (OTL)
Preceded by George McClellan	Democratic Party presidential candidate 1868 (lost)	Succeeded by Horace Greeley
Political offices (The Guns of the South)
Preceded by Abraham Lincoln	President of the United States 1865-18??	Succeeded by Incumbent at novel's end, 1868
Party political offices (The Guns of the South)
Preceded by Stephen Douglas	Democratic Presidential candidate 1864 (won)	Succeeded by Most recent