Bill Text: NY K00113 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Resolution 113

Introduced

Bill Title: Commemorating the 222nd Birthday of William H. Seward, former New York State Senator, former New York State Governor, former United States Senator, former United States Secretary of State, and purchaser of Alaska

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 13-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-02-14 - adopted [K00113 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-K00113-Introduced.html


Assembly Resolution No. 113

BY: M. of A. Brabenec

        COMMEMORATING  the  222nd  Birthday  of William H.
        Seward, former New York State  Senator,  former  New
        York  State  Governor, former United States Senator,
        former  United  States  Secretary  of   State,   and
        purchaser of Alaska

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commemorate the
222nd  Birthday  of  William  H.  Seward, former New York State Senator,
former New York State Governor, former  United  States  Senator,  former
United States Secretary of State, and purchaser of Alaska; and

  WHEREAS,  In  observance  of  this  auspicious  occasion,  a special
birthday celebration will be held at the Seward Memorial Site located in
the Village of Florida on  Tuesday,  May  16,  2023,  with  live  music,
speeches  and  various  family activities; in addition, a wreath will be
laid at the memorial site; and

  WHEREAS, William Henry Seward was born in Florida, New York, on  May
16,  1801,  and  died in Auburn, New York, on October 12, 1872, where he
spent much of his adult life; and

  WHEREAS, William Henry  Seward  made  a  monumental  impact  in  the
histories  of  not only Orange County, but New York State and the entire
country, serving in numerous leadership  capacities  such  as  New  York
Senator, New York Governor, United States Senator and Secretary of State
for both the Lincoln and Johnson administrations; and

  WHEREAS, Sympathetic to the plights of runaway slaves, William Henry
Seward offered his home in Auburn as a stop on the Underground Railroad,
where he hid slaves on their way to Canada; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1867,  William  Henry  Seward  acquired Alaska for the
United States from Russia;  through  the  years  he  tried  in  vain  to
purchase  Hawaii  and the Dutch West Indies, as well as build a canal in
Panama; all of which came to fruition long after his death; and

  WHEREAS, After a failed presidential  bid  in  1860,  William  Henry
Seward served as President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State; in this
capacity,  he  was  instrumental  in  the  passage  of  the Emancipation
Proclamation; and

  WHEREAS, Bound to his roots, William Henry Seward was a  vital  part
of  the  S.S.  Seward Institute in Florida, New York, a school which his
father founded in 1846; and

  WHEREAS, William Henry Seward will forever  be  remembered  for  his
achievements in office, and for his foresight in anticipating the future
needs of the United States; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to express its highest admiration for William Henry Seward, and for  all
of  the  individuals  who  have  worked  to bring proper attention to an

individual and time which merits recognition in the  grand  panorama  of
the history of our State and Nation; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 222nd Birthday of William H.  Seward,  former  New  York
State  Senator,  former  New  York  State Governor, former United States
Senator, former United States  Secretary  of  State,  and  purchaser  of
Alaska; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Florida Historical Society.