William H. Seward (The Misfire)

William Henry Seward (May 16, 1801 - April 4, 1889) was an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat who served as the 17th President of the United States from 1873 to 1881, and was the U.S. Secretary of State in the administration of Abraham Lincoln. Seward was a dominant figure in the Republican Party, and was vehemently opposed to slavery during and in the years leading up to the American Civil War. He was praised for his work on behalf of the Union during the American Civil War as Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State.

Seward was born in Florida, New York, a small town in southeastern New York state, where his father was a farmer and owned slaves. He later became a lawyer, and moved to Auburn, New York, where he practiced law. Seward was elected to the New York State Senate in 1830 as an Anti-Mason, and four years later, became the gubernatorial nominee of the Whig Party. He was not successful in that race, but became governor of New York in 1838 and won a second two-year term in 1840. He signed several laws that advanced the rights and opportunities for African-Americans in New York state, and guaranteed fugitive slaves jury trials. Seward's laws protected abolitionists, and he used his position to intervene in situations of freed African-Americans being enslaved in Southern states.

In 1849, after years of practicing law, Seward was elected to the U.S. Senate. His strong stances and provocative statements against slavery brought him hatred in the South. He was re-elected to the U.S. Senate in 1855, and soon joined the new Republican Party, becoming one of its lead figures. He was considered the lead candidate for the Republican nomination in the 1860 presidential election, but several factors, such as his powerful and vocal opposition to slavery, his support for immigrants and Catholics, and his association with political boss Thurlow Weed, and Abraham Lincoln secured the nomination. Though devastated by the loss, Seward endorsed and campaigned for Lincoln, and became Secretary of State in the Lincoln administration.

Seward did his best to prevent the secession of the Southern states, and once that failed, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Union cause. His firm stance against foreign intervention in the American Civil War deterred Great Britain and France from intervening, which would have potentially resulted in a Union loss and an independent Confederacy. He was one of the targets of the 1865 assassination plot that nearly killed President Lincoln, and was severely wounded by conspirator Lewis Powell. Seward remained loyal to Lincoln throughout the rest of his administration, and negotiated the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia. At first, Alaska was known as "Seward's folly" or "Seward's icebox" by many, but the purchase ended up being worthwhile, weakening the United Kingdom and Russia, and bringing immense profits when gold was found.

In 1872, Seward secured the Republican nomination, as he was now seen by many as a national hero who greatly aided the Union cause during the American Civil War. He defeated the Democratic nominee, Jeremiah S. Black, by a landslide in both the popular vote and the electoral college, and became the 18th President of the United States. During his presidency, Seward carried on Lincoln's legacy by protecting and improving many of his programs,