uch a thoughtful statesman. Before meeting Bishop Anderson, Mr.
Seward had conceived certain theories on the question, as the quotation
which I shall make from his speech clearly establishes, and that these
preconceived ideas had been, by his intercourse with the bishop,
radically changed, if not thoroughly overthrown, seems equally clear. It
must be remembered that, in 1860, very little was known about Alaska and
the British possessions in the far northern regions, and it is quite
possible that even a man of Mr. Seward's learning may not have included
them in his calculations for the future. Of course, what he said about
his preconceived conclusions, and the subsequent changes made in them,
involved the fact of the absorption into the United States of the whole
continent, which in all probability will happen at some future time.

When Mr. Seward arrived at the capitol, he was introduced by John W.
North, and, among other things, said:

"In other days, studying what might perhaps have seemed to
others a visionary subject, I have cast about for the
future--the ultimate central power of the North American people.
I have looked at Quebec and New Orleans, at Washington and at
San Francisco, at Cincinnati and St. Louis, and it has been the
result of my last conjecture that the seat of power of North
America would yet be found in the Valley of Mexico,--that the
glories of the Aztec capital would be renewed, and that city
would become ultimately the capital of the United States of
America. But I have corrected that view, and I now believe that
the last seat of power on this great continent will be found
somewhere within a radius of not very far from the very spot
where I now stand, at the head of navigation on the Mississippi
river and on the great Mediterranean lakes."

When and where had this correction been made? Doubtless an hour before,
at the Merchant's Hotel, through the influence of the interview with
Bishop Anderson. While at the capitol they visited the rooms of the
Historical Society, where the bishop made a short address to Mr. Seward,
to which Mr. Seward responded. Now, all this might have happened, and
been of no particular interest to the world, except as a pleasant
episode between two distinguished men. But in this instance it turned
out to be of vital importance to three of the greatest nations of the
world. Mr. Seward was so deeply impressed with the S