He served as Whig governor of New York (1839–42) and then as Senator (1849–61). A convinced opponent of slavery, he joined the newly formed Republican Party in 1855 and served as Secretary of State under Lincoln during the American Civil War. Wounded in a separate attack at the time of Lincoln’s assassination, Seward recovered and stayed in office during the presidency of Andrew Johnson, generally supporting him against the radical Republicans. Seward believed in the need for the USA to expand its influence in the Pacific and was responsible for the US purchase of Alaska from Russia (1867). He advocated friendly relations with China and pressed for the annexation of Hawaii and other islands to act as coaling stations for a US Pacific fleet.