▁and ▁was ▁imprison ed ▁on ▁Sh ip ▁Island . ▁Se ay ▁returned ▁to ▁Southern ▁University ▁( G reens bor o ) ▁after ▁the ▁war , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁He ▁then ▁studied ▁law ▁and ▁pract iced ▁as ▁a ▁junior ▁member ▁of ▁Cole man ▁and ▁Se ay ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁Se ay ▁also ▁engaged ▁in ▁plant ing . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Se ay ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁when ▁he ▁ran ▁un success fully ▁for ▁the ▁state ▁sen ate . ▁He ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁and ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁sen ate ▁for ▁ten ▁years , ▁serving ▁as ▁president ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 4 - 1 8 8 6 . ▁Se ay ▁was ▁elected ▁governor ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁and ▁re elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁ ▁This ▁administration ▁is ▁not ew orth y ▁for ▁Se ay ' s ▁success ▁in ▁reducing ▁tax es ▁while ▁increasing ▁social ▁services ▁and ▁running ▁state ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁black . ▁An ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁social ▁w elf are ▁programs , ▁the ▁central ▁Alabama ▁native ▁supported ▁cru cial ▁legisl ation . ▁During ▁his ▁administration ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁were ▁limited ▁to ▁an ▁eight - hour ▁work ▁day . ▁P ensions ▁were ▁provided ▁for ▁disabled ▁Confeder ate ▁veter ans ▁and ▁their ▁wid ows . ▁Se ay ▁was ▁also ▁support ive ▁( in ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁late ▁ 1 9