The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-06-09
GENERAL CAss AZ A Boy. s-General Cass, the dis
llnguished nominee Of the democratic convention.

GENERAL CAss As boy. s~tieneral Cass, the dis
iingushed nominee Of the democratic convention,
Tor the Presidency, is native OF Exeter, in New
Hampshire. Exeter is also the birth place of Da-
mel Webster Jacob Cram, highly respectable
dister of this city, is also native of the same
town, in New Hampshire.
All these three individuals were born in the
same year, at Exeter, New Hampshire; they all
went TO school together at about the same age,
and remained at the same school till they were
about twelve years old. This is curious and in
teresting coincidence in the biography of each OF
these persons-each celebrated lnhis own lne-one
as great manufacturer-the other as great
statesman and lawyer-the other as great polit-
clan and nominee of great party.
In those early times, the boys at school in New
Hampshire were warm politicians and generally
took the same sides in politics as their parents.
The father of General Cass had been distin-
guished officer in the American revolution and
fought nobly for the republic After the acknow-
ledgment of American independence, and the estab-
lishment of the constitution, Major Cass
took sides with the federal party, which was the
most powerful in New England in those days.
Young Lewis Cass, then about ten or twelve years
of age was as far as he could understand politics
at that age, of course on the same side as his
father; young Daniel Webster also belonged to the
same school of politics-he was then federalist,
sud has remained one ever since. Mr. Cram, of
this city, was, probably, at that day, of the same
opinion, and still remains a federalist, wing,
according to the new nomenclature.
It was, of course, difficult at that time to tell
what sort of men these boys would turn out to be
-, OH o{ta R,,tc fhora
that early age, strong indications which marked
the character of all the three boys Lewis Cass,
it is said, was the brightest boy In the school-fu
of life, energy, intellect, and playfuness. Daniel
Webster on the other hand, was stolid and mani
mate; how Jacob Cram was, we have had no OPP
portunity of hearing; but we have no doubt he was
smart at something. Yet all these three boys
have, each of them, as men, risen to high and
distinguished position in social and public life
General Cass is now the nominee of the democra-
tic party for Presidents and but for the fact of his
running against General Taylor, he stood the best
chance of being elevated to that distinguished
rank. Even as it is, the result of the contest is
very doubtful, for the democracy can maintain
great fight when the occasion requires it. Daniel
Webster, who appeared so dull as boy, has turned
out to be the greatest intellectual giant of this or
any other age though still there is a darkness,
mystery, and apparent unpopularlty about him
something like what he used to be at school at
twelve years of age. Jacob Cram Is a man
of remarkable business talent, clear-headed
and honorable in his transactions, and in
every respect worthy of having been the
school fellow of Cass or Webster. Fortune
favored his business talents, and probably he
is rich as either of his schoo-feows at this mo-
ment General Cass is supposed to be worth pro-
badly about half million, and deducting from this
sum the amount of the debts of Mr.. Webster, who
has too much intellect to be economical, might be
put upon par as to fortune with Mr.. Cram.
Mr.. Cram is still in business, and distllls liquor
10 restore the imagination and tickle the fancy !;
General Cass, also, dstiler for the democracy;
while Mr.. Webster, for the last quarter of centu-
ny has been distlling wing politics, without finding
1t, however, quite so profitable market for him as
the Installations from grain or sugar of his other
school fellow Possibly, now, however, the no.
mination of General Taylor may restore the
balance of fortune in his favor and place Mr. Web
ster In the line of safe precedents, and bring him
to rank and position commensurate in some de-
gree with his great character his mighty mind, his
giant intellect, and his extraordinary reputation
over the civilized world.
Is there not cause in this brief memoir of these
three boys-of those distinguished men-enough
to make all boys at school proud of their coun-
try and attentive to their books! Who knows
what they may come to be when they grow up to
be men =? And what country these few facts ex-
hibit the United States to be to the world at large