New-York tribune., 1872-08-16
THURLOW WEED IN HIS RETIREMENT.

find Mr.. Weed good deal changed since "a" nm n
last-seyen Exposure to "a BOT sun soV ivt
years since gave his system shock from when , n
not yet recovered. lie shows age in more respects t %
His hair Is white as snow ms lQIl Is V tin,es
step has lost its wonted elasticity his voice Is al T @
little feeble But his intellect still shines dfI viii n
clOuded luster. IL has lost nothing OF tas W. ,vord
vgor that made its possessor such power IN the wor1
have never found Mr. Weed more enjoy 90 IIo i
i'm the treasures OF memory more kechly INV INV g., W n On
good and beautiful impressions, moro suggestive III con-
versation, more fresh In gift OF speech us Sa
past events is simply marvellous Ihe ncu1tS ~ oro ~
Years AGO are as fresh as those of yesterday III rare
delight to listen to his discourse OF the pasI; s
tions of the scenes of the men Of by-sone h
And while he il not Indifferent to the present MS Inhd
dwes largely in tho past lie loves 10 e EeS Old pecol.
iec{ions He viii converse by the hour with some ola
fellow whom he knew when he was young anu LS LUY aSn.
sistently pumping the dryest social FOUNTAIN, an" m
ing some scrap OF history from the most barren son.
HIS LITERARY TASTES. VII. min,
Mr. Weed does not live wholly III the past hio nt ii
and his body are equally active: lie goes 70 ins ~ ~
regularly every morning. takes long Walks WIZ - =,
cool and usually rides several miles In the afternoon %
md evenn@ Occasionally lac spends an hour at the
Club or takes walk down TO Cllhst' 70 see t l Me
frend Uarper the great pubsher-or drops INTO dne
nce Of NE New YORK. Times where fancy his inn-
ence still greatly felt lie Is dhget @ Iv ss % every @
day visited him during the recent terrible mot tsr
Wien te civ was being almost decimated by sunstr0ke
t found him with the thermometer at 9s, absorbed
IN literary labor "Do you ind much time Tor general
readiug i5 / asked. LESS than could wish NO re-
5iu I am now reading Dickens for the II think he
pid sixth time ana with ever increasing delight IL Is
usually the last pleasure OF the day. But aih now S on
10 me gets 80 weared with the duties OF the day,
that .D' my conscience presses me-, and break
of Savo Gs5SEe sSSFen OF Mr Weeds taste in literature
Few men have read so many gOod D0oKs ol t9au 40
them thoroughly He Is at home IN al 1e grS WoIter @
Scott and Dickens The latter he knows almost Dy hea
There character but he has at ms tongue emu
bnmor he cannot recall quote He insists that Dickens
is the greatest writer of character since Shakespeare
Mr. Weed knew Dickens quite intimately, numbered
him among his correspondents and was instrumental 10
IL fuatU writ a
oi3sraPneI Pr o ~ the VISIT What were the causes"
a.iyo a!No1 i'"ui Too much Boston and too much
International copyright preaching. Boston tiled
e mo9OpCd1e 6 Tho re; S'c' the SS'asa Country
Then Dickens whose real object in coming here was to
procure the passage of international copyright iaw
iooshy revealed the object OF his MISSION and instead
~ allowinr himself to be OnZed, and contentng him
self with Simply having good time began to talk
slons AS a result, national vanity was a little
touched; Mr.. ID. failed in his errand, turned sour
toward US, aud mildly lampooned US LII Ills American
-'''''' MR. WEEDS PRIVATE coRREsPoNDENCE.
Among the most precious treasures IN Alr weeds
library is his private correspondence This embraces
the denominations long and active lifetime, pre-
ranged and carefully indeXed by his accomplished
daughter, who combines in herself all w0maniy good
idea of the number of letters in this remarkable cOlcc
tion but the index alone makes quite bulky volume
mtted hastily explore have stumbled upon curious
secrets-secrets which my instincts as journalist
Friendship makes sacred Letters from all sorts OF people,
on all sorts OF Subjects from all parts of the world Let
ters from statesmen, from politicians asking avors,
from great authors from great soldiers from distn
cushed I'm every walk of life. Here find note signed
A. Lincoln" penned at the outbreak OF the war OF the
Rebellion briefly stating that The public exigency
qures tho immediate raising Of fund of $4,000 for an
names of seven gentlemen, upon whom Mr.. Weed mme-
diately called who subscribed $4,000 each, without stop
ping TO ask what IL was for. | wonder what the
aInergency" was that should have induced such an
extraordinary levy and at the request OF tho President
too! Was IL In connection with the fitting out of an
expedition for the relief Of Washington after the Rebels
tore up the railroads IN Maryland On the next page
stumble on long and pleasant letter from Gen. Scott
full OF novel words and complimentary phrases. few
leaves further, find letter Of four clOselyprinted
pages In grabbed hand, from Sir Henry Holland, the
illustrous physician and traveller, giving novel dag
of Mr. Weeds case, prescribing for him, and des
fes snfy who aS rTPiS sevS s0t is pa e. haS Mr.
Weed to accompany him 10 Callornia, and
Is nS' who fe old and a end in san Fincseo
within the next few mOnths found several pleasant
leaders showing the cordial personal relations existing
between Mr. Weed and his political opponents. These
politicians did not feel II incumbent on them TO play the
role Of backguards ana as editors fought their battles
like gentlemen. The correspondence with Mr. Seward
is vOlumnOus and very Interesting especially that en-
braced by the period from the commencement OF the war
to end OF the johnson administration Many OF the
familiar with the handwriting Of that distinguished
but execrabe penlnan, but how suggestive
and matter fu What curious bits Of state secrets
flash out Ir0n these eAaspelahg crooked tracks The
world will learn some time how terribly the great Secre
tary was treated-not only by his enemies but by his
friends aud how patiently he bore 1t all, and how
selfish and magnanimous he was
THE SECRET HISTORY OF TArLoRs ADMINISTRATION.
The conversation one evening after dinner turned upon
Gen. Taylor his nomination, election and brief admlns
tration. the history OF the administration" said Mr..
Weed, which has never yet been published, Is briefly
this: In casting about for WING candidate for the
Presidency, my attention was early fixed upon Gen.
Taylor as the proper man To lead the party 10 victory
After canvassing y matter with friends, and bringing
TO my views. boldly broke the Ice by commu
niCatng with Gen. Taylor which did through his broth
er Col Taylor going down the Hudson River night.
told him to tell the General that public sentiment
which had not yet developed, would eventually center
upon him IN due tme that what he had 10 do not TO
look back toward Washington, but TO look forward to-
ward Mexico, and that under circumstances must he
write letters or make pledges. The programme
worked quite as well as / expected. Millard Fill
more, who owed everything to me, and in whom had
placed second on the ticket. We were
successful. Gen Taylor who felt his want OF expo
more, and wished TO make him eTOGciO member OF
the Cabinet. Hardly was the Inauguration over when
ernment He turned his back upon the men who had
made him, and endeayOred TO destroy their influence
one day ON going TO Washington found 10 nv surprise
that was rejected at the departments and denied
cess 10 the White House. saw there something in
the wind, and resolved TO meet 1t at once called
Col Taylor brother OF the President and told him what
had happened. He was equally surprised and indignant
and promised to the President at Soon after
received summons 10 the White House. where
most cordially received and my requests promptly
granted From this time forward my relations with
Near the end OF the session of Congress of June 80
was sent for by the President who told mo he wished
Conoul Vi lnOSI grave
to himself the party and the country. He said in sub
stance that he had made his mind to reconstruct his
Cabinets as 1t stood 1t failed either to satisfy him tho
country Two Of the members he had learned with pain
and surprise interested rs parties or counsel In
notorious claim against the Government; another
arrogating functions belonging 10 the Executive.
There must" said the General. "be change, radical
change and at once and have sent for you TO assist
ne In organizing now Cabinet" 1 reluctantly con-
,ented and before the interview two OF the
members 0f the new Cabinet were fixed upon Hamilton
Fish Ior Secretary Of tho Treasury. and Ed-
ward Stanley, then Of North Carolina, now OF
california; Tor Secretary OF War. The matter was
icpt profound secret even from tho gentle
men themselves, the Intention being to an
iounce the new Cabinet Immediately after the adjourn
nent of Congress But before the programme could be
ared out President Taylor was taken suddenly IN and
He'd IN lew hours Fillmore succeeded TO tho Presi.
ency, threw on the mask, and stood revealed an I'm.
Tae 10 his frends and lrnInr fn hia unrtu go, Stn