Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-13
MIR. sEwARD's LITTLE BELL.

Mr.. SEWARD'S LITTLE BELL.
A Perverted Conversation =. Some
Posthumous Gossip.
The Washington correspondent
of the New York Tribune writes:
l met Ed. Wcbstcr-who used to
be Assistant Secretary of State-at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel day or
two ago, and asked him seriously
whether Seward ever said that he
had little bell which he could
ring and send man instantly, at
the touch of the bell, to Fort Lafay-
cite or Fort Warren.
"I'll tell YOU" said Webster,
'just how that happened. In a
familiar conversation between Lord
Lyons and Mr.. Seward the former
contepded that republican forms of
government gave no power in the
hands of the Executive at the pro-
per time, and, therefore, while all
such liberty as ours was good
enough in time of peace, America
must be necessarily weaker than
England in time Of war. Seward
said that the contrary was the case,
and that a republican form of gov
ernment was the strongest of all,
for war as for peace; and then he
gave the illustration Of the little bell
which happened to be beside him.
Said he: Il can touch this bell as
Secretary of State, and, backed by
a general and resolute public opin-
ION, l can arrest any person on this
continent, because no man is of
consequence when the whole thing
is impcriled as we see it now, and
no individuals wrongs can stop the
machinery which l direct This
conversation" said Mr.. Webster,
"got out, and the Democratic press
made a great grievance oft, where
as Seward was always kindly,
well disposed man, and the last per-
son i'll the world to be despot."
WEED TO SEWARD.
| asked Webster how Thurlow
Weed and Seward compared with
each other. "Well," said he,
'Weed is the greater of the two,
Stewards scholarship and the fine
tone it gave him qualified him for
high and honorable positions such
as he held; but Weed was a man of
original character, splendid judg-
ment, and great power of conbin-
ing forces and detaching men from
wayward currents. As writer,
Weed is scarcely remembered
among you young fellows, because
you ali know hlm better as a poll
tician; but, in that literary aspect,
he has been wonder in his time,
and Seward always admired his
clear, strong diction. Seward and
Weed never forgave Greeley, not
for attacking them, but because of
the manner of it."
WEED AND GREELEY.
Said l: "Would they not have
given Greeley al Office if they had
known he had wanted onc in those
days?"
eyes," said Webster, anything
within their estimation Of his ca
paci;y; but, as to making him
leading Cabinet officer, neither man
would have said aye to that PROPOSE
ton"
cat the same time," said Mr..
Webster, II think they were all a
little wrong. Grccley's behavior in
this last campaign has astonished
the oldest chaps. His resources are
greater than we supposed, and his
promptness, tluency and general
good nature have left him ont of
the campaign, although badly, beat
en-, still, on the whole, no disgrace
to the folks who nominated him.
THE HOUSE OF USHER.
From Seward to the Seward
House is but short jump. l was
walking up the street with General
Belknap the other day, and we
passed the mansion where Seward
resided so long, and where Payne
stabbed him.
"General," said l, edo You re.
member . reception you gave one
night these four rooms in the second
story were all crowded? l call it
to your mind because, perhaps, you
did not know that whisper ran
suddenly around the room that the
old house was mighty shaky and
might fall down with the weight of
the guests, and that good many
got out"
eyes," said Belknap, 81 did hear
about it, and it was a shaky old
place. We were particular after
that about bringing SO many people
into it,"
Mr.. Belknap then said that a
distinguished public man had eau
toned him about going into that
house to live.
Said this man: "Bclknap, no man
ever lived in that house who did
not meet with a death, assassination
or something. Stewards occupation
Of the place was series of misfor-
tunes and deaths, When it was
club house, the Sicklcs murder and
a lot of other events of dark cast
took place in it and about it."
Tie consequence has been that
Stewards house is given up as
residence. and il is now one of the
military offices. General Belknap
has not escaped some Of the evil
occurrences of the neighborhood,
and, although he has spent four
years dutifully and quietly here,
he has lost his es;imablc wife, aud
his eldest son is seixcd with a dis
order Of tho lungs, and has had to
go to Santa Fe for recuperation.
There is living in Birmingham,
| E,,.rl,,J n bnv with ,niarnScnnic