New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-12-05

Mr.. Stewards Little Rel.
A Perverted Private Conversation Some
Posth umus Gossip.
The Washington correspondent of the New
\ ork Tribune writes:
met Ed. Webster-who used to be Assist
ant Secretary of State-at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel day or two ago and asked him Sc
riously whether Seward ever said that he had
little bell which he could ring and send a
man instantly, at the touch of the bell, to
Fort Lafayette or Fort Warren.
"I'n tell you," said Webster, ''ust how
that happened. In a familiar conversation
between Lord Lyons and Mr.. Seward the
government gave no power in the hands of
the Executive at the proper time, and, there.
fore, 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 the contrary was the case
and that republican form of government
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 general and resoiute
public opinion, i can arrest any person on
this continent, because no man is of conse-
quence when the whole thing is mperied as
we see it now, and no individuals wrongs can
stop the machinery which 1 direct This
conversation" said Mr.. Webster, SCOT out,
and the Democratic press made a great
grievance of it, whereas Seward was always
kindly, well-disposed man, and the last
person in the world to be a despot.'
WEED TO SEWARD.
| asked Webster how Thurlow Weed and
Seward compared with each other. "Wen,"
said he, "Weed is the greater of the two.
Stewards scholarship, and the fine tone it
gave him, qualified him for high and honor
able positions such as he held; but Weed was
man Of original character, splendid judg-
ment, and great power of combining forces
and detaching men from hayward currents.
AS writer, Weed is scarcely remembered
among you younger fellows, because you all
know him better as politician; but, in that
literary aspect, he has been a wonder in his
time, and Seward always admired his clear,
strong dlction. Seward and Weed never for
gave Greeley, not for attacking them, hut be-
cause OF the manner of it,"
WEED AND GREELEY.
said /: "Would they not have given Gree
ley an Office if they had known he had wanted
one in those days?"
YES" said Webster, anything within
their estimation of his capacity; but, as to
making him leading Cabinet officer, neither
man would have said aye to that PROPOSE
tion.'
"At the same time" said Mr.. Webster, 81
think they were all little wrong. Greeley's
behavior in this last campaign has astonished
the oldest chaps. His resources are greater
than We supposed, and his promptness,
fuency, and general good nature have left
him out of the campaign, although badly
beaten, still, on the whole, no disgrace to
the folks who nominated him.
THE HOUSE OF USHER.
From Seward to the Seward house is but a
short jump. l was walking up the street
with General Belknap the other day, and we
passed under the mansion where Seward re-
sided so long and where Payne stabbed him.
General" said l, "d0 you remember a
reception you gave one night when those
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 guests, and that good many
got OUT
Yes" said Belknap, II did hear about
it, and it was shaky old place. We were
particular after that about bringing so many
people into it."
Mr.. Belknap then said that distinguished
public man had cautioned him about going
into that house to live.
Said this man: "Belknap, no man ever
lived in that house who did not meet with
death, assassination, or something. Sew
ards occupation Of the place was series of
misfOrtunes and deaths. When it was q
club house, the Sicklcs murder and lot of
other events of dark cast took place in it
and about it,
The consequence has been that Stewards
house is given up as residence, and it is
now one Of the military offices. General
Belknap has not escaped some of the evil
occurrences Of the neighborhood, and, al
though he has spent four years dutifully and
quietly here, he has lost his estimable wife,
and his eldest son is seized with disorder of
the lungs, and has had to go to Santa Fe for
recuperation.