The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-12-28
Anecdotes of Webster.

miliar with the books" and no east
could be cited which he could not finC
at once. He was sort of watkins
dictionary of law. Mr.. Webster Wal
arguing to the jury and cited some En
glish case, when Mr.. Peabody inter
rupted him and asked where the Gas,
was to be found reported, Mr.. Web
ster went straight on, paying no atten
ton to the interruption, and Mr.. Hoal
and Mr. Peabody hurriedly consulted
together. Then Mr.. Peabody rose aud
claimed the protection of the Court
He said that Mr.. Webster was citins
authorities to sustain his argument an6
, they wished to know where they were
to be found. SO that they could judge
for themselves as TO the pertinency oi
the citation. Judge Shaw remarked
that counsel had a right to know where
the cases were TO be found and that
the Court itself would like to knew.
Mr.. Webster leaned against The rail,
resting on his elbow, and looking at
the Court, said:
1T is not very good manners 10 in
terrupt me in the midst of sentence
addressed to the jury. 1t is a prac-
tice in which l never indulge. l al
ways let counsel have their say, and il
1 can answer them, 1 do, as well as
l can. This interrupting don't like /;
it is rather q habit of my learned friend
on the other side, and is quite annoy
ing. He has appealed to me to know
where the case that have cited can
be found reported, somewhat as if
had quoted case that was fictitious
What | wish to say in answer to that
is, that he case to which / referred
was SO giving the names, etc. and
that it occurred in the third year of
Eldon Lord in Chancery. In wha;
particular volume of reports by Lord
Eldon. on what particular page, and
how many lines from the top of the
page, l don't know. | never trouble
myself with these little matters. Pea
body has nothing else to do, and ne
can hunt it up at his leisure"
Mr.. Webster became Secretary Of
State under General Harrison III 1s41.
They had no interview before he was
appointed 1t was done by correspon-
dence; by an officer of the place on the
part of General Harrison by letter and
acceptance on that of Mr.. Webster.
They did not meet until eight or ten
days previous to the inauguration.
General Harrison arrived at Washing
ton from Cincinnati about tie time
Mr.. Webster arrived from Massachu
sets. Mr. Webster was invited by
Mr.. Seaton, one of the editors of rhe
National InteUigeneer, and a very
warm personal friend of his, to come
to his house, as he would be more quiet
there and less exposed to intrusion
than at a hotel, and to stay until he
got a house and move his family into it.
He was constantly occupied with
General Harrison on matters connect
ed with the formation of the Cabinet,
from early morning until the dinner
hour, which was six o'clock. 1t seems
he had prepared an inaugural message
for General Harrison. One day, among
other arrangements, he suggested to
the new President. in as delicate way
as he could. the fact that he had
sketched an inaugural, knowing that
General Harrison would be over
whelmed with calls and business after
his election. and he himself having
leisure to write. The General at once
replied that il was not necessary, that
heal prepared his own inaugural.
"Oh, yes" said he, Il have got
that all ready"
"Will you allow me TO take 1T home
and read it to nightT" asked Mr.. Web
ster.
Certainly" the President replied,
"and please let me take yours"
So they exchanged the documents;
and the next morning, when they met,
Harrison said TO Mr.. Webster:
''If should read your inaugural in
stead of mine, everybody would know
that you wrote it, and that did not
Now, this is the only official paper
Shich l propose to write, for I do not
intend to interfere with my secretaries;
but this is sort of acknowledgment
IN my part to the American people Of
me great honor they have conferred
IN me In elevating me to this high
,fice; and although, Of course, it is
lot so suitable as yours, still it is mine,
md 1 propose o let the people have
t just as l have written it. must
leliver my own instead of yours."
Mr.. Webster told me that he was a
'ood deal annoyed, because the Iues
age was, according to his judgment
nd taste, SO inappropriate. 1t entered
argely into Roman history, and had
great dealto say o ut the States of
and the Roman proeonsuIs
nd various matters of thae kind In
eed, the word ''proeonsul" was re
eated in it a great many times.
When he found that the President
FPS bent upon using his own inausu
al, Mr.. Webster said his desire was TO
lodify it, and to get in some things
hat were not there, and get out soms
nat were there; for as ii then stood.
e said, il had no more to do with the .
fairs of the American Government
nd people than a chapter in tire Ko-
IN. Dir. Webster suggested to Gen 5
-al Harrison that he should like 10 {
ut in some things, and General Har
sou rather reluctantly consented to !
8 him take it. Mr., Webster spent a
ortion Of the next day in modifying q
lie message. Mrs. Seaton renarke5 !
} him, when he came home rather late
lat day, that he looked fatigued and
orrfed; but he replied that he was '
rry that she had waited diuner for
IN. =
That is of no consequences at all