The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-29
PARTIES PAST AND PRESENT.
Contrasts in American States
men and Craftsmanship.
SIGNIFICANCE or THE NEW PARTY MOVEMENT,
"Spasmodic, Irregular, Inapulsive,
Adventurous"

Flora McFhmsey evcn-cannot fail TO be attracted by
the half lawn, half churchyard aspect OF tho green
spot tho OF Twelfth street, but his interest
would be greatly increased II he knew that looking
INTO this garden plot are the study windows Of Thur
low Weed, behind them tho tall III imposing
form OF the venerable politician. The house plain
but substantial structure and IL must have been
sidcrsd palatia a. the time when It was built. Every
thing about II bcspeaks wealth and comfort and
within q cheer and welcome that tell OF many
endesring qualities in the owner OF the mansion
Almost literally The laicn string hangs out TO tho
passer.by, and cards announcements or Ger.
cmony are needed reach the master OF this quiet
home. summer anu winter Mr.. Weed may BIO found
here, and here, as Allan Bane OF old
srayhaircd sire. whose eye intent
Was on the vision'd future bent,
he Is TO receive his frienGs aud all who come
him merely to forecast the political horizon OF the
coming day, but to recount the thousand ana one
uscenccs which cluster round the associations Of
long and busy Lie.
TMuRLow WEED AT HOME.
In this home. hospilable in ITS appointments and
unique It's chceriulnoss. reporter OF the HERALD
found Mr.. Weed late yesterday afternoon quietly
chatting with his friends and whiting away the
sul,ry hours He was At home and a. his case and
while his conversation was agreeable aud instructive
by to his visitor, VINO had not seen him since
his long and severe illness, IL was plain that II his
vigorous form was somewhat bent by tho weight
OF years and nhrmites SIM retains much Of that
mental force which distinguished rathor remark
able career Affsbc IN manor, active in thought,
alive in sympathy. he seems to be . much younger
man than he really is but the xecpsakes which adorn
the sanctum sanctorum tho old editor tell dinor.
cnt story. In a small gilt iramc 10 an invitation
dated long ago as 1926 IN which Governor Chnton
requests the company OF Mr.. Weed TO dinner"
Among the letters and pspsrs In hts desk dOcu-
ment signed by DO Witt Clinton, and dated February
s, 1920 by which Thuriow Weed, Esq, of Chsnaugo
county, il mado Commissioner OF Deeds Against
the wall hangs land warrant for leo acres OF land
for services rendered 70 the war OF 1872 In this
apartment are the evidences OF nearly
of century OF active manhood, and among these
roundings IS the hale old man who Tor more shan
lisy years has bean the recognized adviser Of his
party In this State -est'
AR. wEsD's CONTEMPORARIES
In seeking the views Of Mr. Weed in crisis like
the present and asking him 10 supply contrasts be-
tween the political methods OF the past and those Of
to-day must not forget that he was not only the
contemporary but tn intimate oil yearly all the great
statesmen OF the Republic. He was in public lilo
number Of years before Jefferson and the elder Adams
expired the same day. He was deep In tho coun
cs OF Governor Clinton and, MS We have seen, aired
his legs under the Governors mahogany before
the expiration OF the first quarter OF tho
present century He might almost be called polti-
creator OF Governor Seward aud he has been the
naitre dc ballet 10 thousand other political acrooats
who have since disregarded his counsels and died
He is the only survivor Of tho old firm OF Seward,
Weed Il Greeley. Ho bitterly hostile to
Andrew jackson he WAS sincere In his friendship
for Abraham Lincoln. In the political theories of
Clay, Webster and Calhoun he took a warm personal
interest either 10 favor condemn. and his ADVICE
Inv mai nd fprm ma
which are now alike iorgotteu Every turning 10 our
politics 1890 10 1850, IRON the repeal OF tho Mis-
compromise to tue breaking ont Of the reoelhon
from the pcginnng TO the end OF the war and SINCE
Is as lamiliar TO him as the turns IN al oit-frc-
qusnted highway. He was in at the death Of the
old federal party TO which Hamilton gave such splen
did vitality. Ho born beiore the brth Of tho de-
mocracy, anu had lived almost long before the whig
par:y into exstcncs rs he has survived It's de-
cay and death ho was already an ola man when the
republican organization was started Every party
AM every measure OF policy which lett their i'm
press history elt also the im preston OF HIS
magic touch. Nearly NIL the men ana measures and
poicics and parties OF past dead but rhurlow
Weed st,I lives ana thinks and acts ana some poet
as,er. who may DO supposed TO have written In the
dim past has sung oi HIM
NO Weed rs Thurlow shall grow.
He'll pull the wires when YOU are dead.
Aud live ahundred years or %.
JOURNALIST OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
But II Mr. Weed was u poicisn he was pre-emi
ncptly journalist In every aspiration even
Is moro Of the editor than The statesman He sus-
them. and, though once partisan, he now ad vises
aud controls party men rather than troubles himself
about parties 'rhe change IN the times-thc intro-
duct,on Of railroads, tho telegraph and power
pressne said to inc reporter yesterday, 'have had
UGH ipnucncc upon po,itics AS upon society. Po-
nical and actions are dincrert as the
chsuicai conrivanccs o. the Two eras. Why, when
! was journeymGn IN John street moro than sixty
years ago with the late James Harper we were boln
cautious 10 be nrst the Office IN The morning.
aud win tue daylight one OF US always found
Tho Other at work cleaning Tho balls
| with which mixed the forms. In that
day po,itc ana DID their work in the IA me made
| fnsn all lao AN e
tive on that accouut. Neither journalism nor poll
| tics was probable at that day. some means Of in-
come apart IRON the newspaper was generally ncccs-
sary TO snablo editors To ave- TINS old relic my CON-
mission as Commissioner Of Deeds, was gwen me
| without solicitation When j was Publishing the
| Chenanso Agr,cuturia, with the remark, Perhaps u
may do you Sumo good IL was nard shedding just
| tneu, and mado three tour dollars week vut oil
the olnre, WI ich Vas a large that time.
In those the JOURNALIST not only tho cdor Of
his PAPER but the compositor printer and pubiisher
as WELL besides being IN nsary every the polii-
Cal manager his distrist Even alter TOOK charge
Of the Epen,ng journal at Albany was Tor iour or
ave years the sole editorial witer, besides which
gathered all the local ia the morning. visited the
steamboais upon Their arrival Ior cai ana gen
oral news, maae up the paper aud put u 10 press 10
the aitcrnooa and looked alter tho poiiics Of the
state IN the svanlng WI. % seen no" ~a,
himself worEiDgmau, and 80 II Is not surprising
that worknsmcu's parties we're unnecessary IN the
early day oi our poitca history. Tho pour editor
AID printer koy to forget the interests Of
his constituents, upon wnom he depenacd for bread,
II he went TO tue Legislature or 10 Congress even,
and WINE everyday, comparatively speaking, was
poor, everybody was prosperous, and the national
government was " tbing 100 rich IL was not 80
much trouble TO ne states meu OF afty years ago TO
pa the deDt created by the war OF 1872 as 10 Know
now dispose vi tho surplus IN tue Ire sury. ihat
was the golden age oil the Republic not only Tor prog
| perity, but staiss mansnlp.n
rgx srArEsMsS OF THE PAST
| "But why dd the men VI that pcrioa DISPLAY more
stotesmaDhke qualities Than tho poIIt clans Oh to-
| day Y" the reporter askeo
III was because they made politics study because
| they depended upon measures intended 10 promote
the public welfare Tor tner own advanoemenI Clay
was pre-emlnently such n man We noed rot enter
into discussion of his theories OF protecuon,
but where rs me IN the senate 10 day who couid
elaborate such policy Ms ms American system
what unHncier In Con gfc-s nov brings 70 Tue ais
cusson ot Tie money question-tnat quesilph whici
has given occasion Tor the greenb'eS-aoor party,
when rs last rising into very great importancesuci
a mass Of recondte Infor nation and such wealth Oh
illustration anu arguinc he displayed IN the de-
| bates regarding the United States Bankr Calhoun,
| I'm MI ola PfeallnncY