Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-21
Thurlow Weed ON 1861.
his INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES or THE
WAY IN WHICH Mr.. EvARTs DID
NOT BECOME A SENATOR
FROM NEW YORK.

WAY IN WHICH MR.. bNARTS DID
NOT BECOME SENATOR
FROM NEW YORK.
Calling by instructions at the resi-.
dence of Mr.. Thurlow Weed Just after
the break fast hour one morning last
week, a reporter for the World found
the veteran politician seated at Il large
open window i'll the dining room, on
the second floor, overlooking the beau.
tiful grounds surrounding DR.. Paxton's
church on Fifth avenue. \ refreshing
breeze was blowing in at the windows,
and very lively little mite of a Scotch
terrier was playing with Mr.. Weeds
slippers. The venerable journalist was
in the best of spirits, and his eyes had
not lost their peculiar brightness.
"Mr. Weed, here is IA clipping from
the SrdtoyidH about which the World
would We be glad to have your views"
said the reporter-while Mr.. Weed, lis.
tening, bent his head forward in his
well.known listening attitude. ats
purport is that Mr.. Hugh Hastings. of
the Commercial IdUrytiSer, has coutribu.
ted Il spicy chapter to the political his.
tory OF twenty years ago, telling what
he knows about the election OF Ira IIar.
ris as United States Senator over VIM.
NJ, Evarts. 1t also says that Mr.. Hast.
ings alleges that Mr., Evarts was de
feated because he was conservative
Wing and made pro.slayery speeches
before the organization of the Republi.
can party"
"Well?" said Mr.. Weed, interroga.
lively.
81 would like to ask whether it is
really true that the present Secretary
OF State was once n pro.slavery man.
said the reporter. This spicy chapter
referred to is a long article published
In the Commercial Adrertser over the
editors own initial letter. 1t is nomi.
nally review of an interesting paper
recently published in the North Amcri.
can Rer1aO entitled The Diary OF a Pub.
lie Man Both The Diary of Public
Man and Mr.. Hastings spicy chapter
about it have been the subjects of
good deal of talk in political circles,
and it is freely asserted that Mr. Eyarts
never made pro'slavery speeches. Now,
did he or did he not?n
'Mr. Hastings was right in saying
that Mr.. Evarts made proslavery
speeches before the organization of the
Republican party. Mr. Eyarts was a
Conservative Whig."
when and where did Mr.. Evarts
make proslavery speeches p
Il don't remember Just now when or
where it was, but think it was at Castle
Garden, and it must have been during
the Fillmore Presidential campaign.
Yes, now that come TO think of It,
am sure that | am right. | don't recol
lect the year, but that is easily found
out. At that time most of the large
Il l.
Garden"
"That disposes of that matter. Now,
will you be SO good as TO let me call
your attention to some other statements
in Mr.. Hastings article. Mr.. Hastings
says that the author of The Diary OF a
Public Man must be either an impostor
or an ignoramus for asserting that vii.
liam Ii. Seward, President Lincoln's
Secretary of State, accepted an invita-.
ton to dinner in Richmond. What do
you think of that ?"
when this article of Mr.. Hastings
came out my daughter read ii to me, so
that / am not unfamiliar with its gen.
eral features. But that part about Mr.
Seward leaving Washington at such
time to dine with prominent citizens OF
Richmond struck me as particularly in.
teresting. have been thinking about
it good deal. One of Mr.. Stewards
sons was here at breakfast the other day
and ! was going to mention it TO him,
but ! forgot all about it. can say.
however, that no man was more init.
mate with Mr.. Seward in those times
than | was, and if he accepted such an
invitation to 60 to Richmond am sure
never knew of it. can think Of no
occasion for his visiting Richmand for
such purpose at that time. | was in
almost constant communication with
him, and | am inclined to think that
the story is not true, although cannot
positively deny it,"
"You have seen that the subject dealt
with particularly by Mr.. Hastings was
that part of a Diary of Public Man
which concerned the inside history Of
the memorable Senatorial contest be.
tween Horace Greeley and William NJ.
Evarts which took place in this State
just before the breaking out Of the war.
The Public Man says that you slaugh.
tered Evarts at Stewards instigation and
that you claimed 10 have invented
Judge Harris, OF Albany, who was final
ly nominated and elected, while Mr..
Hastings says both statements are in.
correct"
Mr. Weeds eyes twinkled brightly,
as If he was amused by old recollections.
After little he said
'Mr. Hastings perhaps comes nearest
the truth. Mr. Seward had no hand
in slaughtering Mr.. Evarts. Here is
just the way the matter stood. The ma.
tion was threatened with civil war and
New York was on the eve of an election
of United States Senator. In those
times had good deal to say about
Republican nominations. Ny own choice
would have been Gen. James NJ. Cook,
of Saratoga, but | concluded that the
peculiar exigencies of the case demand
ed that we should send 10 the United
States Senate n man who was we'll
known to the people and who would be