New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
MIR. WEEDS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

THE CAREER OF VETERAN POLITICIAN.
THE PLEASANT ROOM IN WHICH THURLow WEED
wRnEs-COMPLETfON OF HALF THE WoRK-kX-
TRACTS FROM THE MANUSCRIPT.
The house OF 1hurlow Weed is pleasantly
situated in West Twelf-s Fifth-ave The visitor
is usually ushered directly into the library wheie the
venerable Journalist is found sitting ina comfortable
arm chair--the CHAIR II it be Wiuter drawnup before
blsz ng soft coal fire Portraits OF John Qprney Adams
and Governor Clinton hang side by side on the wall nc
lures Of Lincoln and his Cabinet. and or HofaeeGfeemy
are found at end OF the room fiue engfaVlps oi
Charles Dickens writing in his study, ooee9es% pro"
nent position Portraits OF Henry c. Carey, GerIlT
Smith, Sir Henry Holland. Lafayette washington
Daniel Webster, Edward Everett, Governor Marcy
Robert Minturn and Matthew Vassar also look down from
various positions the wall IN an obscure corner
hangs picture OF Lafayettes chateau in France when
was presented to Mr.. Weed by the French Generals
granddaughter
Yes, am writing autobiography" said Mr Weeu
recently In conversation with TRIBUNE reporter. "
began the first pages while spending Winter at santa
Cruz in the West Indies Ia 1945. Before proceeding
very far felt would not Dc Of sufficient public inter
est and abandoned the ugaertakng' Whe wrting
series OF letters from Europe received letter from
General Winfield scott-whO at that time was writing
his own ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS me to take Il up again
Turning over large number VI letters from persons
Of distinction bound in portfolio, General scot letter
WAS produced II bore the date Of Apfil 2l' 1863.
peculiar feature oft to modern eyes Is that the "ofu
ending line at the bottom OF page Is repeated oA
the next It concludes " canthope to live long enough
10 read the work. you give 10 the power OF exclt
ing thousands OF smart boys conquer difficulties In
the career Of disling guished usefulness"
"I then concluded" resumed Mr.. Weed, to take the
work up again and have continued It intervals ever
since far. about haf tie period of my life has been
coyered-frOm the date Of my BIRTH 1871 down to the
year 1sAI But yet what has been written Il 30 in
| in for
Of the work cannot be gwen. 1t viii, how
| ever he largely political history Of the
times since my first acquaintance with men IN
public positions coming down through the successive
administrations of the Presidents. As everything Is
re ated personally observed the narrative will not be
repetition OF American history but supplementary to
it, For great many years have been extremely for
| tunata 10 knowing and epjOying tie confidence % a
large number Of statesmen although never holding any
official position to speak Of myself The hrst PRESIDENT
! whom knew personally Monroe. Since his time
have known every President with one or two EXCEPTIONS
and every Governor OF NewYOrk, from General Clinton
! down 10 the present day"
On mentioning the name Of General Clinton the speaker
| pointed TO u small gilt frame hanging on the wall IL
contains invitation to dnner-now yellow win age
dated January 27 1925, with the blanks filled out In
! Cnnton'o own Handwriting.
An interesting chapter OF the autobiography IL devoted
IN scenes and Incidents the session OF Congress under
President Tylers administration graphic description
Is given in this chapter OF Reon5c1n caucus hed at
/ Washington. Tor the purpose OF dscu ing what could
be done to prevent breach In the party sh0ud freS
don't vler veto the proposed Tariff bill. While the eau
cts was IN sesson Daniel Webster, who was then sccfe
tary OF state made his appearance at the head of the
table lie was dressed IN blue coat with brass buttons
| and a buff wastcoat-a style OF dress he invariably
adopted when he had speech to make There was IN
stantly the hush of expectancy. Mr. Webster began al
frat in mild, cOnvers luOnal tone but as ne prOceeded
he poured forth his arguments with the glow Of over
towering eloquence The appearance OF the great ora
TOR ON the scene was oppOrtune and the meeting
bcoke up amid the greatest enthusiasm He had pointed
ont WY o modify the Tariff Oll 80 that 1t would be
| acceptable to the President
| "That was one Of the best speeches webster ever
made" said Mr. Weed after tie account. OF which the
foregoing Is brief outline had been read from the man
uscrtpr Il have often thought that If IL had been
printed u would rank among his most brilliant efforts
| Yes webster was IA great orator and advocate One
thing is peculiar about his he seldom originated
political measure himself He let others originate ana
do the preliminary work but when question OF public
interest became subj for discussion ne became the
| champion side or tne other suppose 'hl7 l'a
and rrat measures-was largely due TO the fact that
his time was 20 u large extent occupied with the duties
| of his profes -ion. . ,,,,, ,
There IS an Interesting fact in the history OF Edward
Everett also recorded that Is noi ggneralY known.
When he was nominated By Prescen Harrison as Mln-
ister Eng and there was an agreement made among
the majority Of the Senators not 10 conir tne noll,p
ton This opposition caused by the discovery OF
letter he had written ,Ontaning strong expression OF
h. nntislayrry sentiments. TIe opposition was uualy
oyrrruled however, by decided public sentiment Ii
favor OF Mr. Everett aud the Senate confirmed the hO
inntlOn'
A number Of paragraphs are devoted 20 mr. Weeds
foster daughter May. an orphan enid of dl'sPatsI
nusirian who died from drink, portion OI the
description was read before the render proceeded
very far Mr weed with tears ~ his eyes stopped MN
That "a enough" he said. can't stand any more on
A. she would have been pi-t thirty years 0lh now II
she had lived but can only think OF her as sweet
child of seventeen lie then pointed out portrait OF
the Young girl hanging upon the wal ana taxing OUT
The tnslde OF the He often speaks OF her as the
Little Nell" OF his household ana says she was the
emlodlment Of the picture drawn by Dickens. - .
The frat pages devoted To sketch OF Mr. Mceo's
early career From this II ctrs that ne was porn
near Catskill, In Greene County. n Y, and began lie
while young boy as IN apprentice IN country print
nR Office He worked MS way up through the various
| grades Of the Office. being successlVey press.
! man, compostor. journeyman printer ana local
| editor In course Of time he began travelling from
county To county the part OF the state as
inurpcyman printer and thus added TO his experience
| ana gained a wider knowledge OF life. Even IN those
DAYS ne took a lively interest IN political affairs ana
debate He became editor IN chief willie stu young
man. OF paper at Rochester n. \. From that cty Ne
wns twice sent 70 Albany n mebber OF the AssemDV
Ar the clusion his second term ne founded me
| 1Lbanu Erening JOtvnal-fny years III March-which
he conducted until he retired from active me- tWeNe OF
fourteen yenls The Journal began as the repeen
tHtIye OF the anti Masonic party, which aterWard De-
| came merged into the WING party. -
The only portion OF Mr.. Weeds writings whch mas ap
nenred In book form. IL his " Letters from EUROPE
written I'm Is43 ana 1851, and those om the West In
! dies In 1S45.