Daily Republican., 1882-08-04
TWO POLITICAL BLUNDERs.
NOW Daniel Webster Twice Missed
BecOmInK President.

Becoming PFesldenS.
From the detroit Post and Tribune
"It is not generally known" sale
Thurlow Weed, chow near Webster
came to being President
"It is generally known" said l,
that he was candidate for the Whie
nomination five times, and missed il
every time,"
"Yes," he acquiesced "but he came a
good deal nearer than that-a good deal
nearer. 1 had always been among his
profound admirers, and wanted to see
him President In 1910. But 1t became
obvious tv me during the winter that
he couldn't get the nomination-that
Harrison was leading. / went down to
Washington early In the spring and call
ed him into the cloak room. I think 1
shall be the Whie candidate he said.
| expressed my doubt of it. who will
be, then?' he asked: 1t looks 70 me
like Harrison answered. He almost
sneered at the idea.
Why, you don't act as II you believed
yourself, he said, for you have chosen
Scott delegation from your own state. ;
That was to prevent the appointment
of a Clay delegation said, and Clay
can't be elected If nominated. But Mr..
Webster, went on, have come to
Washlngto to get you to withdraw
yo1r name, but to ask you to accept the
nomination for Vice President in case
Harrison shall be elected for the first
place. He wouldn't listento such pro.
posaland he refused with nuite as m UGH
spirit as the occasion CT lied for. Sol
came home, and Harrison was numina.
ted, and John Tyler was made his Vice.
and, by the death of Harrison, Tyler
became President a month after the
election. Webster saw the fatal mis-
take he had made, and the next time |
saw him-he was then Tyler's Secre.
tary Of Sta.e-he confessed it to me.
"Well, curlUusly enough that wasn't
the last of his fatal mistakes. In 1848
the very sama thing happened right
over again. In 1844 Clay had been de-
feated aud taken out of the way, and
now Webster thought he could walk
over the course. During the spring be-
fore the nomination l went over to
Marshfeld. "Well, what do YOU think
of it this time?" asked Mr.. Webster
81 think this time" I said, "thAt
Gen. Taylor will be the man."
"He was astounded. 1t didn't look
10 al all to him. He thought it a very
wild guess. do you seriously think"
be asked, that such a man can be
nominated? l assured him that II
thought it very probable. He remem-
beIed his former mistake and smiled
and said at last that he would consult
his two best friends, George Ashmun of
Massachusetts, and Senator Wilson ofI
New Hampshire, and do as they said.
They we're summoned and came, III
met them al Mr.. Webster's and pre-.
sented my figures. They were non.
plussed at first, but came finally to my
conclusion that Taylor's nomination
was probable, and they Joined me in
advising Mr.. Webster TO be content
with second place II the first should
prove beyond his reach. He reluctant
ly agreed to it, and l was authorized to
see the arrangement carried out. Just
at that point his son Fletcher came
home from town, and he ridiculed the
scheme so energetically aud bitterly
that his father returned to his original
position, and refused to have anything
to 10 with my proposal.
Well, the Vice Presidency went beg
ging. The name of Fillmore was sud
denly sprung on the Convention, and |
he was put on the ticket. Taylor and |
he were elected, Taylor died in two
years, and Fillmore became President,
and Webster went down TO Washing. |
ton and served him as Secretary Of |
State, as he had served the accidental
Tyler! l think the pair of curio IS mis-.
laps did great deal to sour h i'm, and
perhaps helped to make him reckless in |
his personal habits.