Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-13

quality of a chief magistrate, can be
nominated for such place. told him
it was simply question who could poll
the most votes then | got him to sit
down and look over my figures. They
didn't convince him, of course.
"'Why, you don't act as if you be.
lieved YOURSELF he said, for you have
chosen Scott delegation from your
own State. THAT was to prevent the
appointment of Clay delegation,'
nominated. But Mr.. Webster | went
on, | haven't come to Washington to
get you to withdraw your name, but to
ask you to accept the nomination for
Vice President in case Harrison shall
be selected for the first place No, he
wouldn't listen to such proposal, and
he refused with quite as much spirit as
| the occasion called for. So am home
and Harrison was nominated and John
| Tyler was made his Vice, and by the
death of Harrison, Tyler became Presi.
dent month after the election. Web.
ster saw the fatal mistake he had made,
and the next time | saw him-he was
then Tyler's Secretary of State-he con
| fessed it to me.
"Well, curiously enough, that wasn't
the last of his fatal mistakes. In 1913
the very same thing happened right
over again. In 1874 Clay had been de.
feated and taken out of the way, and
now Webster thought he would walk
over the course. | saw that General
Taylor was pretty likely to be the man,
for after the Mexican War there was a
great Juror over Taylor. During the
| spring before the nomination | went
over to Marshfeld. well, what do you
think of it this time p asked Mr.. Web.
ster, with smile of security.
"I think this time said, that
General Taylor will be the man."
"He was astounded. 1t didn't look
so at all to him. He thought it very
wild guess. DO you seriously think,
he asked, that such man can be nomi-
mated p assured him that | thought
it very probable. Taylor was then
designated by those who did not ad-
mire him, as IAN illterate frontier
colonel who hasn't voted for forty years,
and Webster seemed to sympathIze with
this view. then appealed to him to ac'
cept the nomination for Vice. President
under Taylor. He remembered his
former mistake, and smiled, and said at
last that he would consult his two best
| friends, George Ashmun, of Massachu.
setts, and Senator Wilson, of New
Hampshire, and do as they said.
"They were summoned and came.
met them at Mr.. Webster's and present
ed my figures. They were nonplussed
at first, but came finally to my conclu.
sion that Taylor's nomination was pro
baby, and they joined me in advising
! Mr.. Webster to lie content with second
place if the first should prove beyond
his reach. He reluctantly agreed TO it,
and | was authorized to see the arrange.
ment carried out. Just at that point
his son, Fletcher, came home from
town and he ridiculed the scheme so
energetically and so bitterly that his
father returned to his original position,
and refused to have nythng to do with
my proposal Well, the Vice. President
went begging. The name of Fillmore
was suddenly sprung on the Convention
and he was put on the ticket. Taylor
ana he were elected Taylor died in
! four months, and Fillmore became
! President, and Webster went down to
| Washington and served him as Secreta.
ry of State, as he had similarly served
the accidental Tyler! | think the pair
of curious mishaps did good deal to
sour him, and perhaps helped to make
him reckless in bis personal habits. -
". h. CroGmt'S Letter IN Detroit Post and
! Tribune.