The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-11-30
An Eyentful Political Career.


The death of the aged politician and jour
nalist, Thurlow Weed at his home in New
York, removed from life man who took a
leading part for many years in the struggle
for power among political parties in this
country. Mr.. Weed was born at Cairo; N. T.,
November 10, 1877, his father being of New
England origin, while his mother was an
English woman. AT nine years of age young
Weed was employed on Harlem river craft
plying between Oatskill and New York. The
next year he entered printing Office at Oats
kill. Removingto Cincinnattis, N. Y, the
following year, with his parents, he remained
with them several years, helping to support
the family In 1871 he again entered print
ing oflice-that of the Lyn@, at Onondaga
Hollow. The paper died after years. exist
ence, and Weed then worked while in
cannon ball foundry at Syracuse. Return
ing to the printing Office, he published for
short time n newspaper ut Manlius, and, the
second war with Great Britain being in
progress, then enlisted in the State militia
for service on the northern frontier. When
heentered the.service he was at work i'll the
office of tho Herkimer american. During
his short-liyed service in the army he was
promoted to tho position of quartermaster-
sergeant Going TO Cooperstown Mr.. Weed
worked thore some time and then went to
New York and found employment in print
ing Office. While working In the metropolis
he went to Albany on behalf of the New York
Typographical society, which was at that time
(lSl6) applying for charter.
In 1918 he began at Norwich, Chenango
county, tho publication of an agricultural
and general newspaper, the columns of
which gave promise of his later success in n
wider iieldof journalism. Soon after he dis
posed of hrs paper and removed to Roches-
ter. There after time he purchased the
Telegraph newspaper and conducted it in the
interests of De Witt Clinton. Thenceforward
he rose rapidly i'll political prominence and
power. He was elected to the State assem-
bly, i'll 1867, and lead in the anti-Masonic
movement of those days. In 1888 Mr.. Weed
changed the name of his paper TO the 1nti-
Masonic Enquirer. In 1890 he settled at Al
bany, and commenced the publication of the
Erening Journal, an anti-Jackson Whig
paper, which was made the organ of the
party, and also of the State government
when that party came into power.
The election of Governor Seward in 1898
and 1870 was due largely to his management,
and from that time forward he was recog-
nzel as the leader of the Whig party The
election of General Harrison threw into his
hands a large patronage of executive appoint
ments, which he used solely for the benefit
of the party, declining to accept any posi-
ton himself. At this period he refused a
cabinet position among other high offices.
He threw his great influence with success for
the nomination and election of General Tay-
lor in 1913, but received a crushing defeat in
the Scott campaign in 1852. William Ii.
Seward was his favorite for the Presidential
nomination III 1850, but he gave hearty sup
port to Lincoln during the campaign.
In November, 1861, he visited Europe at
the personal request of President Lincoln
as one of three commissioners sent abroad
on behalf of the Federal government. OF
late years he had taken no active part either
i'll politics or journalism, but in his day his
capacity rs a campaign manager was un-
equaled. Never an orator, he was the power
behind the throne, and directed the move
| ment of the pieces OH the political chess
board. The election of Dewitt Clinton as
| governor of New York was accredited in a
great measure to his tactics. He settled
| down in New York city in 1865, and after a
| short connection with the Commercial Ad-
rertiser and the Times, finally retired from
active journalism in 1868, although occasion
| ally publishing articles over his own sigma
| ture. His house was the Mecca at every
campaign of political pilgrims from al
parts of the Union. For some time back he
| had been confined to the house, his chief all
ment being feebleness from old age and a
lack of assimilation of food from weakness
of his digestive organs.