The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-08-17
TWO POLITICAL BLUNDERS.
How Daniel Webster Twice Missed
Becoming President.

''It is not generally known"
said Thurlow Weed, chow near
Webster came to being president.
SIT is generally known" said 1,
'that he was a candidate for the
whig nomination five times, and
missed it every time"
"Yes," he acquiesced, "but he
came good deal nearer than that
"a good deal nearer. 1 had al
ways been among his most pro
found admirers, and wanted to see
him president in 1910. But it be
came obvious to me during the win
ter that he couldn't get the nomi-
natiOn-that Harrison was leading.
l went down to Washington early in
the spring and called him into the
cloak room. i think l shall be the
Whig candidate, he said. I ex-
pressed my doubt of it. Who will
be, thenY 1t looks to me like Har-
rison,' l answered. He almost
sneered at the idea. why, you
don't act as if you believe it your
SELF he said, for you have chosen a
Scott delegation from your own
state. That was to prevent the
appointment of a Clay delegation
1 said, and Clay cannot be elected
if nominated. But, Mr., Webster
l went on, q have come to Wash
ington to get you to withdraw your
name, but to ask you to accept the
nomination for vice president in
case Harrison shall be elected for
the first place No, he wouldn't
listen to such q proposal, and he
refused with quite as much spirit
as the occasion called for So l
came home, and Harrison was nom
mated and John Tyler was made
his vice, and, by the death of Harri
son, Tyler became president Il
month after the election. Web
ster saw the fatal mistake he had
made, and the next time 1 saw him
he was then Tyler's secretary of
state) he confessed it to me.
'Wen, curiously enough, that
wasn't the last Of his fatal mistakes.
In 1913 the very same thing hap
pened right over again. In 1874
Clay had been defeated and taken
out of the way, and now Webster
thought he could walk over the
course. During the spring before
the nomination L went over to
Marshield. We'll, what do you
think of it this timer asked Mr..
Webster with a smile Of security.
i think this time l said, that
General Taylor will be the man
"He was astonished. 1t didn't
look so at.all to him. He thought
it a very wild guess. DO you seri-
ously think he asked, that such a
man can be nominatedY l assured
him that ! thought it very Proba-
BILE. He remembered his former
mistake and smiled, and said at
last that he would consult his two
best friends, George Ashum, of Mas
sachusetts, and Senator Wilson,
of New Hampshire, and do as they
said.
"They were summoned and came.
L met them at Mr.. Websters and
presented my figures. They were
nOn-plussed at first, but came final
ly ta my conclusion that Taylor's
nomination was probable, and they
joined me i'll advising Mr.. Webster
to be content with the second place
if the first should prove beyond his
reach. He reluctantly agreed to it,
and / was authorized to see he ar
rangement 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 anything to do with my pro
posal. Well, the ce-presidency
went begging. The name of Fill
more was suddenly sprung on the
convention, and he was put on the
ticket. Taylor and he were elected,
Taylor died in four months, and
Fillmore became president, and
Webster went down to Washing
ton and served him as secretary of
state, as he had served the accidcn
tai Tyler l think the pair of Gu
rious mishaps did a good deal to
sour him, and perhaps to make him
reckless in his personal habits"