The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-08-10

1T IS not generally knoWns salu
Thurlow Weed to me. "how near Web
ster came to being President"
''It is generally known" said, "that
he was candidate for the Wing nom
nation five times, and missed it every
time"
eyes" he acquiesced, "but he came q
good deal nearer than that-a good deal
nearer. 1 had always been among his
most profound admirers, and wanted to
see him President in 1910. But it be-
came obvious to me during the winter
that he couldn't get the nomination
that Harrison was leading. l went
down to Washington early in the spring
and called him into the cloak room. I
think shall be the Wing candidate he
said. 1 expressed my doubt Of it. Who
will be, theny he asked. 1T looks to me
like Harrison I answered. He almost
sneered at the idea.
"'Why, you don't act as if you be-
lieved it yourself, he said. for you have
chosen Scott delegation from your own
State THAT was to prevent the ap-
pointment OF Clay delegation, I said,
sand Clay cannot be elected it nomi-
mated. 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 of Vice Presi-
dent 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 came home, and Harri-
son was nominated and John Tyler was
made his vice, and by the death OF Har-
rison TYLER became President a month
after the election. Webster saw the
fatal mistake he had made, and the next
time saw him he was then Tyler's
Secretary of State-he confessed tito me.
"Well. curiously enough that wasn't
the last Of his fatal mistakes. In l64S
the very same thing happened right over
again. In 1874 Clay had been defeated
and taken out of the way, and now Web
ster thought he could walk ger the
course. During the spring before the
nomination I went over to Marshfield:
"Wen, what do you think of it this
time? asked Mr.. Webster, with smile
of security.
"'I think this time, said I that Gen.
Taylor will be the man.
sHe was astounded. It 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 nominal.
ed?' I assured him that I thought il
very probable. He remembered his for
mer mistake and smiled, and said ct 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.
s'They were summoned and came.
met them at Mr.. Webster's and present
ed my figures. They were nonplussed
ct first, but came finally to my conclu-
sion that General Taylor's nomination
was certainly probable. and they
joined me in advising Mr.. Webster
to be content with second place if the
frat should prove beyond his reach. He
reluctantly agreed to it, and was
authorized to see the arrangement
carried out. Just at this point his son,
Fletcher, came home from town and
he ridiculed the scheme so theoretically
and 90 bitterly that his father returned
to his original position, and refused to
have anything to do with my proposal.
Well, the Vice Presidency went begging.
The name of Fillmore suddenly sprung
ON the convention and he was put on the
ticket. Taylor died and he was elected
Taylor died in four months, and Fill
moro became President, and Webster
went down to Washington and served
him as Secretary of State. as he had
similarly served the accidental Tyler.
think the pair of mishaps did good
deal to sour him, and perhaps helped Il
make him reckless in his persona
habits. Nv. G. Croffut in the Detroi
Post.