Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-08-10
WEBSTER'S TWO MISTAKES.
ThurIOW Weed Tells How He Twice
Failed of Becoming President.
Detroit Post and Tribune.

Detroit Post and Tribune
1t is not generally known" said ThurloW
Weed to me, chow near Webster came to be.
ing President"
1T is generally KNOWN" said /, that he
was candidate for the Whig nomination
five times, and missed it every time"
YES" he acquiesc9d, "but he came good
deal nearer than that-a good deal nearer.
had always been among his most profound
admirers, and wanted to see him President
in 1910. But it became obvious to me dur
ing the winter that he couldn't get the nomi-
nation-that Harrison was leading. [ went
down to Washington early in the spring and
called him into the cloak room.
I think l will be the Whig candidate,
he said l expressed my doubt of it. Who
will be then?' he asked.
1t looks to me like HARRISON answered.
He almost sneered at the idea.
why, you don't act as if you believed it
YOURSELF he said, for you have chosen a
Scott delegation from your own State
That was to prevent the appointment OF
Clay delegation l said, and Clay cannot be
elected if nominated. But, Mr.. Webster |
went on, I have 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.
mo, he wouldn't listen to such proposal,
and he refused with quite as much spirit as
the occasion called for. So came home, and
Harrison was nominated and John Tyler was
given the second place on the ticket, and by
the death of Harrison Tyler became Presi-
dent month after the election. Webster
saw the fatal mistake he had made, and the
next time | saw hinl-he was then Tyler's
Secretary of State-he confessed it to me.
well, curiously enough, that wasn't the
last of his fatal mistakes. In 184S the very
same thing happened right over again. In
1914 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 Marshfeld.
"'Well, what do you think of it this
time?' asked Mr.. Webster, with smile of
security.
az 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 nominated
Il assured him that / thought it very
probable He remembered his former mis-
take and smiled, and said at last that he
would consult his two best friends, George
Ashmum, of Massachusetts,, and Senator Will
son, of New Hampshire, and do as they said.
"They were summoned and came. | met
them at Mr. Websters and presented my
figures. They were nonplussed 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 the second place if the first should be
beyond his reach. He reluctantly agreed to
it, and was authorized to see the arrange
ments carried out. Just at that point his
son Fletcher came home from town and he
'idiculed the idea so energetically and bit
.erly that his father returned to his original
position, and refused to have anything to do
with my proposal. Well, the Vice Presi-
lency went begging. The name of Fillmore
vas suddenly sprung on the convention and
le was put on the ticket. Taylor and he
we're elected; Taylor died in four months
md Fillmore became President, and Webster
vent down to Washington and served him
IS Secretary of State, as he had similarly
served the accidental Tyler. 1 think the
,air of curious mishaps did good deal to
our him, and perhaps helped to make him
eckless in his personal habits"