Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-11-28
Daniel Webster and His Wife.
Philadelphia Times.

Mrs. Webster, whose maiden name
was Caroline LIE Roy, belonged to one
of the old New York families, and
was in many respects a remarkable
woman, although like the wives of
many men OF great attainments she
was never noted for any literary tai
ents. She was tall and fine looking.
very erect in figure and had a com
plexion which a Philadelphia belle
might be proud of. She was very
particular about her dress and disliked
anything not in the prevailing style,
not wishing to adhere to the by-gone
fashions, as SO many old ladies do.
though her inherent good taste was
always seen in desire to have suita-
BILE toilets for every occasion.
When she told her numerous and
simple experiences of life, we always
were interested Ia listening to things
that pleased her-how Mr.. Webster
used to call her the Lady Caroline,
OF their evening walks, and, indeed,
many of her "reminiscences were very
entertaining, were they less frequent
ly or more coherently carried out.
Mrs. Webster always read the news
papers, and, though it is doubtful if
she ever fully realized that she was
almost alone in her generation, some
names took her back over lapse of
years, and she recalled persons vivid
ly. At the time Caleb Gushing was
appointed Minister to Spain, she re-
marked: He was a very agreeable
man; [ knew him we'll" She also
added: Il wonder why he never
married." The old lady was always
a great advocate of matrimony. We
once asked her what she thought of
Henry Clay.
oh" she replied, "Mr. Clay was
the thinnest man ever saw. He was
a great man and a magnificent speak
er-not equal to my husband, OF
course"
One day in reading Sir FL. hollands
letters we saw an account of a dinner
given to Daniel Webster and his wife
when in England. We mentioned
this to Mrs. Webster, and she was very
anxious to see the book. A chord in
her memory was touched, and long
dormant memories seemed to awake.
She related various little incidents of
her travels abroad but, though they
were then SO feted and made much of,
there was no assumption of dignity
on her part; she merely took the at
tention paid her as her due. being the
wife of great man, the Secretary of
State of a great Nation. She men
toned driving out in barouche with
the Queen, and driving with her mere
ly as she would had she done the
same with an acquaintance in her
own rank of life. She smilingly said:
Queen Victoria is a plain looking
person, but an excellent woman and
very sensible. | have seldom met an
American lady at a dinner party
dressed as plainly and with as little
taste"
Hon. Alexander Stephens once said
of Daniel Webster: Il think Webster
was the worst slandered man | ever
knew. 1t is the general impression
to-day that Webster was a great
drunkard. You hear it spoken of
even now whenever his name is men.
toned, bat it is an outrageous SANDER
L will tell you what [ know myself.
For six years while we were both in
Congress [ lived next door to him
His house was as familiar to me as
my own garden. | was in there a
great deal and he was as often at mine,
and in all the time of my acquaintance
with him never sa Webster when
he was in the least affected by liquor
or under the influence of it in any
way. | have dined with him at his
house and mine. | have met him at
dinners and affairs outside and l never
saw him in the least inebriated. I
never heard of his being intoxicated
but twice, and on one of those occas-
ions-a dinner-he made speech that
was grandly eloquent.