The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-05-01
Blooms OF Other Days.
n.zG H.,..-s.A

There Is nothing new under the sun. |
"The presidential boom" is only a new
name; the thing existed even as far back |
as Monroe's administration when the
"era of good feeling" outwardly serene,
was honeycombed with personal intri-
que, jealousy and backbiting among pos
sible candidates for the succession. In
deed, while nearly the whole cabinet
family of the president whose name is
popularly a synonym for peace and
good will were continually dealing one
another intimate blows under the fifth
rib-as when Clay antagonIZed j. @.
Adams's policy a. critical moments-a
most perfect specimen of q modern
'boom" was developed by the stolid but
whole talent, like that of so many of
our contemporary statesmen, ran to the
organizing of his personal following and
the picking up of delegates.
Again the same things appear in the
passages in the memoir of Thurlow
Weed where it is related how near Dan
iel Webster came to the presidency on
two occasions. In the spring of 1889
Mr.. Weed went to Washington and
called Mr.. Webster into the cloak room
at the capital. 81 think l shall be the
Wing candidate" Mr. Webster SAID.
Mr.. Weed expressed doubt. "Who, then,
will be ?'' asked the senator. SIT looks
| to me like HARRISON" said Mr.. Weed.
Mr. Webster declared that Harrison stood
no chance. "Yeu are mislntormed," he
said "the party will choose a man with
longer civic experience, who is better
adapted to the place. "The question
| is" said Mr.. Weed, 'who will poll the
most votes ?" WELL" said MIR. Web
ster; Every we'll; but what does this
mean? You are going to choose Scott
delegation II New York" That" Mr..
Weed explained, twas to keep New York
away from Mr.. Clay" Then he went
on ''You do not see me here to argue
about that. What l come for and
what want is for you
New York for the vice presidency in
case my prediction about Gen. Harrison
Is verified" Mr.. Webster would not
listen to this, and Captain" Tyler was
ultimately nominated. The memoir
says that 1.-TWO years later, when Gen
Harrison was dead and Mr.. Tyler presi.
dent, Mr.. Webster as secretary of state
under the late vice president had abund
ant leisure TO reflect upon the conYersa
ton in the cloak room at the capitol"
In 1S4S Mr.. Webster was VISITED by
Mr.. Weed, at Marshfield. and urged to
accept the support of New York on &
ticket headed by Gen. Taylor. SWELL
said MIR. Webster. when Mr.. Weed ap
look now? suppose the question still
is, Who will poll the most votes p
; Yes" said Mr.. Weed, land tina
man is Gen. Taylor, who will b
next president" why" said Mr.
Webster Taylor is an illiterate frontier
colonel, who hasn't voted for forty
years. Mr. Weed unfolded the obiec
of his visit, insisting that Gen. Taylo
must be nominated by the wings or h,
l would be taken up and elected by tn,
democrats. Mr.. Webster sent TO
George Ashmun, of Massachusetts, ant
Senator Wilson, of New Hampshire
with whom political prospects wer,
{ thoroughly canvassed. They listened Il
? Weeds argument and were disposed Il
yield to his suggestions. Finally hi
point was gained, and, pleased with hi
| success, he was about to take his de
e parture, when Fletcher Webster reache,
the Msrshfield house. The cause i
making tremendous progress" he sale
Informed of Mr.. Weeds mission,
q ridiculed it unsparIDgly. Enough,
| SAID his father; al shall remain 10 tn
n field as a candidate for president.
am not a candidate for any oihe
place. The national convention met i
+ June. Gen. Taylor was nominated
The vice presidency went begging, uuti
finally a venturesome delegate nom
mated Mr.. Fillmore, and he became til
candidate. Gen Taylor was elected
q He died the 9th of July, 1850. Mr.. Fill
q more became president, and Mr.. Webste
accepted the position of secretary {
state in FIllmore's cabinet.
If Had Mr.. Webster allowed the use c
!. his name for the ce-presidency j
E either of the above cases he would hav
u reached the goal of his ambItion-th
$ presidency. After occupying the Office
part of term it would probably hay
been very easy to make him his ow
successor. Mr.. Weeds idea of the in
n portance of the vice presidency, as twiC
Il exhibited in endeavoring to obtain NJ
N Webster's consent to become a candida
for the second place, has found abundal
illustration In the history of the coun
try.