The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-02-03
SELECTED.
"REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN.
by BEN pERLEY pooRE.

After John Tyler had dissolved partner
ship with the Wings, and was coquettng
with the Democrats, he became anxious
that Daniel Webster, then Secretary of
State, should be persuaded to withdraw
! from the Cabinet. 1t WAS first proposed
to transfer Mr. Everett from the British
mission to anondcscript mission to CHINA,
created for the purpose by act OF Con-
grcss, and, had lie accepted, Mr.. Webster
would have been sent to the court OF st.
James. But it was pretty well known
| that Mr.. Everett would decline to 90 to
Canton, prcfcrrng to remain ut London,
so Mr.. Tyler was persuaded by the Texas
anneXationistS to appoint Mr.. Cushing,
Secretary of the Treasury (Mr Forward
having rcsigncd), as hint to Mr.. Web
ster that he was not the Massachusetts
man wanted in the Cabinet. The nomina-
ton was sent to the Senate about six
O'Clock in the evening of the last night of
the session, with that of Henry A. Wise
as minister to France. Both nominations
were rejected, that of Mr.. Cushing by a
vote of 10 to ~ The President sent in
the nominations second time, and they
were again rejected, that of Mr.. Gushing
by vote of 10 to u. They were sent in
third time, and each one was rejected
by vote of . to29. Two hours after
wards the Senate adjourned sine die. and
Mr.. Cushing was appointed minister and
commissioner to China on the sth of May
following.
Mr.. " ebster. the year previous, had
undertaken to lecture the Wings of Mass
achusetts tin a speech which he delivered
at Fanenil lIall) for having divorced
themselves from President Tyler, al
81 H. In, n hp Cabinet
carng that he was n Wing, he asked
where he was to be placed Generally"
said he, "whcn Il divorce takes place, the
parents divide the children. | should be
glad to know where | am to go
In less than year the Shareholders
forced Mr.. Webster to resign out of self
respect, and when he returned to Massa-
chusetts he found that he was coldly re-
ceived. lie consolcd himself with rural
pursuits, and returned to Washington
the next winter to attend to several i'm
purtant cases which he had before the
Supreme Court. But the prominent
Wings did not call to pay their respects,
and for some time he was "sent to Cow
entry He submitted with resignation,
and it was finally agreed that he should
! be received back into the " hig fold. The
fattcd calf was a saddle of fine South
down mutton which had been raised by
John Minor Bolts, and ii was served on
the table of Judge Mangum of North
Carolina, then president pro tenn of the
Senate. As the good cheer was enjoyed
by the distinguished guests and the old
| Madeira was circulated with the sun. the
GOODNESS was thawcd away, and Mr.. Web
ster was cordially received among the
Wings again. But the Massachusetts
Wings never fully returned to their allie
glance, SOME of them enlsting under the
Ereesoil banner, while others followed
the lea of ,nbGu Lawrence, for whom
Mr.. Webster, in the later CAS- of his life
entertained no love
Daniel Webster was a good talkcr, and
some of his savings have been handed
down aS worthy of remembrance Scna
tor Ewin fthc father of Mrs. Sherman
once said, in addressing the Senate ON the
ruin and misery brought upon the country
by Iackson's order removing the deposit,
from the United States Bank, that the
turnpkeS in Ohio were growing up with
grass. and that the canal WAS n solitude.
He was ever afterWard known as Tom
Solitude Ewing. one day Webster, who
had been ont drinking with II party of
friends entered the old Senate Chamber,
and seeing Ewing sitting apart looking
very glum, stepped in front of him and
quoted the following lines from CoWper :
poem ON Alexander Sclkirk: