New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-10
GREAT SENATOR'S
THERE WERE GIANTS In THOSE DAYS"
GREAT SENATOR'S OF THE UNITED STATES Fort,
Years Ago (1s45 and 1S40), With Personal Rcc0l
lcctions and Delineations of Calhoun, Benton
I,nI. L1r.L .r,c scra.

Years Ago ue45 and 1890, with Personal Rccoi-
lccrOns and Delineations of Calhoun, Benton
Clay Webster General Houston. jefferson Davis
ctr BY Oliver Dyer. Robert Bonner's Sons.
Mr. Oliver Dyer, the veteran Journalist. whose
recolections Of the great Senators of forty years
ago are presented in this volume, had peculiarly
good opportunities for studying and knowing the
events and the men he writes Of so Interestingly
He was in s4s the official reporter Of the United
States Senate, the entire Congressional reporting
being then done under contract by "The National
Intelhgencer Of Washington, which was power
full political organ in those days Mr.. Dyer was
one of the first reporters to introduce PtmanS
system of photography and Dennis C. Murphy,
the most rapid and accurate shorthand reporter
| living, was his pupil. The book opens with what
NJ Dyer considers the first full explanation given
of the defeat of Henry Clay in the Baltimore Con-
vention. lie says: :" The movement which led TO
Clay's defeat was anipulated by four men, name
": William II. Seward and Thurlow Weed, of
New-York; Thomas Butler King. OF Georgia. and
Truman Smith, of Connecticut There were many
others in the game, but those four men did most
of the subterranean work, Thurlow Weed being
both engineer and conductor OF the underground
political railroad" We cannot follow Mr.. Dyers
story of the conspiracy by which Harry of the
West" was beaten at the very moment when his
over.sanguine friends were sure of his triumph,
but we may say that it is striking example Of
political craft and subtlety So strong was Clay S
hold upon the affections of his followers that the
nomination of Taylor soon proved to be rather a
beginning of trouble than "a presage of victory,
for the Clay Wings swOre by everything. sacred
that they had been betrayed and that they would
fight the ticket; and they did not leave it long
in doubt that they meant what they said. How
Seward and Weed succeeded in placatng enough
OF the malcontents 70 secure the vote of New York
State for Taylor, and thus make his election sure.
must be gathered from Mr.. Dyer's pages, while
we pass 10 the consideration of his pen pictures
Of the great Senator'S
These portraits are among the most graphic and
luminous of their kind. They show the men both
as they looked and they felt and acted They
are studied and Disseminated with careful nicely;
and above all they are informed by so genial
spirit that while tic defects of the great statesman
concerned are not hidden-since that would spoil
the portraiture-their better qualities thrown
into relief as TO offer the most charitable and at
tractve view of them. Besides the great Senators
there are many subordinate sketches of we'll
known men, and by no means least interesting IL
that of Thurlow Weed, whose ways of working
are described with q subdued humOr which is very
amusing Seward, too, is drawn clearly and
sharply with few bold lines; and so is Van
Buren,, who is held by Mr. Dyer to have been n
man of much larger calbre than his contempora-
ries were willing TO admit. One anecdote of New
Yorks favorite son" is too good TO pass by 1t
was at the Buffalo Free Soil Convention. which
nominated Van Buren, for President. A Commit
tee on Nominations in session, and Van Buren's
chief fugeman, Benjamin T. Butler was address
ing the delegates on behalf Of his friend
He gave an animated and picturesque descrin-
ton OF visit he had recently made him. at his
house In Undertook. AS he was describing the
almost boyish activity with which Van Barren ,vent
over his farm, and the pride be took in his fields
| Of grain and cabbage and turnips, tall gaunt
delegate from Ohio, named BrinRerhof YouIr
and spirally elevating himself like iackscre1y
shrieked out, in shrill piercing tones: "Damn 10
| cabbage and turnipsI What does he saw ahant
the abolition Of slavery in the Deestrck OF Colnm
| bv?" This was a thunderclap. Silence reieneJ
b1t not long. The committee spontaneously burst
| into roar OF mingled laughter and cheers
To appreciate what Mr.. Dyer terms the terrific
impact of this question, IL must be remembered
that eleven years before; Van Buren,. in his in
augural address, had said: " must go into the
| Presidential chair the inieXibc and uncompro-
missing opponent OF every attempt on the part OF
Congress TO abolish slavery in tho District Of Co
lumbia against the wishes of the saveholding
| States" Delegate Brinlerhof had therefore