Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02


whig party BY giving them the next President
TArLoA's NOMINATION.
Gen. Taylor's nomination was the inevitable
result Of the war, though Mr.. Webster and MI.
Clay did not respond very cordially 10 the
nomination. Mr.. Webster said lit vas nomi-
nation unfit to be made" and called Gen. Tay-
lor "a hard-swearing frontier colonel" He
was induced, however, before the close Of the
campaign: 70 make . speech or two in favor Of
fully expected the nomination, and Il vss said
had been promised il in 1852, and when the
convention again passed him by he felt II very
keeniy. The night the whig ratification meet
ing was held here large procession called on
Gen. Scott at the ''chain building" q IL was
called, on H street, and after congratulation
speeches had been made, with very question
able taste they called on Mr. Webster He re-
sponded to the cheers and said % reported in
the National Intelltgescer the next day: you,
my Fellow citizens, With many others, have been
engaged in the performance Of an arduous and
Protracted duty at Baltimore in making Be-
lection OF a at person to DO the candidate for
the office Of President Of the United States. II
DO happens that my name was used before that
assembly. The convention, however, I dare
say, did Its best exercised its wisest and sound
est discretion, and, for my part, have no per-
eonal feeling In the matter. Iremain the same
IN opinion, in principle and in position that
have ever been.
Gentlemen, will tell you one thing. You
may be be, assured there is not one among you
who Will sleep better tonight than shall l
shall rise tomorrow morning with the lark, and
though he 10 q better songster than am, yet /
shall greet the purple east as jocund, rs graft
fed and as satisfied as he. tender to you my
thanks for this call of friendly regard. l wish
you well. Beneath these brilliant stars and in
the enjoyment Of this beautiful evening take
my leave OF you with hearty good wishes for
your health and happiness"
REMINIscKNCEs OF A. n. sTHPHENs.
The memory Of the first time I over saw tho
Hon. Alexander II. Stephens has never left me,
nor did it change in all the forty years Of our
intercourse. In lS43 Mr. Stephens entered
Congress. His reputation had preceded him,
and he at once took his position as one OF the
whig leaders in Congress. One day I w@
seated at my desk, when heard feeble voice
ask II Mr.. Gales was in. The Office boy turned
to me and said, Mr.. Coyie. a boy wants to see
Mr. Gales" | rose to look at him and saw .
boy apparently about seventeen or eighteen
years, very small, in . dress coat and high hat
who repeated the question, and told the office
after was called by Mr.. Gales and was intro
duced to the Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, who
had brought long list of subscribers to the
National Inteuigencer, as was usual in those
days.
Mr.. Stephens appearance confirms . story I
father OF the present Senator, q leading demo-
crat. was canvassing southwest Georgia and
Mr.. Stephens had been sent for to meet him in
debate and was expected to arrive at Newman,
Coweta county, on the day preceding joint
meeting called, at which Mr.. Colquitt and Mr..
Stephens were to speak. The keeper of the
hotel, an Irishman named Dougherty, an ardent
and leading wing, who was planter as we'll IS
hotel keeper, came in from his plantation to
meet Mr.. Stephens whom he had never seen,
and asked his wife on reaching home if Mr.
Stephens had arrived NO." she said 'but
morning, is upstairs. have had his feet
bathed and put him in feather bed, but you
had better go up and see him, for think he
will be dead by morning." Mr.. Dougherty
went upstairs saw that the sick boy wanted for
nothing and excused himself from remaining
with him by saying be expected Mr.. stephens
and must meet him, when "the sick boy" said:
II am Mr.. Stephens." The ardent wing was
shocked. This 'sick boy" was to meet Colquitt,
man six feet four and with the voice of
Stentor. He came down stairs and said to his
wife, telling her who the sick boy was: well,
if he lives until morning Colquitt will finish
him." The next morning Mr.. Stephens came
down to breakfast and, a. the whig landlord
said, ate two broiled chickens, sundry biscuits,
drank pot OF coffee and said he felt better.
The whig committee waited on him and es-
corted him to the platform, where Mr.. Col
quit met him and the contrast became more
painful. Mr.. Colquitt opened the debate in
one Of his eloquent and telling speeches. The
wings were Respondent and the democrats sx-
ultant ut the close OF Colquitt's speech. Mr..
Stephens rose and commenced in his usual
quiet manner, but when no concluded, the
father Of my informant q stanch democrat,
said he not only snnihilated ColQuitt, but II he
had kept on he would have annihilated the
whole party. This feeble frame lasted seventy
three years-years Of pain and suffering. He
told q gentleman from whom I have IL. that he
had no recollection Of ever being free from
brought him wealth. which he dispensed in
charity. He was always employed to defend
and refused to prosecute. When he returned
to Congress after the war his lsbors we're un-
ceasing, and he died in official position.
JOHN r, CoYLE