The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

an appointment, whtCh Grinncll did for the
next day. What occurred Nt the interview
is thus rccountcd in one OF Mr.. winthrop's
private letters: IL found Nathan X. Hall
and one or two other persons in the Prcsi.
dents parlor at tho National Hotel, and ho
took me into his dressing room, where there
was but one chair, and we sat together on a
narrow bed in tr @ republican simplicity.
told him / would not waste time by beating
about the hush; that ! understood from Grin.
nell that he was hcsitnting whether TO offer The
State Department to Webster or to me, and
that he would like my frank opinion on the sub
jcct. He nodded assent. | said that, utter care-
full consideration. I had come to a very decided
conclusion that Webster should have tho pref
ercncc. As to myself, while / did not affect TO
doubt my own capacity, and had been urged to
take the post, IL offered, I did not be-
lieve my appointment would be q wise
one in the existing condition OF the coun-
try: that l was obnoxious to mon OF
extreme opinions at both ends OF the Union;
that some Southern Wings. who had hitherto
stood by mo against Toombs, were disappointed
with what I had said on the 9th OF May; that,
in my own State, I was now between three fires
tho Democracy, the Free Sellers, and certain
Webster Wings. who blamed me for not indoors
ing the 9TH of March speech. ana who would DO
furious IL I were preferred to Webster; that
l should DO willing to risk my health by remain.
Ing bOluo yehTb iOngoT III washington IL i lClb
that thore was a probability Of my accomplish
ing any real good at the head Of his Cabinet,
but my feeling was just the other way. As to
Webster, that he was an intellectual giant,
with a weight in the country beside which my
own was insignificant; that I had not always
been able to agree with him; that I had somo-
times thought him Influenced by jealousy or
pique. but that I believed him to be at heart .
true patriot, whose recent course, much as l ro-
~rattad IL yco lt,totnl hv N ain,ara Jaatr~ -
save the country from civil war; that. as .
measure Of mere party expediency, l might hesi-
tate to an appointment that would
undoubtedly shock many Northern Whigs,b but,
in view Of the dangers and difficulties which
surrounded the Union, I believed he would DO
the safest choice"
1t appears that Fillmore replied at some
length, saying, among other things, that the
President might well hesitate to be over
shadowod in his own Cabinet. and that Webster
was not easy to get on with. He reminded Mr..
Winthrop that when he (Fillmore) was Chair
man of Ways and Means. and Webster Secro-
tary Of State to Tyler. they had differed over
the Exchequcr bill, and Webster had not spoken
to him for more than q year. Mr.. W nthrop rO-
Joined that no one was better aware than him.
self Of the awful character Of Webster's frownB,
that he did not contend that Webster was an
ideal Premier. but that he honestly believed
hbh W ~, oA a. II NloCbb
selection in the existing crisis. The next day.
while Mr.. Winthrop was at his desk in the
House, Webster sent for him to como into
the lobby. and said he had learned from
moro than one source the advice which Win
throp had given the President. and had come to
thank him; that, while he thought Winthrop
well fitted to be Secretary of State and hoped
one day to see him in the office. he was himself
not indisposed to resume it and had reason to
! heliere n would now he ofered RI him On the
day the nominations went to the Senate Web
ster again sent for Winthrop to come to the
lobby. Before you and I leave this sofa" said
he, II shall probably have been confirmed.
Now. il there is anything under the sun that
1 can do for you. name it. Shall I write to Gov.
Briggs asking him to appoint you as my
successor Mr.. Winthrop replied that he
had rather not; that. although he had
fully expected to break up his estab-
lishment in Washington at the end of the
session. the honor of succeeding to Daniel Web
ster's seat in the Senate was too great to be put
aside, but that, if 1t came. it must come unsought:
that his name would obviously occur to Briggs
without any prompting. but that there were
other claims, and the Governor must have q free
hand. A little later Mr.. Winthrop observed to
Webster that, if he went to the Senate Just then.
his attitude might seem to the new Secretary of
State an ungracious one; that, differing as tho
two did about the compromise measures, Web
ster having supported them while Winthrop
had opposed them. the latter's votes might not
be altogether agreeable to the former.
The next morning brought Mr.. Wi throp his
commission. His course in the Senate dur
ing the summer OF 1850 brought him letters
Of approval from men of different shades of
opinion, including one from Theodore Parker,
perhaps the last person in New England from
whom he could have anticipated q word of
nraiaa Thia Iaftar daaarvaa tn ha raprodnnnA
in view of the fact that We are Apr aching
the turning point in Mr.. winthrop's life.
namely, tho refusal Of the Massachusetts Leg
~islature to elect him a Senator. either for
the long or the short term: II have not BEEN"
wrote Parker, always much of an admirer
of your course in Congress, and have often
felt panied at the thought that the Repre-
sentative from Boston should do as you have
done. But of late your votes and your
speeches in the Senate Of the United States have
been 80 just and SO noble, as 1t seemst TO me, that
feel impelled to write you this note-stranger
as l am to you-to thank you for the honorable
and manly stand you have taken lately in the
Senate. I know some Of your friends II mean
your former friends) will excuse it on the score
of policy and defend you, while they differ from
you. because they will say tho people Of Massa.
chusetts were to be conciliated before they
choose a Senator. Some Of your political op-
ohSh'op - oAPpSSS "'' wv s.S SNh'S ~
But I can only ascribe your conduct to such mo-
tives as ought to animate "a manly mana desire
to do that is absolutely right. Allow me to say
to yourself-what | would rather say anywhere
else-that your conduct now seems particularly
honorable and manly, when the temptation
to swcrve from justice seems TO DO so strong. and
when there are such eminent examples OF do
parture from the eternal right" Arson Burlin.
game, another Free Soiler. wrote. at almost tho
same date. to a similar effect: Permit mo
TO say that your replies to Jefferson Davis.
Downs. Soule and company were models
of dignited yet indignant rebuke. and have
awakened for you countless sympathies in
hearts heretofore closed against you politically.
/ am not singular in this estimate OF your
efforts. Many of the most worthy and able men
with whom ! have lately voted express them
selves unreservedly to the same extent. I
honestly think-nnd / say II frankly to you
that your recent bearing in the Senate has done