Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-06
A STORY OF WEBSTER.
One Occasion When Daniel Was Deep
Iy Humiiated.

Daniel Webster was related to the
writer by the late Joshua Seward:
Mr.. Seward came to Woburn from
Boston in the early seventies and
bought a farm, where he lived until
his death in 1885. He was a native of
the New Hampshire Peace City," from
which place he came to Boston in early
manhood and later engaged in the liv-
cry business off School street. He was
a genial social. active young man, and
i'm short time many of the business
and professional men of the city were
his friends and patrons. Daniel Web
ster then In the fullness of his mas
terly manhood, was his particular
friend and most favored patron. One
year Webster early engaged to deliver
the Fourth of July Grafton in the city.
A public procession was then an i'm
portant feature Of the celebration, and
the orator of the day was the chief
person of distinction in the parade. In
those days there were no four wheeled
vehicles for convenience or for pleas
ure. A chaise was the proper carriage
for gentlemen to use. Webster was
popular and proud as popular. He saw
no chaise in the city as good as he
desired to appear in on that import
ant occasion. and therefore he ordered
one to be built by the pri lcipal car
riage maker of the city (Sargent, l
think it was). to be ready for use on
that day. In the morning of the
Fourth he appeared at Stewards sta
BILE office and requested Seward to go
to the carriage shop and get the chaise
he had ordered. Seward harnessed
horse and went to the carriage shop as
directed and told the proprietor he had
come for Mr. Webster's chaise. The
proprietor in firm and measured tones
that could not be misunderstood ask
ed, Did Mr.. Webster send the money
to pay for the chaise?"
In relating this to me Seward said:
II was never so astonished in my life!
I should have been less surprised II he
had raised his fist and knocked me
down. | had no thought that there was
man living who had ever heard Of
the great Webster, the godlike Daniel
who would or who could have denied
him any request it was possible to
grant. could only say, He sent no
prietor. tell him he can have. the chaise
when he sends the money to pay for 1t
and not till them" Seward said he
was never i'm such a dilemma In all his
life He could not go back and tell that
great man. whom he adored, that he
could not have the chaise till he paid
for it, And yet he must go back and
tell him something. But what could h@
tell him? Finally. after much thought
and study ii occurred to him that he
had a new chaiSe which he would Offer
to Webster and tell him that the var
nish on the one he had ordered was
not yet hard and that it would be la
BILE to injury if taken out I'm the heat
and dust of that public day. Webster
met Seward at the door when he re-
turned. and before Webster could ask
a question Seward was telling him the
story he had invented on the way
home. Webster made no reply. but ac-
cepted Stewards statement as true and
rode i'm his chaise that day.
About a week later Webster came
again and said to Seward, 'I think
the varnish on that chaise is hard now
and you may go down and get It,"
Seward said: with n heavy heart
harnessed a horse and went again to
the shop. | knew ] should not get the
chaise. and | was not disappointed. In
the same manner | was asked the same
question as before. | could not invent
another story that would be credible
and was therefore compelled to go
back to tell him the truth" Webster
was impatiently awaiting Stewards re-
turn. and when i'm hailing distance he
called to Seward: where is the
chaise? What is the trouble" Seward
approached him more closely and in
tones so low that no one could over
hear him replied, He told me to tell
you that you could have the chaise
when you sent the money to pay for 1t
and not before" Webster stood silent
an instant and then with voice trem-
bling with emotion exclaimed. MY
God. Joshua. did he say that and
sank into nearby chair and cried as
would Il deeply aggrieved child of six
summers.
1t is we'll known that Webster would
incur debt apparently with no thought
that there were two parties to con-
tract, Il creditor and a debtor, ana
that their moral obligations were CO.
equal Consequently his creditors so
multiplied and his indebtedness so in
ere aSed as to interfere with his po-
!tical plans, if not, indeed. threaten his
political future. At this time mis-
friends came to his aid and, 1t Is said,
raised the sum of 100000 to cancel his
Indebtedness and relieve him from the
further annoyance and pressure of his
creditors. When we realize that $4O,-
600 was a larger sum to raise then for
any purpose than would be 5000 600 to-,
a