Evening journal., 1910-09-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The First Meeting Of W. H.
Seward and I. Reed
BY @HOIIand."


In his old age. say from 1870 to his
death in 1882. Thurlow Weed. the
most skilfui whig politician OF his
day, who made William H. Seward,
governor of New York and United
States Senator, who named Zachary
Taylor for the presidency. and Willard
Fillmore for the vice-presidency and
who, at the birth Of and during the
first years Of the Republican party,
was natianol power. was one of the
most delightful story tellers TO be
found anywhere He had a vast fund
of anecdotes, many of them being WV
idly descriptive of our political life
from 1920 until 1875
Il was during the story telling
period of this treat politician that I
came to know him we'll. and many an
evening ! spent with him listening
to his "reminiscences and watching
him sip the might cap" prescribed for
him by his PHYSICIAN tablespoonful
of Jamaica rum and a little sugar in
a glass of water.
"Mr. Weed" / said TO him one
evening, when the name of William
II Seward had cropped up in the
course of our conversation. when did
you first meet the senior member of
the powerful and now historically ia
nous political firm Of Seward, Weed
and Greeley?
After my service as a printers
devil and as an apprentice. and when
had become fairly competent as a
journeyman printer and seized of an
ambition TO become the editor Of n
daily newspaper. / found my way to
Rochester. then a thriving little
town. where they we're beginning 10
manufacture on a large scale by rea-
son of convenient water power" said
Mr.. Weed. There in the early TWEEN
test was 1922. 10 be exact be-
came editor Of the Daily Telegraph
and speedily found myself attracted
70 and then deeply interested in
politics. II was at this period of my
career that I met Willard Fillmore,
Albert TT. Tracey. a great lawyer Of
his day. and others. and It was while
I was with the Telegraph that I be-
gan to hear more or less vaguely of
newcomer i'm Auburn, who was
described as a very promising young
one say that this William II. Seward
was a good speaker, and that he was
sure to be heard from sooner or later
I'm politics.
well. one evening" do not re-
member the precise date, but it was
in the early twenties-I was standing
in front of the tavern in Rochester
awaiting the arrival of the stage
coach from Syracuse. The coming
and departure of the stage coach
was the exciting event Of the
day in Rochester; the Erie Canal had
not then been completed and such a
thing as a steam railroad was un-
dreamt Of. though it was TO become a
reality a few years later. At the time
speak OF there had been a heavy
rain for several days, so that the road
was very muddy, a circumstance that
delayed the arrival of the coach. But
my friends and loitered in a little
group IN front of the tavern until y
| finally put in an appearance some
/ two hours late and just before dusk
! Wheeling up in front of the hotel
! the coach became stuck in bad muc
hole that was there. and I'm the at
tempt to eXtricate his vehicle-yOJ
can imagine the picturesque language
that accompanied the efforts-lo and
behold the perspiring coachman sud
denly upset the eAoch, and the next
thing ] knew there cNne sprawling in
front OF me a little man whom
fastened to relieve He was covered
W. mud from head to foot For a
r. h ont he was a little confused.
tooN that in as ] picked him up. and
! also noticed that he was sandy-hair-
ed and very quick in movement, but
nowhere near my height.
81 succeeded in brushing a good
deal of mud off him. and he thanked
me and asked me my name. l told
him My name is William II. Sew
ard, he said in reply, and again
have to thank you for your courtesy.
Then he put out his hand and we gave
each other a hearty shake"
Mr.. Weed smiled happily.
yes" he said, "in that uncere-
monious and undignifed manner
was presented to William II. Seward
or. il may be more accurate to say
he presented himself TO me. And from
that moment our friendship began and
was continued until the day Of his
death"
Copyright. 1910, by Il. J. Edwards,
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
"HOW ThurlOw Weed Became Inter