Evening journal., 1911-11-08
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
ThurlOw Weeds Two
Crushing DisappOintments
By Holland

"In my long career as a politician OF
more than fifty years experienced
only two crushing disappointments,
said Thurlow Weed to me after ne
was so years Of age. Each Of them,
however, brought sufficient compen-
sation
"The first disappointment came
when In 1926, another than ] was
chosen 10 carry the electoral vote Of
New York State TO Washington. / Was
entitled to that office, for | had done
q great deal of work at Albany in con-
nection with the electoral vote. But
the experience taught me q lesson
which has been of service to me all
my life / realized that 1t would be the
wiser part for me never to put MY
self in position again where ! might
experience political disappointment
because Of failure to secure an office.
And IL was for that reason that | de-
cided never again to ask for or even to
accept political appointments. That
pledge ! have faithfully maintained.
"The second disappointment came
at the time OF the Chicago national
convention In 1860. had spent a year
or two in absorbing work that had To-
its object the nomination OF William
! H. Seward for President by the re-
publican party. On the day before the
convention met / felt absolutely GER
tain that Governor Seward would be
nominated On the night before the
meeting of the convention | telegraph
ed TO the Governors son, Frederick
w. Seward, who was then the editor
OF my newspaper, the Albany Evening
Journal, that it was practically GER
| tain that his father would be nomi-
mated for President on the second bai-
lot and that he ought to prepare an
editorial article which could be used
in the paper when the extra was IS
sued announcing the nomination OF
Seward.
well, what happened is a matter of
history; Lincoln was nominated upon
the third ballot | think ] was more
greatly distressed than l could possi-
bly, have been had / myself been a
candidate for the Presidential noml-
nation instead Of Seward and had lost
the prize the very moment when II
seemed within my grasp.
"ln my bewilderment and grief
forgot all about the Albany Evening
Journal, and 1t was not until a day or
two after the convention that re-
ceiyed copy of that paper. I turned
| tremblingly to the editorial page, Dut
after had read the editorial laid the
paper down and said to myself
Splendid Fred Seward is really the
worthy son of his father!' And | thinA
that in the realization of the calm
dignifed, courageous and almost In
spring manner I'm which Fred Seward
wrote the editorial calling the Repub-
lican party to the most hearty and
earnest support of Lincoln, although
in writing it he must have been over
whelmed by grievous disappointment
I had good compensation for the mo
mentary sense Of disappointment
which myself had experienced at Ln'
convention.
"As soon as I had opportunity t.
talk with Fred Seward, continued N
great Whig President-maker and lie
publican leader, Il asked him how h
had been able to write an editorial o
that kind
"He told me that he had prepared
an editorial which he expected TO usl
with the announcement that his father
had been nominated for President Bu
wnen the news came that Lincoln haC
been nominated, although for a mo
ment he was almost overwhelmed viii
disappointment, 30 suddenly occurred
TO him that he ought TO write just sncf
an editorial as he knew his fathel
would do In case he were at tia
moment sitting at the editorial desk
And that Is exactly what Seward
son did; the pen was the pen of Fred
erick w. Seward. but the thought ant
the exprs ssion were precisely those
which William II. Seward himsel
would have made use Of. And I knew
afterward that it was with great graf
ification that Governor Seward reaC
the editorial in the Albany Evening
Journal summoning all Republican,
and all who had faith in the principle!
Of the party to earnest support of th'
ticket nominated at the convention.
Copyright. 1911. by f. J Edwards. Al
rights reserved
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards viii tell o
sThe Ward Heller Who Helped
Great Politician Win a Hard Fight