Evening journal., 1913-01-18
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Why ThurlOW Weed Worked
for Zachary TaylOr'S
Nomination
BY u9nsnd.

One evening Thurlow Weed enter
tanned two or three Of his personal
friends i'm the little room which he
used as library on the first floor oil
his house in West Tenth street, New
York city. Mr. Weed was in a remin-
iscent mood and for that reason It
was thought to be a good time TO ask
why he selected General Zachary
Taylor as the Whig candidate for
President and made that choice at
least a year before the national Wing
convention met. in lS48.
"That question has been asked me
many tines Mr. Weed replied "A
good many persons have said to me
that they thought IL strange that !
should have passed over General
Winfield Scott. who was in command
OF the American armies in the Mexi-
-can war and who captured the city
OF Mexico and should have thought
that General Taylor was more avail
able as the presidential candidate for
the Wings than Scott.
General Taylor had been conspic-
uous i'm the Mexican. war only along
tho northern border, while Scott
made the wonderful march from Vera
Cruz to the capital over the old Span
ish trail
1T seemed to me, however. that
Taylor had more strongly appealed
ITO the Americans than had Scott
Taylor was a plain, blunt, earnest
man, very democratic in his personal
ways and fully justify the nick
name that had been given to him OF
old Rough and Ready
"T felt certain that with Taylor and
his peculiar personal characteristics
before the American people there
would be strong disposition, Ger
tanly ON the part of those who were
wavering. TO vote for him.
u felt that, great as was General
ScOtt's reputation, he did not COM
mand that peculiar sentiment Of in
terest, affection and curiosity which
is a factor that makes good many
votes.
"A more serious question than the
one | have just mentioned was raised
by a good many Wings when they
asked me how it was that ] regarded
Southern man, and a STAKEHOLDER
at that as a wise candidate for tho
Whig party TO name for tho presi
/ dency
"To the leading Wings I made this
! explanation The slavery issue il
this campaign, so far as the Wings
arc concerned. will be subordinate
The Democracy is likely TO be. spill
upon the question of the right e
introduce slavery into the territories
Now General Taylor comes from
a strong Wing Louisiana. Pro
lection sentiment has always beer
very great INA that state And Genera
Taylor himself is a strong protection
list
Now, there arc good man.
strong protecuonsts in the South
I'm Georgia. In Kentucky and i'm Ten
nossce. / expect that IL General Tay
Tor is nominated for president h
will be acceptable to southern mel
who arc protectionists from the yer
fact that he is himself a Southcr
man and is the owner Of slaves.
good many Southern men viii vot
for him in preference to Lewis Cas-
whom the Democrats are sure
nominate. because Cass is a Norther
man.
MY reasoning appealed to almoi
all OF the Whig leaders. Il resulte
in tho nomination Of General Taylo
prominent as a protectionist Wing,
Southern man and one of the heroe
of the Mexican war. II turned on
just as J had expected Taylor di
carry two or three Southern state
which certainly would not have bee
carried for any Northern Whig. Nov
you have the whole story Of why
proposed and urged the nominatic
Of Zachary Taylor for President
Copyright 1919 by e. J. Edward
All rights reserved)