The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-02-01
NEw WEBSTER o q
frustrating the statesman's Views Of
Trade.

tbs Incident IN the life of Daniel
"'e.ster given by DR.. Hale under
..G;es ard Queries in the Tram
.~ti9s, 10. loag ago reminds me Of an
,4ec rlocd in the life of that distin-
uishel MAJ which was related to me
by the late Joshua Seward. Mr.. Ser
ward came to Woburn from Boston in
tie early seventies and bought the
arm 0 owned by E. G. Coleman,
Were he lived until his death in 1885.
lie va a native of the Peace City,"
N. H., from which place he came to
Boston in his early manhood and later
engaged in the livery business off
School street on land now covered by
the real part OF the Parker House. He
was a genial, social, active young man,
and in a short time many of the BUSH
ness and professional men Of the city
were his friends and patrons. Daniel
Webster, then in the fullness of his
mastery manhood, was his particular
friend and most favored patron. One
year Webster was 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 pleasure. A chaise was the prop
er carriage for gentlemen to use. Web
ster was popular and proud as popu-
lar. He saw no chaise in the city as
good as he desired to appear In on
that important occasion, and, there
fore, he ordered one to be built by
tho principal carriage maker OF the
city Sargent. | think it was). to be
ready for use on that day. In the
morning of the Fourth he appeared at
Stewards stable Office and requested
Seward to go to the carriage shop
and get the chaise he had ordered.
Seward harnessed a horse and went to
the carriage shop as directed. and told
the proprietor he had come for MIR.
Webster's chaise. The proprietor. in
Arm and measured tones that could
not be misunderstood, asked: did
Mr.. Webster send the money to pay
for the CHASER"
In relating this to me Seward said:
81 was never so astonished in my
life! / should have been less sur
prised IL he had raised his fist and
knocked me down! l had no thought
that there was a man living who had
ever heard of the great Webster, the
godlike Daniel, who would or woo
could have denied him any request it
was possible to grant. l could only
say: He sent no money by me.
Then said the proprietor, tell him
he can have the chaise when he sends
the money to pay for 1t, and not till
then" Seward said he was never In
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 he tell
him? Finally, after much thought and
study 1t occurred to him that he had
a new chaise which he would offer to
Webster and tell him that the varnish
on the one he had ordered was not
yet hard, and that 1t would be liable
to injury If taken out in the heat and
dust of that public day. Webster
met Seward at the door when he re-
turned and before Webster could ask q
question Seward was telling him the
story he had invented on the way
home. Webster made no reply, but
accepted Stewards statement as true,
and rode in his chaise that day.
About a week later Webster came
again and said to Seward, Il think the
varnish on that chaise is hard now
and you may go down and get it."
Seward said, with a heavy heart l
harnessed a horse and went again
to the shop. / knew l should not get
the chaise and | vas not disappointed.
Ill the same manner I was asked the
same question as before. l could not
invent another story that would be
credible and was, therefore, compelled
to go back and tell him the truth"
Webster was impatiently waiting Sc
wards return, and when In hailing
distance he called to Seward in a tone
of voice that indicated surprise,
Where is the chaise? What is the
trouble?" Seward approached him
more closely and in tones so low that
no n about could overhear him
replied, He told me to tell you that
you could have the chaise when you
send the money to pay for 1t and not
before" Webster stood silent an in
slant, and then with voice trembling
with emotion. exclaimed, My God,
Joshua, did he say that?" and sank
into a nearby chair and cried as would
a deeply aggrieved child of six sum-
mers.
Seward said, In conclusion: II have
seen him in church, standing during
prayer as was the custom then. among
his neighbors and friends with that
massive head uncovered, looking more
like a god than a man; / have seen
him on the platform swaying strong
men by the majesty of his presence
and the power of his oratory, and |