"Sydney Smith has published all his works in four volumes, his articles in the 'Edinburgh Review,' and his late pamphlets on 'Political and Clerical Questions.' I think the book would amuse you."

Mr. Everett, who was now out of public life, having determined to go abroad, had written to Mr. Webster, offering to superintend the education of his son Edward, who had remained in Europe. The following letters relate to Mr. Everett's departure:

[TO MR. EVERETT.]

"WASHINGTON, May 24, 1840. "MY DEAR SIR: I sit down to answer your very kind letter of the 9th instant.

"Your offer in regard to Edward is so very kind and advantageous, that I have written to him that, unless he shall have made definite arrangements for his return home, he may accept it, and join your family at Florence, or elsewhere, as he may be advised by you. I need not say I feel sensibly your great friendship, as manifested in this matter. I am sure Edward will be most grateful, and know not how else he can pass some time with more chance of improvement. He is amiable, I hope tolerably well-mannered, and I think has rather a strong purpose of making something of himself. I write to him that as soon as you land in Europe you will write to him. His address is, 'Mr. Edward Webster, M. de Boit, Rue Beauregard, No. 66, Geneva.' I could wish also that, on your arrival, you would write to him to the care of 'John Watson, Brunswick Hotel, Hanover Square, London,' to be kept for him there. By one or other of these means, he will be nearly certain to hear from you early.

“In all matters relating to his studies, I must ask your friendly and parental directions to him. I believe he destines himself for the law; but, while with you, he will, of course, attend to literature and general knowledge, and I hope, make progress in modern languages, especially the French. Whether he would like to study Italian, I do not know.

"Let me know if there be any thing I can do for you. I shall be strongly tempted to go to New York to say good good-by to your wife and children, and to give you a parting shake by the hand.

"With all possible wishes, yours,

"DAN'L WEBSTER."

[TO MR. SAMUEL ROGERS.]

"WASHINGTON, May 25, 1840.

"MY DEAR SIR: Some time in August I hope this letter will be put into your hand by my personal and particular friend, Mr. Everett. Twenty

years ago Mr. Everett was in England, and made the acquaintance of Lord Byron, Sir Walter Scott, Lord Stowell, and others, who have since joined the great congregation of the dead. He remembered you, and he has therefore a great pleasure to come.

"Mr. Everett is a scholar, if we may be thought to have reared one in America. For some years past he has been engaged in political life, as a member of Congress and Governor of Massachusetts. He now goes abroad with the intention of passing some years in France and Italy. His family are with him, but he has informed me that he thinks of leaving them in Paris, and of making a short visit to London before going into winter quarters on the Continent. As he is my fast friend, I commend him to you, my dear Mr. Rogers, as a sort of 'Alter Ego;' but he is a much more learned, a more wise, and a better 'Ego,' than he who writes this. Have the kindness to make him known at Holland House.

"A thousand blessings attend you, my dear sir, and many happy years yet be yours.

"DAN'L WEBSTER."

CHAPTER XXVII.

1840-1841.

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT

HARRISON MR. WEBSTER INVITED TO BECOME SECRETARY OF STATE- ·OUR RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN DANGER OF WAR-MOTIVES FOR ACCEPTING THE STATE. DEPARTMENT--CLOSE OF MR. VAN BUREN'S ADMINISTRATION-SELECTION OF A SENATOR TO SUCCEED MR. WEBSTER— SEAT-VINDICATED -VINDICATED BY MR. CLAY

HIS RESIGNATION

OF HIS

ATTITUDE OF THE NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY QUESTION-STATE ENGLAND-THE CASE OF THE CAROLINE

OF FEELING

IN
ARREST AND INDICTMENT

MCLEOD'S ARREST

CON

ATTORNEY - GENERAL-DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON TINUATION OF THE HARRISON CABINET UNDER PRESIDENT TYLER —ANSWER TO THE DEMAND FOR MCLEOD'S RELEASE-EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF CONGRESS—THE QUESTION OF A BANK

66

66

THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF THE BANK BILL-SEPARATION OF THE WHIGS FROM PRESIDENT TYLER- -MR. WEBSTER'S OPINIONS ON THE BANK QUESTION-PROPOSED FISCAL CORPORATION ATTACKS ON THE PRESIDENT-RESIGNATION OF ALL THE CABINET EXCEPT MR. WEBSTER-HIS REASONS FOR REMAINING-CHANGE OF MINISTRY IN ENGLAND-APPOINTMENT OF MR. EVERETT AS MINISTER TO GREAT BRITAIN-ACQUITTAL OF MCLEOD-MR. WEBSTER'S NEW LAW TO MEET SUCH CASES PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE-SWINDLES BY MONROE EDWARDS,

66

وو

G1

ENERAL HARRISON was chosen President of the United States, in November, 1840, by a very great majority. This triumph of the Whigs made it necessary for Mr. Webster to accept the office of Secretary of State. Dur

ing the canvass, he had been in confidential correspondence with General Harrison, with respect to various affairs; but nothing whatever passed between them in regard to Cabinet appointments, until Mr. Webster received from the Presidentelect the following letter:

[FROM GENERAL HARRISON.]

"FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY, December 1, 1840.

"MY DEAR SIR: I received your kind letter of the 11th ultimo at this place, on this day week, just as I was about to set out for Lexington, to dine with Mr. Clay, who had waited on me here, and invited me up to dine with some of my old friends. I expected to be absent but three days, and left yours and other letters to be answered on my return; but found it impossible to get away or evade the hospitalities of my friends in and about Lexington until this morning, and I avail myself of the first moment of being alone to write to you.

“Since I was first a candidate for the presidency, I had determined, if successful, to solicit your able assistance in conducting the Administration, and I now ask you to accept the State or Treasury Department. I have myself no preference of either for you, but it may perhaps be more difficult to fill the latter than the former if you should decline it. It was the first designed for you in the supposition that you had given more attention to the subject of the finances than Mr. Clay, to whom I intended to have offered the State Department. This, as well as any other post in the Cabinet, I understood, before my arrival here, from an intimate friend of that gentleman, he would decline. This he has since done personally If you should think it advisable to pursue the same course, will you do me the favor to name some one of your Eastern friends for the Treasury or some other department. Would you recommend your Governor-elect for the Treasury, if you should determine to decline it? I shall set out to-morrow for Louisville, and shall be at home as soon as your answer can reach Cleves. Do not believe, my dear sir, that I mean, by what I have said above, to restrict your choice, as to the formation of the Cabinet, to a single individual. Give me your advice freely and fully upon that and every other subject, whether you occupy a place in the Cabinet or not, and it will be at all times thankfully received by your friend, W. H. HARRISON.”

to me.

While this letter was in his hands, the voice of private and domestic interest-that interest which finds its best expression in the tender anxieties of woman-reached him from his daughter. She was not a person who could not weigh the claims of the country upon such a man, but, with the natural

instinct of her sex, she had long seen some of the springs of action which are always to be found actuating a part of those by whom every such statesman is surrounded. If she leaned to the caution which her sagacity led her to feel and to express, we may pardon her that her filial love was stronger than her patriotism.

[FROM MRS. APPLETON.]

66 BOSTON, Friday, December 11, 1840.

“I THANK you, dear father, for your kind letter from Philadelphia, which I received to-day, and still more for the verses enclosed in it. I think them beautiful, dear father, and thank you for associating me in remembrance with my dear mother. I have never thought of her so often as since I have had a child of my own, and, could I be but half so good a mother as she was, I might hope to fulfil my duty to my little girl, but hers, I fear, was a goodness which I cannot attain.

"We are all quite well here. My strength increases gradually, and I hope before long to be quite myself again. I wish you could see my baby. She has improved very much since you left, and begins to show some signs of intelligence. Everybody says she is a very bright child, but, of course, everybody would tell its mother so, and she, of course, believes it.

"We cannot have had so much snow here as there has been farther South, for I have not heard of our railroads being impeded. We have had enough, indeed, to make poor sleighing and intolerable walking. You are now, I suppose, immersed once more in the cares and excitements of public life. Do not let it interfere with your health, dear father. Pray, let that be your greatest consideration. Surely you have done enough for your country, did you never utter another word in its behalf, to be considered the best and noblest among the noble sons of America. Has not the fame of your greatness extended to the uttermost parts of the earth? It cannot be increased, and do not, dearest father, wear yourself out for the good of a country ungrateful at best. What is the whole country to your family when weighed in the balance with one hour of sickness or anxiety which it causes you? I am no great patriot, I do not love Rome better than Cæsar; the advancement of party better than ny own dear father. I delight to think that you have never held an office, a fact which can be pointed to as proof, if proof were wanting, of the perfect disinterestedness of your patriotism. Don't you think you would be happy to live once more at home with your old friends Do come back to us, dear father, and do not be persuaded to stay in Washington by persons who may not be altogether disinterested in their motives, who may look to you to advance them further than their own unassisted efforts could ever do. Do not be angry with me, dear father, for saying all this;