out his pocket-book)--I'll pay it
myself! How much is it?" This last question was asked of a
gentleman near him with drunken seriousness, and, coupled with the
recollection of the well-known impecuniosity of Webster's pocket-
book it excited roars of laughter, amidst which the orator sank
into his seat and was soon asleep.

Prominent among the Whig Senators was Nathan F. Dixon, of Westerly,
Rhode Island. He was one of the old school of political gentlemen.
His snow-white hair was tied in a long queue, he had a high forehead,
aquiline nose, wide mouth, and dark eyes, which gleamed thorough
his glasses. Respecting the body of which he was a member, he used
to appear in a black coat and knee-breeches, with a ruffled shirt,
white waistcoat, and white silk stockings. He was the Chairman of
the Whig Senatorial caucus, and on the last night of the extra
session Mr. Clay had complimented him, in rather equivocal language,
on the ability with which he had presided. When the laughter had
subsided, Senator Dixon rose, and with inimitable humor thanked
the Senator from Kentucky. "I am aware," said he, "that I never
had but one equal as a presiding officer, and that was the Senator
from Kentucky. Some of you may have thought that he was not in
earnest, but did you know him as well as I do, you would credit
any remark he may make before ten o'clock at night--after that,
owing to the strength of his night-caps, there may be doubts."
Roars of laughter followed, and the Senate caucus adjourned, as
the Senate had done, _sine die_.

President Tyler had great faith in the power of the newspaper press,
and he secured, at an early period of his Administration, by a
lavish distribution of the advertising patronage of the Executive
Departments, an "organ" in nearly every State. The journals thus
recompensed for their support of the Administration were generally
without political influence, but Mr. Tyler prized their support,
and personally looked after their interests. Alluding to them in
a letter to a friend, he said: "Their motives may be selfish, but
if I reject them for that, who among the great mass of office-
holders can be trusted? They give one all the aid in their power,
and I do not stop to inquire into motives." In another letter he
complains of an official at New Orleans, saying: "I have felt no
little surprise at the fact that he should have thrown into the
_Bee_ [a most abusive paper] advertisements of great val