ical newspaper, during the preceding
Presidential campaign. The _Tribune_, like the New York _Herald_
and _Sun_ was then sold at one cent a copy, and was necessarily
little more than a brief summary of the news of the day. But it
was the germ of what its editor lived to see it become--a great
newspaper. It soon had a good circulation at Washington, where
the eminently respectable _National Intelligencer_ and the ponderous
_Globe_ failed to satisfy the reading community.

Mr. Webster remained in the Cabinet until the spring of 1843, when
the evident determination of President Tyler to secure the annexation
of Texas made it very desirable that Webster should leave, so he
was "frozen out" by studied reserve and coldness. By remaining in
the Cabinet he had estranged many of his old political associates,
and Colonel Seaton, anxious to bring about a reconciliation, gave
one of his famous "stag" supper-parties, to which he invited a
large number of Senators and members of the House of Representatives.
The convivialities had just commenced when the dignified form of
Webster was seen entering the parlor, and as he advanced his big
eyes surveyed the company, recognizing, doubtless, some of those
who had become partially alienated from him. On the instant, up
sprang a distinguished Senator from one of the large Southern
States, who exclaimed: "Gentlemen, I have a sentiment to propose
--the health of our eminent citizen, the negotiator of the Ashburton
Treaty." The company enthusiastically responded. Webster instantly
replied: "I have also a sentiment for you,--The Senate of the
United States, without which the Ashburton Treaty would have been
nothing, and the negotiator of that treaty less than nothing."
The quickness and fitness of this at once banished every doubtful
or unfriendly feeling. The company clustered around the magnate,
whose sprightly and edifying conversation never failed to excite
admiration, and the remainder of the evening was spent in a manner
most agreeable to all.

Immediately after the resignation of Mr. Webster the Cabinet was
reconstructed, but a few months later the bursting of a cannon on
the war-steamer Princeton, while returning from a pleasure excursion
down the Potomac, killed Mr. Upshur, the newly appointed Secretary
of State, Mr. Gilmer, Secretary of the Navy, with six others, while
Colonel Benton narrowly escaped death and nine seamen were injured.
The President had intended to witness