d entertaining at his table those
through whose influence he hoped to receive the Southern support
necessary to secure his success. No statesman ever understood the
value of printers' ink better than did Mr. Webster, and he always
took care to have a record of what he did and said placed before
the country. Unfortunately for his printers, much of his last
campaign work was done on credit, and never was paid for.

President Fillmore, meanwhile, was quietly but steadily using the
patronage of the Federal Government to secure the election of
delegates to the Whig National Convention friendly to his own
nomination. Mr. Webster counted on the support of the President's
friends, but he never received from Mr. Fillmore any pledges that
it would be given. On the contrary, the leading office-holders
asserted, weeks prior to the assembling of the Convention, that
the contest had already been narrowed down to a question between
Fillmore and Scott. Mr. Seward's friends were of the same opinion,
and urged the support of Scott as the only way to defeat the
nomination of Fillmore. Horace Greeley wrote from Washington to
Thurlow Weed: "If Fillmore and Webster will only use each other
up, we may possibly recover--but our chance is slim. There is a
powerful interest working hard against Douglas; Buchanan will have
to fight hard for his own State; if he gets it he may be nominated;
Cass is nowhere."

The Whig National Convention, the last one held by that party, met
in Baltimore on Wednesday, the 16th of June, 1852. Two days were
spent in effecting an organization and in preparing a "platform,"
after which, on proceeding to ballot for a Presidential candidate,
General Scott had one hundred and thirty-four votes, Mr. Fillmore
one hundred and thirty-three, and Mr. Webster twenty-nine, every
one of which was cast by a Northern delegate. Not a Southern vote
was given to him, despite all the promises made, but Mr. Fillmore
received the entire Southern strength. The balloting was continued
until Saturday afternoon without any change, and even the eloquence
of Rufus Choate failed to secure the vote of a single Southern
delegate for his cherished friend. After the adjournment of the
Convention from Saturday until Monday, Mr. Choate visited Washington,
hoping to move Mr. Fillmore; but the President "made no sign," and
Mr. Webster saw that the Presidency, to which he had so long aspired,
was to pass beyond his reach. He was saddened