Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1889 — Daniel Webster’s Winning Ways. [ARTICLE]

Daniel Webster’s Winning Ways.

The following story of Daniel Webster, illustrative of his winning personal traits, told by a leading local lawyer, is believed never to have been made public. Years ago the late Erastus Coming, of this city, as a comparatively young man, made Mr. Webster’s acquaintance somewhat intimately. As a result of the friendship it tomed out the foriqer indorsed Mr. Webster’s note for a Considerable sum. When the note fell due protests came to the firm and they paid the note. Knowing Mr. Webster’s impecuniosity and not wishing to crowd him, they did not call upon him for security. After some years, and .when it was supposed that Mr. Webster’s financial condition was improved, Mr. Corning, at the instance of his firm, wrote asking Mr. Webster if he could make it convenient to liquidate the claim. The answer was a courteous note from Mr. Webster, making excuses that just at present he -was unable to meet the demand, and ending up by a pressing invitation for Mr. Corning to visit him later, when he would probably be able to pay him or at least to secure the claim satisfactorily. The firm advised Mr. Corning to accept the invitation, which he did. On his return Mr. Corning came home delighted with the pleasures of his visit, and entertained his partners with glowing accounts of the great statesman’s hospitalities and descriptions of the charming incidents of the sojourn, in which he ignored mention of the business object which partly impelled the visit. Finally, after he had exhausted description of the visit, one of Mr. Corning’s friends said: “Well, I suppose Mr. Webster was pleased because he was able to pay the note?” “Pleased to pay the note,” said Mr. Corning; “he not only didn’t pay the note, but he so charmed me that he got me to sign another note for $5,000, and I am thankful he didn’t ask me to make it SIO,OOO, for I don’t think I could have resisted his request.” Mr. Corning is said to have had a subsequent invitation to visit Marshfield and to have declined on the ground that he could not afford so expensive a pleasure.—Albany Journal.