ity. The tendencies of thoughtful men in different quarters of
the Union toward Mr. Webster, in the summer and autumn of
1834, are abundantly proved by the mass of correspondence
that lies before me, which shows that nothing was wanting to
the opposition, in order to have made him their candidate, but
a compact organization, and a definite unity of political objects.
But the opposition was composed of heterogeneous materials.
The National Republican party of 1832 had been embarrassed
by antimasonry. The Whig party, which was substantially
identical with the National Republican, was now embarrassed
by the same cause; for men who earnestly desired to change
the administration of the national Government, and who con-
demned the measures of General Jackson and his political sup-
porters, still thought it necessary to worry themselves and to
vex the politics of the country about "secret societies," to
maintain a special party for this purpose, and to withhold their
co"peration from all public men who did not regard this topic
as of the first importance.

In Massachusetts, where the party of General Jackson,
which now became known as the Democratic party, had never
been very strong, there was an almost universal desire to take
some step which would place Mr. Webster in a position to be
regarded through the country as the candidate of the whole
opposition. But the Whigs had not yet devised for themselves
the machinery of a national nominating convention. No such
meeting was contemplated; and, if it had been contemplated,
the existence of the third party of Antimasonry would have
been a serious obstacle to its harmonious action. The only
step that could be taken by the Whigs of Massachusetts was,
to nominate Mr. Webster for the presidency by a legislative
caucus. In the Legislature they were the strongest of all the
parties in numbers and in weight of character; and it was sup-
posed at this time that such a nomination, proceeding from
Massachusetts as the general voice of her people, would be fol-
lowed by similar movements in other States.

The following letters, selected from Mr. Webster's most
confidential correspondence with his personal friends, relate to
this movement and its consequences:

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