rmy. All would not suffice, however, to
displace Taylor and Scott from the post of chief heroes. "Old
Rough and Ready," as Taylor was called by his troops, became a
popular favorite of irresistible strength, and in the Whig convention
of 1848 was chosen over Mr. Clay as the standard-bearer of his
party. He was placed before the people on his record as a soldier,
unhampered by the political declarations which make up the modern
platform. Mr. Clay had expected the nomination, and General Scott
had offered to run on the same ticket as Vice-President; but against
the constantly rising tide of Taylor's popularity both ordinary
and extraordinary political combinations gave way. Even the Kentucky
delegation divided,--in accordance with Mr. Crittenden's judgment,
though not by his advice. To the overwhelming chagrin and
mortification of Mr. Clay, a man unknown in political circles was
preferred as the candidate of the party of which he felt himself
to have been the creator. Mr. Clay was enraged by the result, and
never became reconciled to it. Though he gave in the end a quiet
vote at the polls for Taylor, he stubbornly refused during the
campaign to open his lips or write a word in favor of his election.
Mr. Webster, though without the keen personal disappointment of
Mr. Clay, was equally discontented with the nomination. He had
spoken in a semi-public way for several months previous to the
convention, of the folly of nominating "a swearing, swaggering,
frontier colonel" for the Presidency,--an allusion to General
Taylor, which was scandalously unjust, and which was contradicted
by his whole life. When Taylor was finally nominated, Mr. Webster
resented the selection as an indignity to the statesmen of the Whig
party. His only ray of comfort was the defeat of Abbott Lawrence
for the Vice-Presidency by Millard Fillmore. Mr. Lawrence was a
man of wealth, the most prominent manufacturer at the time in the
country, of high personal character, and of wide political influence.
He was the leading Taylor-Whig in New England, and his course had
given offense to Mr. Webster to such an extent indeed, that on a
public occasion, after the Presidential election, he referred to
Mr. Lawrence in an unfriendly and discourteous manner.

The situation became still further complicated. The Whigs believed
they had avoided the responsibility of positive declaration on
either side of the issue embodied in the Wilmot Proviso, by selecting