Thurlow Weed

[peteanddelmar]

Was Weed a strong influence against slavery or more just pro - union?
Im not clear on his profession. Was he a government employee?

 

[jgoodguy]

Thurlow Weed

When Weed returned to the United States, the Whig Party had splintered over the Kansas-Nebraska Act, with southern Whigs leaving the party to join the Democrats, and northern Whigs including Seward, forming the Republican Party as an anti-slavery party and the main opposition to the Democrats. Weed joined the Republicans, and the Evening Journal became a leading Republican newspaper.

Weed supported Seward's re-election to the Senate in 1854, and the Republican presidential nomination of Frémont in 1856.

 

[peteanddelmar]

Thurlow Weed

I'm going to find out what was his actual job.

 

[Eagle eye]

A Cliff note on Weed was that he was owner & Editor of the Albany Evening Journal which supported as a Wig newspaper & also Anti- Mason.
He got elected to the NY State Assembly & was instrumental in forming the Republican Party. He became very instrumental in state politics & as you probably know newspapers in those days were mouthpieces for political parties. He became chummy with Seward in the assembly & organized the new party & tru patronage & what not he became THE big politico in New York City ' state.
Started this last night but fell asleep so you probaly know all this stuff.

 

[peteanddelmar]

A Cliff note on Weed was that he was owner & Editor of the Albany Evening Journal which supported as a Wig newspaper & also Anti- Mason.
He got elected to the NY State Assembly & was instrumental in forming the Republican Party. He became very instrumental in state politics & as you probably know newspapers in those days were mouthpieces for political parties. He became chummy with Seward in the assembly & organized the new party & tru patronage & what not he became THE big politico in New York City ' state.
Started this last night but fell asleep so you probaly know all this stuff.

No, I didn't. Thanks.
He kept popping up in other biographies.

 

[James N.]

No, I didn't. Thanks.
He kept popping up in other biographies.

As I recall, he features in Doris Kearns' Team of Rivals about the election of 1860 and Lincoln's subsequent cabinet. If he started as a Seward supporter he became a Lincoln man after the election and during the war.

 

[Old_Glory]

Was Weed a strong influence against slavery or more just pro - union?
Im not clear on his profession. Was he a government employee?

You must always remember that when Republicans used the word "slavery" it usually represented "Southern Political Power". Sometimes it is difficult to tell who was actually anti-slavery (for the good reasons) and who was anti-Southern Democrat, anti-South, and anti-black race. People try to lump them all together to feel good about the time period, but it is a complete sham to do so. There is a tremendous difference in beliefs among people who preached against slavery.

 

[matthew mckeon]

All I know is the name "Thurlow Weed" is outstanding. What could he be except a political operative? I bet Dickins was gnashing his teeth: "I wanted to use that name in my next novel!"

 

[Waterloo50]

Was Weed a strong influence against slavery or more just pro - union?
Im not clear on his profession. Was he a government employee?

An unusual name, sounds like a professor at Hogwarts.