WEED, Thttrlow, American journalist and political leader: b. Cairoreene County, N. Y., Y 15 Nov. 1797; d. New York, 22 Nov. 1832. He entered a printing office at 14, but left his trade for a time to serve in the army during the \Vat. of 1812; in 1815-19 he worked as a printer in New York, and in 1819 went to central New York State, where he established and edited successively The Agriculturift at Norwich, and the Onondaga County Republican at Manlius. In Ian he became editor of the Rochester Tele graph, a daily paper, and later its proprietor. During the Anti-Masonic excitement he stopped the publication of the Telegraph and issued the Ants-Masonic Enquirer. He was twice elected to the State legislature on the Anti-Masonic ticket, and while in Albany became noted as a shrewd political manager. In 1830 he mooed to Albany and established the Albany Evening Journal, which he edited till 1865. This paper was first used as a means of attacking the Albany a body of politicians under the leadership of Martin Van Buren, and it soon became the leading journal of the N‘'hig party in the State. Through the influence of this paper and his political skill, NN'eed became the dominant State manager of the Whig, and later of the Republican•party. He held no public office himself, but for many years practically controlled the nominations for State officers; his control being used as a rule for the public good,. some of the most efficient governors of the State were elected under his management. He also took a leading part in national politics as early as 1824. and when J. Q. Adams was
nominated for the Presidency was instrumental in uniting the Clay and Adams factions; was particularly influential in securing the nomina tion of Harrison in 1840, Clay in 1844 and Tay lor in 1848, and materially aided in the nomina tion of Scott in 18.i2 and Fr&nont in 1R56. In 1860 his first choice for the Presidency was Seward, but he loyally supported Lincoln after his nomination and urged his renomination in 1864. Weed had long been a personal friend of Seward and was for some time closely associated with Seward and Greeley in what was known as *the political firm of Seward, Weed and Greeley.* In 1861 he went to Europe on a diplomatic mission to place the North in a favorable light before foreign governments and to prevent their intervention in behalf of the South. After 1865 he was for a time a member of the editorial staff of the New York Times; in 1867-68 was editor of the Commercial Ad vertiser in New York. His health then forced him to resign continuous journalistic work, hut he continued to write occasionally for news papers and periodicals, and though he took no active part in politics, his advice was sought by Republican leaders and had no small influence in shaping the policy of theparty. He published 'Letters from Europe and the West Indies' (1866), and prepared his 'Autobiography,' which was published after his death (1884). Consult Barnes, 'Memoir of Thurlow Weed' (1884); Alexander, 'Political History of New York' (New York 1906).