Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-16
Prom .Skstehes Of Ps,btic CAayutfsr.
DANIEL WEBSTER.

obnQutnY m
msnding his height 10 above tho ordinary eizs, bu,
lac eannot he ca'cd tall, he 10 broad across the chest
ana seou'iy and Grmly built, but there Is nn,hnr OF
c'um; , either IN hi: form or g.t He head is
PIES He has large. black, solemn looking eve, that
cNniots strea{th and sesdfsstners and which some
umes burns, but seldom sparkles. HIS HAIR 10 of
raven black, and both thick and short. without the
colour, thick and strongly marked, which give his
features the appearance Of sternnes bot the general
expression OF his face after il s properly examined,
Is rather mild and amiable than Otherwise. HIS
IN the house and in the street slow and
dgniiicd; there peculiar sweetness in hin voice
ITS tones are rather harsh than musical still there Is
great variety in them; and some Of them catch the
car and chain It down to the most p,rcf attention.
re oeafe traits OF great mental labour but no marks
on ages IN hct, hs pcrson 10 moro imposing now in
age.
Mt Webster was horn 10 the State of New Hamp-
sne IN the town If Salisbury. on the banks Of the
hierrimack; his early education was scrpty for At
r mat time the public schoos in thut part Of New
England where no lived wore not in ,he same state
tney now are. Afev months Of instruction from
some badly educated was all that could
eo Obtained at home. Mr. Webster's fa,her was a
man OF note in his neighborhood; sometimes repre-.
sentative tn the legislature. n county iuduc, and Al,
cii imcs farmer; having several children Inc did not
'eri aoic tn gtvc them tho advantages Of a liberal
eauca'ion but the faculties o his son Daniel attrac.
ing the attention of all thu n,elligen, part of the
community about him, nc made an Effort, and sent
n,n TO an academy TO prepare himself for College
Tue sagacious eye OF ms instructor vas not long in
seeing his extraordinary capacity for hs studies, for
ne strode before his classmates with eose and left
them to come up az they could
In if97 he entered Dartmouth College, and qrndu-
a.ed IN course 10 1901 In this seminary he dis
unguished az young mum Of astonishing powers of
iuiho cut he courscd over too large field of knovl-
edge to allow him time for those minute and accura,.
studies which aione Gun make thorough classic
sch9isr Oa leaving college, he took charge of an
academy for year. usual for the graduates
Of iha, college, and then commenced the study of the
law lie rcmlincd considerable time in the coun-
Try IN hrs naive village, in the office Of tasteful and
ah ensant shoiar but who was then engaged in the
profitable part of his profession the collecting bus;
mes; and this practice being soon understood, AR
Webster wos desrous Of seeing courts and witness
ing more enlarged course Of practice; ond for this
purpose went 10 boston, and put himself under the
rare OF Christopher Gore. distinguished advocate
II t!lat metropolis. Goro soon saw and spoke nyo
Practically of the talents OF his pupil SINE political
essays he wrote IN the papers at that time attracted
INC attention OF men of Judgment and thcsc produc
lions were spoken of as exhibiting great vigour and
point. AS soon as he was admitted 10 the bar n. 70
tirnad into the country and commenced the practice
OF MS profession at Boscawen, the town adjoining hi,
Native Viiiage Ii was not long before all eyes were
formed upon hm, and his business RAPIDLY incre,sod
Tut he deemed the field too narrow for him and m
about three or four years he left Boscawen for Po,ts
mouth, the largest town New Hampshirc. n Mac.
OF extensive commerce and great enicrprjzo III.
Tame had preceded him, he was soon known n ali
End employed in most of the Important cnsr, - 49,
courts throughout the State. Smith and h.s,n ,ca-
then bis competitors; they were shveyyd and learned
mem who had been brought, up in a echooI OF sham
practice, and the young asprunt for distinction nd
fight them hard, and he did beard then, nv all ,h.
sneeties of special pleading; and With equal t.un,
end gbcs and sSrcasm and such weapons in0Icted
eaasi ha, ms, unsl they acknowledged him a. tho,
pSe', snd made MN an amnesty thar perpetual
r. e0SSBr caiA az al:
school Tor him. No doubt il vas a euod tb;ng r.,
'uin TO be under the necessity Of contcndmo siono
E7fh Ills Seniors men who were at tia hs.d of
the BAR and had long naonopolzed Tho best business
Mr. Webster had not been at the bar mora than en-
ven years, when he shared with them the lcadn.
10 all courts.
A, this time party .pirt ran high and the prom;
nent men IN New-Hampshre were anxious TO see
NJ w ebster display his powers in tho halls of Com
gress.-He had taken SIDES in politics 10 eary life
and had been active With his pen in support Of h;s
principles; bu. he never suffered his zeal to Get tho
better OF his ludgment:-,hc vas demagogue.
Phe first halo Of political glory that hung aroSn5 hi.
brow was at convention Of all the great Spirits in
county Of Rockingham, whero he then resided al
5ocb representatives from the other counties ne - go
sent to this convention, to take into the
state OF the nation, md markout such co,,sa G.
tbsmscves should be deemed advisable bv Tho -,
]ected wisdom Of those assembled. On ,hs occ.
an address With string Of resolutions were proasa1
f2r adoption, Of which be was said 10 be- the nu,h,
nv. utSot1Hion powers OF futelcct md
profound knowledge of our national interes,. n
made most powerful speech in support Of these reso.
lntions; portions Of which wore reprnted =, a.,
time and which were much admired in every par oftha
Union. From this time he belonged To tbp IIn;,aS
E,a,es and not to ew-Hnmpshire exclusively Mo-.
sachusets seemed to take deep au interest in ~,
career as his native state Hotfar from this period,
q traveller passing through Portsmouth when aorn
election was pear at hand when OF the inn IL wos
bounced over the dinner table that Mr. webster
Yas to speak at caucus that evening; this news rs
from one part ftbe town to another, and all wers
entbnsastis at hearing that mr. Webster was eolng
to speak The gentemnns carriage came to the door
and he about to get into it, when the osIer s,d
sir are you going to leave town Mr.. Webster i,to
speoe to night. The gentleman finding all clssses 30
delighted to hear that Mr. Webster was co;oc p"
speak ordered his horses tofsc stable. and put off
bis jornoy until he morrow 30 VIA
AZ early csndieight he went to the caucua mann.
u was Gied TO overflowing, but some persoss seen
that he was stranger, gave way, and he found crS
venient place to stands no could Sit t,emsn
dous noise announced that the orator had 1900
but ss soon AZ the meeting was organized. aooihe,
arose to make some remarks upon the obircl of On.
caucus; he was heard with polite apathy, ano,hs.
fh~e Ill l..