Litchfield enquirer., 1833-10-10

sketch of this distinguished statesmans
 The persons who has succeeded in rivetting most strongly tho attention of the whole Un- ion. is und0uhtedly Mir. Webster. From the Gulf of St. Lawrence to that of Mexico. from Cape Sable to Lake Superior, his name has become. aS it were, household word. Ma ny disapprove his politics, bnt none deny hls great talents, his unriva!led fertility of argns snents or his power. even still more revDaFka- | Able, of rapid and comprehensive lnductiOn.-- Ia short it is universally believed by tIis cOMn- { trymen that Mr. Webster is a great man: and in this matter certainly make no pretension l0 singularty Ofcreed. Mir. Wnhsteris q man pfwhom any country might Asfil7be proud. His knOwIadgesis at once extensive and mi- mute, his intellectual resources very great and whatever may be the subifet of discus sion, he is sure to shed on ii the light of an ac- tive, acute. and powerful mind.
 I confess, however. did ser MT. Webster under the influence of sosie prejudice. For inc very day of my arrival in the United States. had been inyUluniarily familiar with bis name and pretensions. Gentlemen sent me his speeches 70 read. A-When talked of visiting Boston, the observation uniformly followed, ss An there you will see Mir. Web ster." When reached Bsstnn. encounter ed condolence on all bands. :. You are very unfOrtunate," 1" said my friends, ..Alr. Webster sat ont yesterday for WashinGton." When ever at Philadelphia aud Baltimore it became known that Ihad visited Boston, the question. ..dld you see MT. Webster!r was a sequence as constant and nnyarying as that of ille sea- sons.
 The result of all this was, that the name of Webster became invested in my ear with an adyentiti0us cacophony. sIi is not pleasant tos admire upon c0mpulsfon, and the very pre-. eminence ofthis gentleman. had been c0nscf- ted into something of bore. To Washing. ton, however, came. armed with letters fo the unconscious source Of my annoyancc. -- The first night of iny arrival met him at a ball. A dozen people pointed him out 10 my observation, and the first glance rivetted my attention. Ihad neverseen any conntenance more expressive ofintellectual power.
 The forehead ofA1r. Wehster is high, broad, md advancing. The cavity beneath the eyk brow is remarkably large. The eye is deep ly set, but fulls dark and penetrating in the highest degree tlse nose pFominent and well de6ned the mouth marked by the rigid com pression of The iipss by which the New Eng flanders are distinguishsds When Mir. Web sier's continuance is in rencse, it's expression struck me as cold and forbitiding. but in con- versation 1t lightens up; and when he smiles, the whole impression it communicates is at
 
 firm, without much variety Of nodnlation; but when animated, it rings on the ear like clarion.
 As an orator. I should imagine Mir. Web- ster's forte tO lie in the department Of pure reason. cannot conceive his even aitempt- ing to appeal tn the feelings Hronid not pv- en be successfuf; ADdhe has too much kn0wl- edge of his own powers to encounter failure. In debate his very cOunfenaEce must teIL-- Few men would hazard voluntary sophism under the glance of that eye, so cold. sn kesn, so penetrating, s0 expressive of intellectual power. A single look wouId be enough to ! wither up whole volume of bad logic.
 In the Senate had, unfortunately, no op. great, powers as d debator. During my stay the subjects on which he happened tO speak were altogether Of inferior interest. h the Supreme Court he delivered several legal ar guments which certainly struck me as admi- rAbia, both In regard to matter and maaner. - Tine latter was neither vehement or stibdued. ] It was the manner of conscious powef, tram quil and self possessed.
 Mir. Webster nay be at once acquitted of all participationin the besslting sins of the or ators of his age and c0untsy. even d0nht, whether, in any single instance, he can be fair ly charged with having uttered n sentence of MeEG QecthtuHttOus HIS speeCueS nave nOtn- ing about them of gaudiness and glittcr.-- Words with him are instruments. not ends the vehicles, not of sound merely, but of sense and reason. He utters no periods full of nOise and fury, like the voice Of an idiot signifying ---n0tbing; and 1t certainly exhibits prOofth thctaste of the AmsIicansisnot yet irretriev- ably deprayed, when m orator like Mir. Web- sfer, who despises nli the stale and petty trick. cry of his art, Is called by exclamation to the first place. v
 In nconversaiion, MT. w obstcr sparticularly agreeable. Ttseens t0 delight him, when he mipgies with his friends, to cast off the tram mels of weighty cogitation, andamesge the lawyer and the statesmen in his compauion ;l "a moro pleasant and instructive one, I have I rarely known In any country. Asa pOlhi-l eian .the opinions of Mir. Webster are remark ably fsAa from intolerance. His knowiedgeI is hotis accurate and extensive. Heis one of til Y fesv men in America who understand the | British Cunstitution, not as a Inera abstractf system Of laws and instit1tions, but in its true form and pressure. as 1t works and acts upon the people, modified hy a thousand influences, | of which his countrynnen in general know uothing.
 The Baltimore Gazette of Saturday far. 1 nishss the following particulars of Mr. Du- rants late ascension, which he declares to have been one ofhis most agreeable and in. teresting excursions.