Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-10-26
DANIEL WEBSTER.

Of the whole Union, is undoubtedly
Mr.. Webster. From the Gulf Of s..
Lawrence to that Of Mexico, from
Cape Sable to Lake Superior, his
name has become, a. it were, . house
hold word. Many disapprove his pol
itics, bat none deny his great talents,
his unrivalled fertility Of argument, OF
his power, even still more remarkable,
or rapid and comprehensive induction.
In short, it is universally believed by
hiy countrymen, that Mr.. Webster is
a great man; and in this matter !
certainly make no pretensions to sim
gularity Of creed. Mr.. Webster is a
man Of whom any country might well
be proud. His knowledge is at once
extensive and minute, his intellectual
resources very great; and whatever
may be the subject Of discussion, he
is sure to shed on it the light Of an ac-
tive, acute, and powerful mind.
/ copfess, however, did not meet
Mr.. Webster under the influence Of
some prejudice. From the very day
ofmy arrival in the United States, ]
had been made Involuntary familiar
with his name and pretensions. Gen
.Iemcn sent me his speeches to read
When l talked OF visiting Boston, the
observation uniformly followed, "Ah'
there you will see MIR. WEBSTER
When I reached Boston, ] encounter
ed coincidence Oh all hands. "You
are very unfortunate said my friends,
"Mr. Webster set out yesterday for
Washington" Whenever at Phila-
dcIphia and Baltimore, it became
ins>wn that / had visited Boston, the
question, Ibid you see Mr.. WeDsterr'
was a sequence as constant ana IN
var, 10y as that Of the season.
The result Of all this was. that the
name of Webster became invested in
my 60 With an adventitious cacopho-
.rys It's not pleasant to admire upon
<ompnlsicr, and the Pre-eminence Of
this gentleman had been converted in
70 something Of bore. 10 Washing
ten, however, came, armed with let
tiers. 10 the unconscious source Of my
annoy ance. The first night Of my ar
rival | met with tim al a ball. A
dozen people pointed him out to my
observation, and the first glance rivet-
ed my attention, had never seen
any counseDance more expressive Of
Intellectual power.
The forehead Of Mr.. Webster il
high, broad and advancing. The cav
;ty beneath the eyebrow is remarka-
BY large. The eye is deeply set, but
full, dark, and penetrating in the high
est degree; the nose prominent and
well defined; the mouth marke.: by
that rigid compression Of the lips by
which the New Englanders are distin-
guished. When Mr.. Webster's coun-
tenance is in repose, its expression
struck me as cold and forbidding, but
in conversation it lightens up: and
when he smiles, the whole impression
It communicates is at once changed
His vol, e is clear, sharp and firm, with
out much variety Of incubation; but
when animated, it rings on the ear like
a clarion.
As an orator, l should imagine Mr..
Webster's forte to lie in the depart
ment Of pure reason. cannot con-
Ceive his even attempting an appeal to
the feelings. 1t could rot be success
full; and he has too much knowledge
Of his own powers to cncounter fail
ure. In debate bis very countenance
must tell. Few men would hazard a
voluntary sophism under the glance Of
that eye, 20 cold, so keen, so penetra-
ting, so expressive Of intellectual pow
er. A single look would be enough to
wither up whole volume Of bad 10.
gic.
In the Senate, I had, unfortunately,
no opportunity Of hearing Mr.. Web
ster display b.. great powers as de.
batter. During my stay, the subjects
OF which he happened to speak were
altogether Of inferior interest. In the
supreme Court he delivered several
legaI"rguments which certainly struck
me a. admirable, with in regard to
matter and manner. The latter was
neither vehement nor subdued. II
was the manner Of conscious power,
tranquil and selfpossessed. Mr.. Web
ster may be at once acquitted Of all
participation in the besctting sins Of
she orators Of his country. even
doubt. whether, in any single instance