The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-05-16

and discussion; not IN arena for Ihe ex.
hibiiion Of champions. ! offer myself,
sir. a. q match for no man. throw
The challenge Of debate 81 no mans feet.
Bat then. Sir. since the honorable mem.
Der has put the question in . manner
Inst calls for an answer. I will give
him an answer. And I tell him, that
holding myself 10 be the humblest Of
ihs members here. | yet know nothing
in the arm Of his friend from Nilsson.
ri, either sloEe. or when aided by the
arm Of his friend from Carolina. that
need deter even me from espousing
Whatever opinions l may choose to es.
pouse. from debating whenever I may
choose 10 debate. or from speaking what.
ever | may see 6, 10 say. on the floor
Of the Senate. Sir. when uttered ~
matter Of commendation or complaint, |
should dissent from nothing which the
honorable member might say Of his friend
still less do put forth any preiensions
Of my own. But when put 10 me. a.
q matter Of iauni, | throw IL back and
say 10 the gentleman. that no could pos.
sibIy have said nothing less likely Than
such . comparison 10 wound my pride
Of personal character"
also well remember his magnificent
conclusion in this debate. The Senate
chamber was crowded /; the members OF
tie House Of Representatives had a.
bandoned their posts, 10 DO present
Surrounded by the nodding feathers. the
gliItsring ornaments. and rich and fash
ionsble array OF The beauty Of the land.
Mr. Webster advanced step in front Of
his desk, which he pushed behind him.
and in q tone and manner Of the utmost
Notwithstanding from the chair Of
The president and looking towards Mr..
Hayns-wiIh very little action Of the
commencement. but increasing in hes,
and vehemenee as no progressed. until
81 length he became imprisoned and vio-
lent in the extreme. and far more elo-
quent than had ever heard him before
or sinee-he observed:
al have not allowed myself, sir. 10
look beyond the Union 10 see what nigh,
lilo hidden in the dark recess behind
I have not eoolly weighed the chances
Of preserving liberty, when the bonds
tina. unite us together shall be broken
asunirr, I hare no, permitted myself to
hang over the precipice Of disunion 10
see whether. with my short sight. can
fa,how the depth Of The abyss below |;
nor could | regard him IS safe consel.
lor in the affairs OF this Government,
whose thoughts should be mainly bent
on considering no, bow the Union could
DO best preserved, but how tolerable
might be the condition Of the people
when i. shall DO broken Up and destroy.
cd. While the Union lasts We have high,
melting, gratifying prospects spread out
before Us and our children. Beyond that
| seek not 10 penetrate their veil. God
gran, that 10 my day. OF least, tina, cur
tain may not rise. God grant that on
my vision may never be opened what
lies behind. When my eyes shall be
turned TO behold for the last time. the sun
in heaven. may | not see him shining on
the broken fragments Of once glorious
Union; on states discovered discordan,
--belligereni; on a land rent with civil
feujs. or drenched il may be With fra.er-
nal blood
al lie, their las. feeble and lingering
glance rather behold the gorgeous en-.
sign Of tho Republic. now known and
honored throughout the earth, still full
high advanced, i,s arms and trophies
streaming in all their original lus,re--no.
a stripe erased or polluted, nor q single
star obscured-besring for its motto no
such miserable in,erroga,ory as Hthdf
is all this rOrih@ nor those other words
Of aeIusion and folly. Liberty first. and
Union dfiergards ; but every where,
spread all over in characters Of living
light. blazing on all its ample folds, as
they float over the sea. and over the land.
and 10 every Wind under the whole hea.
vens, that other sentiment, dear TO every
true American heart: Liberty and Uni
on. now and forever. ono and insePara-
bio! !"
II 10 Difficult, to find any thing in Ame-
rican Literature trsnscending The rich
ness aud beauty Of this extract. The
allusion to the dag Of the country is ine-
ly poetic. The example Of Mr.. Webster
proves conclusively that the most ener.
gelic and powerful minds are not unpro-
pi,ious to the culture and growth Of The
more chasie and better productions Of
the imagination. The prose Of Milton
is 40 pow erful and nervous as his poetry
10 pre-emincn,ly sublime. Shakespeare
10 40 renowned for his accuracy--for his
knowledge Of man. aud Of the human
heart, as Tor the sweetness Of has verse.
his taste and thrilling pathos. 1. is Gu
rious FAC, that the earlier efforts Of Mr.,
Curan are plain and void Of attempt
a. rhetorical display. end he has declar'
ed that all his excellenCe--for which he
| is so celebraied--in splendor OF expires.