The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-27
From the Cincinnati Chronicle.
DANIEL WEBSTER.


Pulchrum est bene facere reipubica: etiam bene
deere baud absurdum est. SALLUsT.
Great military achievements and heroic deeds are
always much celebrated but the civil achievements
Of the orator and statesman not without their
ward. Passing by the names of those illustrlous
of our country, whose deeds in the field have
won them lasting fame, if there is any man whose
civil and political services and attainments will be
known and appreciated by all future ages as great,
patriotic and honorable, claim preference
to DANIEL WEBSTER. His patriotism and integrity
beyond Doubt search his whole life, thus fa and
even any circlnsantial evidence can be found to
bear against them. We do, indeed, find here and
there some attempts to him with aspersons yet
they are harmless and defence against such attacks
would be as useless to station armed men along the
whole length and breadth of the Chinese Wall to de-
fend it against the attacks of handful of pigmes.
But since Mr. Webster has left the Senate, that dis
tingushed body of which he has so long been the
ornament and glory, all Americans may now with
pr prety render unto him the homage be has so Just
ly and faithfully earned. With Atlantean shoulders
fit bear the aoeigh Of mghtiest monarcies, he has
exerted all his acknowledged powers and influence
for the of the Federal Constitution In Its
original strength and efficacy, and the maintenance OF
those free principles which distinguish his own coun-
try and which in him innate and deeply fixed
In the hour of danger of the Constitution, and at
time when the popular voice so much favored IT. wed
not find this great deserving the great object
which he had so seduously kept in yiew-the preser-
walton Of the Union and the Federal Constituon--to
ion in with the cry of States Rights and States supre-
macy. Popularity then weighed not a feather with
him; the Constitution was In his hands, and to pre-
serve it untarnished called forth all his energies and
zeal without weighing consequences to self Well
may we all rejoice that the Constitution had noble
and fearless defender through that doubtful struggle
against Notification. Many and powerful were those
who supported this strange and ominous creature,
Modification many, too fought for the Constitution.
But conspicuous above the rest one man appeared:
"Deep on his front engraven
Deliberation sat- and public care"
he welded the weapons drawn from the intellectual
armory with irresistible force and his triumph is, per
haps unsurpassed in mental warfare for truth.
Mr. Webster advanced nothing in this contest derc-
gatory to the true rights Of the States They are to
be held sacred and invioabe from any encroachments
ofthe General Government yet in the course Of hu-
man events if one of the two things must happen,
had rather every State Constitution torn TO atoms
and tampled in the DUST than that the Great Charter
of American Liberty should be rent in twain.
Those might be reformed but who could reconstruct,
once demolished, that monument of wisdom, the Ame-
rican Constitution None; no, not one.
Certainly as an orator Mr.. Webster will bear COM
parison with any, of ancient modern times. His
style Is his own it original and not as some trans
Atlantic writers assert, copied from Burke, or any
other man. Burke great orator, rich and luxu-
rant as Mion's garden Of Eden; he spored and gam
boiled in boundless varied and fertile fancy and rich
y philosophical mind: but he never possessed lne
straight forward, cogent, irresistible argueh. Vi va
Webster. Burke spoke like travelling for plea
sure he turned TO the right and lett up ana down W
gather ornaments from every source. Mr. webster
marches msjesticaly an army, not noticing inc
lilies and roses about him, but gathering huge rocks
and stones to overwhelm his enemy AuemP,s ID
deed arc sometimes made to lessen Mr w ensters
standing as an orator for of that polish which is
offener The characteristic of smaller minds, but we
must bear in mind that il is the nature OF greatness TO
be irregular and every bold thought contains what
so,,aa ,ssb taste cannot relish But to say that any
such defect destroys MIR Websters title Of great
orator would be If we to deny that the Andes
are mountains because they contain here and there
depression, or that they are not objects OF suomy'
because they are not smooth a mole-hill.
Let us study well his life and character, and we
shall not get the idea ofa great man Struggling N
,noross, but Of greater man, standing on rock,
beacon light to his country. M w,