The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-17
COM MUNICATIoN IS.
For the Union
GoDLIKE VERACITY.

| observe in the leading editorial article Of the
Union OF last evening, which was very properly dc,
yoted TO the recent extraordinary speech delivered
by Mr.. Webster TO the federalists Of Boston, as
sembled in Fsneuil Hall, an occasional expression
OF surprise at Mr.. Webster's striking disregard OF
truth in speaking of the origin OF the Mexican war
A little reflection upon Mr.. Websters past histo-
ry would have relieved you from all feeling OF sur
prise at any statement which he might make upon
the Mexican war, or any other subject, however
wide Of truth il might chance 20 be. II is not the
first fragrant instance Of Mr.. Websters erra,c devil
alton. Indeed these little lapses seem 10 result from
a peculiar idosyncraey in Mr. Webster's mental
constitution, which occasionally sets his assertions
| at variance with we'll known facts.
| The world has not forgotten the fsctious and uea
sonnbe declaration which that unfortunate gentle
man made from the steps of hotel in Baltimore, on
the holy Sabbath, during the memorable and lnfa
| nous panic got up by the federal myrmdons Of the
bank Of the United States Immediately after the re-
moval Of the deposites. Mr.. Webster was then the
Corypheus who led the chorus Of the band OF bank
minions against the Of patriotic purpose and
iron nerve, who had dared TO beard the monster,
then lord and master, in his den. Mr.. Webster was
then the instrument of his employer, to which he
was indebted in the of 500 0OO or theresbous;
which sum he has since Osisnsbiy paid in western
lands, at an enormous price; transaction brought
about through the negotiating capabilities OF q crea-
ture Of his in the west. Yet, to return, Mr.. Web
ster, when charged with making the Baltimore
speech alluded TO- the Senate Of the United States,
had the hardihood and audacity to rise in his place
and absolutely deny III
But that ia not all. He has recently denied the
sentiment attributed To him, viz "that the govern
ment should take care Of the rich and the rich will
take care Of the poor" The following is the con-
fden letter in which he repudates the sentiment al
| legged TO have been uttered by him, and denies
| the charge; which letter published in the
National lntelgencer, with sundry comments upon
the wiekedness and enormity Of the Islander which
had been perpetrated at the expense Of tho great
slam Of federalism. give the letter, with the pre-
face Of the lnteligencer;
| "a SANDER coSrKApIcrED FOR TINE rHoUsAEDTH
TME.-lt was a saying, we think, OF Mr.. Jefferson,
shat falsehood will travel thousand leagues while
| truth is putting on her boots' Whether this be
precisely accurate not, It is very certain that II
truth does sometimes overtake falsehood, and put
il TO shame, the latter WILL after little while, very
probably start of again on fresh career Of deceP-
ton, possibly after another long chase, TO be again
overtaken, only again to run off, but never to be
| finally arrested and crushed. There is, indeed, a
class Of falsehoods-those which owe their exist
ence TO party malevolence-which appear to be i'm
mortal; matter how often to all appearance kill
ed, they come to life again, and reapPear at some
distant point lively ever. Such is the calumny
noticed below. The locofoco party Of Cincinnati
| held mass meeting soon after the passage Of the
new tariff bill, and among other resolutions adopted
one in which the sentiment, Let government
take Of the noh, and the rich will take Of
the poor attributed, for the thousandh time,
to Mr.. Webster. The editor Of the Cincinnati Ga
zette sent the resolution to Mr.. Webster, and re-
ceived the following letter in reply
"WAsHnaros, Aug. 10, ls4S.
"'MY DEAR SIR have received your letter of the
| 4th inst. The resolution which you say was pass
ed at late 'locofoco meeting in your city, and of
lxuhI md me- rita aha Init
falsehood. never uttered such a sentiment at any
time or in any place, in substance, or in form, or
anything like il. The falsehood originated in this
city ten or fifteen years ago. have contradicted
the statement, time after time, publicly and private
ly. No proof was ever produced, or attempted to
| be produced, Of any such declaration made by me.
Nevertheless, the falsehood continues be repeat
ed occasionally, in the political press If your read
ers desire to know my constant and invarable
timens on such subjects those to which the reso
lutions Of the ocooco meeting REFER will be obliged
to you TO publish speech made by me at Pttsburg,
| think in 1889
al am, dear sir, with regard,
| "'Your obedient servant,
"DANIEL WEBSTER.
| "'J. c. WhGHT. Esq"
We will now with what truth Mr.. Webster
denies the sentiment attributed to him. In a speech
delivered by him in the convention for amending the
constitution of in 1921 is to be found
the following passages
"One Of the most ingenious of political writers is
Mr.. Harrington, author not much read
as he deserves. It is his leading object, in his
Oceana to prove that power naturally and necessari-
iy follows property. He maintains, that government
founded on property is LEGITLMaTELY FOUND
ED; and that government founded q disregard Of
property is founded on injustice and only be main
tainsd by military force TO THIS
| After illustrating his argument in a variety of
| ways, during which he says some unexceptionable
things in regard to the distribution Of property, he
| adds:
| "Universal suffrage for example, could not long
exist in community where there was great ine-
quality of property. The holders of estates would
be obliged, in such a case, either in some way to
restrain the right Of suffrage, or else such right Of SUI
age ,ootld long, divide the property. In the nature
Of things, those who have not property, and see
| their neghbors possess much more than they think
they need cannot be favorable to laos made for the pro-
lection property. When this class becomes numerous
Il sro,os cdmoro,s. looks properly as its PREY
and PLUMBER, and is naturally ready, at all times,
for violence and revolution. 1T WOULD SEEM,
| THEN, To BE THE PART OF POLITICAL
WISDOM, TO FOUND GOVERNMENT ON
PROPERTY and to establish such distribution of
property, by The laws which regulate it's transmits
sion and alienation, TO interest the great majority
Of society in the protection of government"
! What is this but the sentiment of "Let the gov
eminent take of the rich, and the rich will take
care of the pool, )" expressed in another form' This
man does not believe that humanity is superior to
the clods Of the earth. He cannot understand that
the poor man is actually more interested in the stu
bility of just government than the rich. He can
not conceive how the poor mans only reliance for
his personal freedom, and the security of the fruits
Of his honest toll, only to be found in the sta
blity and stern justice of the government which ex-
lists over him. No; he would egislate for property,
and not for personal liberty and the just rewards Of
labor. Therefore he would found government on
properfy"--in other word he would have "govern-
ment take care of the rich and the rich will take
care of the poor" And has not this been the rule
ofacuon of this godke federal tory from the COM
mencement Of his political career to the present
time. Has he not supported every monopoly, and
advocated every law that would tend to enrich the
few at the expense of the many, which was ever
proposed in a body of which he happened to be a
member And has he not always opposed the pro-
lection Of the poor mans rights, and favored meas
which tend TO from him the just rewards Of
| hto lab And in hp mot of