Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-08


Texas, and had ever been regarded as poflion
of her soil But this Mailer We doubt mol, VIII
be presented in a strong and conclusive light ana
will cover with confusion Mir. Webster and MS
sympathizers, who, in The midst OF a war, alIcmpl
10 degrade by impeachment the constitutional
head OF the Government, and 10 that extent vir'u-
ally encourage foreign foe in their mad resist
ance TO our just demands.
MIR. Webster may now applaud The officers and
soldiers who are lighting our balles, al The same
time that he tells them that this war Is gross
usurpaon Of The Constitution, that il is the mere
creation of The Presidents whims, and tha, our
armies are violating our own Constitution and
all International law, in marching into The enc
mys country and seizing his provinces, as qua
ranlee OF peaceful and just settlement oil our
claims. For great man, this last is The most absurd
position ever advanced, and shows the deep repue-
nance fel, By the Senator to the true policy oil his
own Government.
But where was this great statesman and patriot
in the last war with The first power OF Europa
war which "tried mems souls2" Was ne on The
side OF his country or nol4 He stands forth as
the giant of Whiggery in assailing the Mexican
war, and Virginians al least have right 10 know
how he bore hmselfon that momentous occasion.
Let him be tested by The recorded history othis
life, for much of his life is on record. He now
boasts OF The purity Of his devotion 10 the Con-
,:ilulon, which, he says, has been grossly vio-
lated by The President In reply we would BRIEF
ly refer 10 his hostility 10 The sovereignty OF The
Stales-lo his perseverns attempts against the
equal rights Of all classes Of the people, and in
support Of unJus, Determinations and corporate
monopolies, all tending TO convert the Govern
ment into a mere engine of jobb;ne, speculation
aad corruption-lo his thorough opposition in lS20
| 10 the unjust doctrine oil protection" and 10 his
p-esen, Jealous support OF class-lesisaion, as
The 600 900 pensioner Of The manufacturing IN
teresl. But i, is his course on The last war,
| ID which We will now particularly refer
In the Summer of 1913, Daniel Webster, then
member Of Congress, found his country involved
in war; and her territory actually invaded by The
armies OF powerful and vindiclive foe. Here,
then. was a predicanent in which no patriot
.onld hesitate as 10 The path of Duly Here he
could mol, as now, sci up The miserable prele1t'
that II was a war Of conquest on foreign soil
! for il was strictly a defensive war His ooun-
lry's quarrel had been discussed, and the appeal
to arms had been male. Even had he deemed
her quarrel wrong hi, highest earthly obligation
bound him 10 project her from foreign conquest,
and 10 save her people from murder and rapine
How did Daniel Webster acquil himself OF This
most solemn of human obligations Lstthe Ie-
cords Of his country answer. On The Isl OF July,
1873 he voted in The House OF Representatives
against lie bill for the assess mcnt and collection
OF direct tex and internal duties for the support
Of The wat, and On The 9Th dag o the same
month asait,, "a bill lor laying duty on Licenses
to uis'iIlers Of spiriruonS liquors" I'm The Isl
Jay OF January, 1914 when The Government
was sraining every efufl 10 ofganlZe an army
for The national defence, he voted against The "bili
| for the encourage Of enlisimenls." On The
2alh March, 1914, he both spoke aud voted
against the "bill to amend The act providing Tor
the calling out oil the militia On The lsl and
18th days OF December, 1914, he voted against a
"bilI 10 provide additional revenues for deraying
the expenses Of The Government, and maintain
| ing public credit" On the 9Th Of The same month
he voted against the "bill for filling The ranks of
the.army;" and on the 22d December, 1914,
| against the "bill To levy direct tax OF six mil
lions" In the expected difficulty with France,
under The Administration Of General Jackson,
MIR. Webster declared in the Senate that he
would no, vote one cent, even il the walls Of The
Capitol were battered about their ears. This called
forth the strong expression oil John q. Adams,
that Mr.. Webster had "but one more step 10 take,
and that was into the ranks oil The enemy"
These are some Of the generous and patriotic
efforts OF Daniel Webster during season of
great national peril No sense of national dam
ger or d>honor, no sympathy with private suffer-
| ing could move him to one word much less 10
any act, in behalfof his struggling country. The
only exeriions 10 which he could be melted, as
above sci forth from The records, were those which
endcd To disarm and feler that country, in the
very presence ol cruel, insoent and cxaspera-
tel foe, and in that condition TO hand her over 10
his tender mercies Il IS absurd 10 alIegc in ex-
enualion OF his unnatural and parricidal conduct
any disapprobation he may have fell for the war.
Lei his condemnation OF thai war have tccn ever
20 decided concede Ina The war was more unjns-
lihable Than any ever waged instead OF lis having
been, IA il truly was contest foT The Liberation
pi our kidnapped countrymen, for The plrndered
property Of our merchants, and for our maritime
right. as an independent nation ; still his highest
duty bound him 10 his country. Neither his fat
,erers nor his enemies will impue 10 him the fol-
Iy Of having believed hat England, nids. the
pride and insolence OF victory, would have dica-
ted pure justice and equity 10 that country, when
PROSTATE al her feel.
But there is one view of The conduct of Daniel
Webster which virginians Of all Others should
contemplate with peculiar intensity oil feeling
On The 25lh June, 1913, the British forces, then
investing onr coast, attacked and carried the vii
lase CT Hampton. The Atrocities perpetraled ON
that occasion, upon The weak, lhe innocent the
lovely, The aged. and even on The dying, bya Bril-
fish soldicry in The sight and hearing OF their off,
GERS, were at he lime familiar 10 the Stale. A
faint conception OF these horrors may be had from
a perusa OF the letter ofCapt. Cooper, who brave
IL co-opera,ed in The defence Of The post or In the
communication Of Major Griffin and Captain
Lively, Who we're ordered By The commanding Of
icer 10 investigate and report upon he conduc, OF
the enemy; from an examination, also, Of The re.
port made 10 The House OF Representatives by The
venerable Nathaniel Macon, under resolution
10 enquire into The spirit and manner in which
the war was waged by The enemy" On the 25th
June, lsl3 occurred the sack Of Hampton. On
the 9th July following, came belcre Daniel Web
ser at Washington, The bills 10 rai.e money Lr
the purpose OF driving from our land tie monsters
who seemed 10 have divesled themselves OF every
attribute of man. The snfferings and distress OF
our countrymen ,till vibrating on The ear; but
these were circumstances wholly inadequate 10
lhaw The ice OF Daniel Webs'er's opposition
lie would not give cent. The calamities Of
The time could mol disturb bis complacency; they
could call forth from bin only he deriding and
callous Ievi,y Of remark, This is not the enter
tainment 10 which we were invited"