The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-23

and the eloquent "expounder' OF State rights, "consu-
1onal law, and enlightened government II With an abil
ty as powerful it was rare, find the English baro-
net giving his earlier aud ripper years the yndioaton oil
royal rights and arislocratc privilege, uphodng the
and SUSTAINING the other with force that perfectly
irresistible See that same man now, at more adj
yaneed period OF his life, when he is about 10 sur
render into the hands OF his successors the seals
of Office. with all its honors and emolume nts-driy-
| IN nom II by hard hearted and remorseess fac
hon, not because he wared against the prerogatiye
Of the crown-not because his general policy prime
minister was adverse 10 their views but simply because
ne would not consent 10 the longer continuance OF
grinding monopoly, which was not only injurious to
Commerce but threatened an oppressed people with the
horrors OF starvation This IL which caused the
downfall OF that great and il is difficult 10 imagine
scene invested with deep nterest-with more OF
he mora sublime thrown around t-,han when Sir Rob
srt stood up IN Parliament and yindieatsd, with signal
ability and the earnesness OF the true patriot the action
OF the government in reference 10 the corn laws He
was the very impersonaton OF generous and humane
oolicythe very embodiment" OF all that was truly lib
era and enlightened IN government Yes, he stood there
as ne advocate OF the peoples and with eoquence
leryid as was denounced the fatal and destructive
policy, which, while il swelled the wealth OF bloated
asncrs. ground the face Of the poor and robbed them
OF Heavens boonthe means OF appeasng the cravings
OF hunger Having accomplished his mission, he grace
fully surrendered the Office which he held he could
longer administer its functions and powers consistently
with the true honor OF the crown and the well being Of
the people. In the fulness OF his fame statesman
conscious OF his integrity and strong in the purity OF his
motives, he fell victim to mean malgnity and sordid
ayarce In the very zenith OF his power he gave up all
but his honor, for he would not barter his feelings
man, his large humanity for the sake OF Proptiatng
party the bond Of whose union and existence de-
nial OF cheap food TO u suffering people. But look we
now at the contrast
Scan the earliest years of Mr. Websters legislative ca
reer, find OF his nobest efforts on behalf OF
commerce and unrestricted trade His own feelings were
enlisted the cause and heartily did the people respond
to them Once and again. and again did he resist the in
sdious policy which the monoPosts resolved to fas
ten the country with unmatched OF reasoning did
he expose the acy OF the arguments which urged
behalf of fatal policy being at with the very spirit OF
our institutions, and adverse TO growing commerce
With philosophy did he demonstrate that with the
varied and unlimited productions OF soil, with little
fear from the competition OF other countries chief
object TO stimulate agriculture, and TO cherish her
principal auXIliary-commerce. Adam Smith and Rear
do formed at that period his Udde meeu, in illustrating
the true Wealth OF Nations, and powerfully did he
force the principles which they ably incucated Long
and CALAMITY did he, with kindred spirits, resist the
steahy march OF the foul Mooch of country and
long he acted with the friends OF free and
sneted commerce. he ceased not to denounce the growth
OF the manufacturing interest ant-republcan, hos
tile to liberties and in deadly conflict with the
mercial and agricultural interests of the country. Years
ran their course however, and Mr. Webster was to APP
pear in phase OF his political history Some De
ah ~ deprived him OF his locks and the great nellec
tual Samson OF the east silent the grave itself
when commerce and agriculture called upon him for aid
No, the whole course OF Legislation TO be per-
verted, and the anscenden talents OF Webster
arTayed behalf OF restriction enlisted in the cause of
monopoly dhat ne change was MI ne w Jesuit O. convS
and again declared such the fact; it is painful to
think OF it, and still more so to find that his splendid in
tellect has yet give lis unstnted energies on behalf OF
the "Chinese" philosophers of the nort6the gentlemen
whose alpha and omega is protection" protection"
protection !"
The parallel we have attempted to run is true to the
very letter, and pity it is there is no redeeming feature
about it. We find, the hand, man pre-eminent
for his talents and virtues, long the able and un-
shrinking advocate OF monopoly and exclusive le-
gislaton, as his ministerial career was drawing to
la close, declaring before the whole world that
the principles he had long advocated in Parlia-
| nIaJ
of sound political economy and that If the happ-
OF the people, their comfort and well being to
be considered in the great question OF nations well
fare taken in the aggregate, restrictions MUST cease,
commerce 60 free and the people MUST be left to
supply themselves at the cheapest rate possible On the
other hand we have another great statesman, whose
clarion notes have rung through our halls of legislation
on behalf OF wronged and oppressed Greece whose po
tent has and again been raised to vndcate the
rights OF man. the unrestricted freedom OF commerce. and
the most perfect and unshacked liberty to all, compatible
with law, order, and religion We find that he, too, has
changed his ground in his maurer years. not to his
old aye he too renounces the opinions which he had
formed in the meridian of lfe and adopts, with aror
utterly nexphcabe the WORKOUT and rejected theories of
the best practical statesmen of Europe! Mr.. Webster
surely must know that there ''obsolee" opinions on
many questions well that of banking, with as
little OF the odo OF nationality about them; and that
to run counter to the spirit Of the age in esslatng for
man make. Instead of keeping pace with the times,
and initiating the example Of his illustrous contempt
rary, striking enactments from statute book which
for REFRESHING industry ratherthan encouraging Senator
Webster would thrust back to the darker ages, when
total prohibition and sumpuary laws were the order of
the day with Saxon ancestors The cut OF mans
in those days the shape Of his hat the shape of his
g the texture of his neither ntegumens and the size
of his knee and shoe buckles, all important mat
ters to be considered and when the or1ers in
Gil" given, bede the obstinate and unfortu-
nate fellow who did not conform to them-If he was
not dragged before the Star Chamber to answer for
his conumacy, the 'pains and penalties" he incurred
(hey understood such in those days, as well in ours
were usually discharged by proptatng the monarchs
private exchequer, bribing some of his ministers or
Judges of easy virtue. Does the great New England
statesman desire TO give something analogous to those
halcyon days of Old Engand Does he wish to bless
with policy stringent and exclusive when the
king Dilied what to be imported and what not what
was to be and what not, OF domestic manufacture
or foreign? u ..:|+ .t..s.
1t is Notifying to contrast the which Mr. Web
ster deems proper to pursue in contradistnction to
the liberal and magnanmous policy OF Sir Robert Peel
South Cardinals gifted son better appreciates what is due
to the people and the institutions Of his country and if
his profound and statesmanke views are adopted, our
country has long OF prosperity before her
Surely it cannot be that to be made laughing
stock among the nations OF the earth; that egsla
ton is to be very mockery in name-sa byword and
reproach"-a satire everything liberal and enIight-
ened in republican government that the antquaed policy
OF European nations is to be readoped by u.s. when they
are conforming all their revenue to the gem
spirit Of the age 1t cannot surely be- when Eu
rope is proclaming BY her visible action the benign and
sautary effects Of which felt everywhere that the
OF restrictions, of prohibitions, of exobitant duties, MUST
people, the whoc people have larger in the bless
inps Of n m md he