The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-08
From the Hartford Comm Times.
First Impressions OF Daniel Webster.

Mr. EplroR: Having occasion visit Springfield one
Law last week found the Wing State Convention in
ion and thought would step in just to what going
"a Ga entering the room, found the stage occupied by
stout square built elderly man, dressed in bran-new
bright blue with gilt buttons and velvet Collar white
vest also with gilt buttons black pantaloons, white
crave with the shirt collar turned down, and white
cambria pocket handkerchief on the little table beside
him. with which and anon he mopped his nose and
forehead listened to his speech for about twenty min
utes 1t was heavy and demonstrating of common
place topics in very manner Inc speaker
,fen appeared hesitate for words and spoke with n
yearisome and head boring slowness You know what
mean by this expression The sensation produced by a
speaker not devoid of good and good sound reasoning
powers throwing off his truisms in slow, abor'ous man
ner has been well compared that OF dull gmblet Dor
ing right your skull This idea gave rise to the word
bore which expresses the feeling exactly The action of
he speaker amss except that he had bad habit
every and then Juggling at the front OF his panti-
looms as il there something wrong there lie also had
way giving force and energy to particular sentences,
by opening his legs in the form oan epse and then snap
ping them together with considerable emphasis give
hese minute particulars of dress and manner, because,
hough important, they characteristic, and therefore
utere sting. Well, confess felt thoroughly borcd and,
having stood it as long could, and enough of what
appeared be good, tedious, homespun, substantial
farmer delegate the hills of Berkshire left the
At the foot of the stairs friend asked me how liked
Webster1 'FCan't say-never heard him." why, that's
,im now speaking" "(ood Cfodn my exclamation
IS il possible have been listening to the 'godke I'M
WARES and been bored % SO mbled mp stairs again in
great hurry Then, indeed, the feeling of Shore" van
she'd for new and strong interest was aroused-hat oil
bservinq notable man, and following the speech OF one
whose reputation has been built upon his speaking
sened attentivey Tor hour and half to the substan
ial prosy farmer delegate, Transformed into the
great erpounie STILL after the first emotions OF curiosity
we're satisfied dizziness and WEAKNESS still chung to that
.peech His subject the Mexican war; and the speech
mainly was a hash of the wing datribes crudtes,
md si,es Oh that topic which have been repeated, sad
(, IN n
IF n powerful mini wantng but still, in tn
nan that Grafton drcaduly wearisome, laborous,
md slow Whatever else it might have been. it was
lot oratory-cerainy great oratory 1t was such
speech as beyond all question, if it had proceeded
from an unknown delegate, instead OF Daniel Web
ter would have cleared that and been delivered
% bare walls and empty benches. That great audi
ory was kept together, not to listen to the Speech but
TO see and hear the Neither The Delnosthe
mean fire and veheence the elegance off Cicero, were
here nor the shadow of those qualities Or to compare
aim with living speakers there was nothing OF the smoou
flowing and yet powerful periods OF Peel or OF the
ous and fiery energy of Brougham The divine and con-
arous the true not there. In Short there
nothing about the speech very brilliant very strong or
impressive except few remarks towards the close
which were carefully premeditated, and were certainly
marked with good deal of point and energy And here
les the whole secret of Websers reputation He has
ainy made speeches of very able character-powerfu
pointed and energeticShowing high order of magma
ion "a well great reasoning power But these have
,ariabiy been carefully studied and pre- pared He
made good unstiied speech yet, and WILL sim ply
BECAUSE not his gift do not say he is the less able
nan on this simply state the fact The fault H.
nat knowing where his strength well as his weakness
les he takes advantage of his reputation inict prosy
npreparcd trashy harangues conventions, which his
anne as an orator draws together. This is species of in
xcusabe fraud aad the effect is always Disappointing
Either vanity azness, he chooses on these occa
ons appear in the character of loose ofhand, care
speaker-trusting the inspiration OF the moment
character for which has not fitted him, and in winch
| he always fails Hen'e in the discussion at this Spring
ed convention Winthrop Of Boston, and Phillips OF Sa
appeared far greater advantage than Webster SIM
y because their natural gift oC easy, of-hand speaking
nuch greater than his In this particular, also huui
| jhoate is incomparably his superior
lmake these remarks not to detract from Websers merits
nut give just account of them He is very prominen
nan just now, and has been made by his carefully
dudied arguments and oations. On the strength of th
apita he trades of great deal of prosy, dull and com
non-place speaking His friends will have it that what
ever he uers is most extraordinary and wonderful, and