Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-10-18
DANIEL. WEBSTER.

Lung befnre ! lonthed American ground, the fame 81
the c~elehraicd man whose ia re graccs the bead ulthis
article had been Ia me a familiar sound. had heard, with
u hearty lanqh, what Sydney Smith said Of him, and
what ouly syipey, the iacetiuus Canon Of ST. Paul's
could have said, that be WAS a steam engine in bfeech-
os." had rcnd Carly les description Of lis eyes and
had been hold by those Who had enjoyed an opportunity Of
seeing hun. that his personal appearance was remark
able; 80 was, Of course, anxious tn see Americas most
popular orator, nor did my wish remain long unsfati-
fed.
During a portion Of the time when the recent Pfesiden-
iil contest WAS progressing, | happened b. be q snlpurn-
er ia the CITY If Brothefy Love. and to my great salts
faction, II was announced that Daniel Webster would
speak alta Wing mass meeting. On the morn ing Of
the day appointed, | proceeded in good time TO secure
4 place where | might both see and hear he distinguish
ed man.
The place OF meeting was fixed in q field n mile or 50
from the city. A sage had been erected at The foot Of
a gentle slope, and the front Of he grassy mound being
cuncnse, a perfect amphltheair re was formed. BY dint
Of much perseverance and Il lutte impotence, managed
To get a front stai on the stand, and having secured my
position. si quietly down TO await the commencement
OF the proceeiings.
The orator was 10 be accompanied 10 the Platform by a
procession. and soon after three O'clock the head Of il APP
pealod in view gradually il drew near; and amid the
crash Of musical instmnenls-lhe clangof Of trumppts
the banging ol arms aud the booming Of cannun. sew
eral gentlemen u cended the platform, aud were greeted
with cheers.
One Of he gentlemen was The candidate for the Office
OF huFtthuf oil me NlAlF--le was Old ana White head
ed; in his hand he held an assortment of fl wers, and
a f1lnet garland enelrcltd his portly figure. lie aserudrd
10 his place, aud alter him came another gally derkeJ
gentleman; and nj Last a shout burst forth, loud and long,
ls mn individual mounted the staircase with a firm, solid
So tot ateld, and Stood on the stage fall in view oi the
pupnlare.
He was n mnn. who would have seemed above the
moderate size, had it nnl been for his bulk; he was re-
bust without being stout, and largc-boned without clnm
sinrss. As he calne forward ON the platform, he was
Cordially greeted by he multitude; and " hist the cheer
ing was going on, aud after he had acknow lodged il by
slightly lifting his hat. he calmly folded his arms over his
calacious chest, aud gave one OF the most steady and OK
~raor1inary sIances On the assembly which | ever wit
messed.
II would be impossible to describe that fixed look
Ills ~eye.balls were dark MS night. aud the whites Of his
organs of vision more rescmbled twilight in their hoe,
than The pure tint which is caused by the iendenous ex-
panslon OF The muscles covering the ball. They were set
IN two casefnons openings beneath n pair OF dark, thick
eyebrows wllc, gradually rose irou, the upper portion
OF the nose until they nearly reached The temples, when
they somewhat suddenly dropped. and terminated Just
below the huge bumps which lay on the outer and lower
sides ni his extraordinary forehead, just as If Nature, in
manufacturing him, had made two receptacles there for
spare brains. on the same principle that animals are fur
nished with bags, Ia contain an additional stock to
deposit matter for their sustenance during tue hard sea.
son.
Rat am speaking of the look. 10 not believe that
the searching, yet moveless, eye of the Individual | am
describing lated 10 nullre n Single person within lis range
OF yislnn. lie seemed to absorb the scene. And hay
ing satisfied himself, he pulled his hat over his eyes.
which lell them IN deep shade, glowing like doll Goals
IN A black furnace before the stream Of air was appil-
ed.
The complexion Of the gentleman was dark-very
dark. aud %sAIrthv; his forehead was piled up. and IN
tact II hulged oni, ms ifthe brains had been crammed into
it after the packing had 50 swollen il MS 10 stretch lis
barrier of bone. The frontal satire must have been
we'll knit, NJ 1t W uId 10 a dead certainty have gone
paft Of The high broad forehead was bare; his hair, which
had once been black, but which was now of a brownlsh
gray, being carelessly eomhod. or rather pushed back. -
The nose was large, and at the end rather knubbed. and
iY mouth, with its thin, compressed lips, indicated en-
csAiyc fiimnrss; then grayish whiSkers stretched the side
Ut his face. which taken as the whole, prhssessed n gloomy
grandeur. and made me say to myself as gazed-
that is Daniel Webster Of the devil. | considered it M
insult 10 MIR. Webster-fur he il was-to put hin in the
same category with the spirit of evil, inasmueh as only
refer 10 looks. aud we are somewhere told that satan Is
dlahollcally beautiful.
Mr.. Webster was dressed in a brown flock with a
velvet collar. which was bnttoned close up 10 his throat,
which latter was encfcled by n turned down collar and
a white cravai. or his neither habilimeuts took NJ
heed. for | could not look far below his magnificent
head.
know he had no flowers; | should rs soon have ex
pecied to have witnessed a giant decorated with a child,
coral aud bells, as to have seen Dariel Webster with a
bnqnet in his butiUn-hole.
As soon as he rose to speak ho was received with vo
cherons cheering, and having, by n wave OF his hand,
produced silence, he commenced his address; he begaH
IN a rather low, but very sonorous and distinct voice
which gradually increased in viulences until it rolled its
~melodiuns waves Of sound over the heads Of The vast as
%semblage. lie did n speak on a subject which admit
ted Of poetic illustration, and was not then sufficiently
acquainted with American politics to appreciate the mat
ter of his address of he manner alone could form somt
idea. As he went on he seemed TO warm up his audi.
ence, until he got them like an iron crow6ar, to a rec
heat, and then down he cane with the ponderou.
sledg%o-hammer of his eluquence, and moulded them tt
his will.
From the commencement of his speech tn his close
there was no visible hesitation; no traces of study; u,
appearance of effort. Hi, eloqunnce fl WED on majesti
caHy, Ike a stream bank high, giving one the idea o
rest ard fesisless might. W Where other speakers would
persuade, he dictated, yet without seeming to be over
bold; and the massive grandeur of his style SO command
ed the admiration Of his auditory, that, in the broad shad
ow which it cast, all minor differences Of opinions wer,
lost sight of for the time. and willing tributes were paic
tathe graces of the great statesman by those who wet,
his i4icest political enemies.
As for myself. | never dared tn look in his face during
the whole of his speech; and when his vuioe ceased, and
he pressed down his hat over his shaggy buws, and sal
down as calmly as il he had been asking a single ques
lion, knew that Sydney Smith was right, and So was
Carlyle, and ! regretted my own inability to describe as
they would have described Daniel Webster while deliv-
efing n speech on American matters and on American
grounds.
BALTIMORE, PETL~iDELPEiLf and .NTW YORK