Washington telegraph., 1850-08-21

new Caoinet which President Fillmore is calling
about him, stands the colossal figure Of Daniel
Webster There he is. one of the giants, his mas
sive brow looking as if made to bear the weight
Of empire, and the light of age temperng with
calm serenity that grand and thoughtful counte-
nance, as the rays of the setting sun linger upon
and braulify the stern and rugged mountain side.
There he is man and an American, whom we
are proud to present to the nation as rep
resentative of country-a statesman who
commands the admiration of the Old World
and the New, and whose name, in any cabinet
aud any enterprise, is tower of strength and
majesty, against which the waves of fact ion and
of section beat in vain
Dauie Webster has before filled the office of
Secretary of Stite. II was not known, when he
entered it, whether he could add new laureIS To
his fame in other fields At the bar. he had long
stood prominent in the realms of law, of .c. and
Of eioquence; scholar and an orator he had
no rival among the public men Of America, as
Senatorial debater. h. stood without peer WELD
log IN MS sinewv arm battle axe of argument,
heavy the ponderous weapon of Cour de Leon,
YET bright and keen the scim ltar of Saiadin.
Under the renown of such ii reputation, he came
10 the Department Of State; yet instead Of dsap
pointing expectation SO highly raised, he more
than realized the most ardent hopes: He proved
himself IN his management Of our foreign affairs,
as remarkable for powers of diplomacy as for elo-
ye, liberal, he settled advantugeousy one of the
most ancient and omnous of our difficulties with
England, and elevated the character Of our coun-
try by the dignifed spirit well mastery skill
with which he conducted its affairs Were there
no monuments Of Daniel Webster but his cores
poudence Secretary IF State, he might well rest
upon them his Immortality. Even considered only
models Of pure, clear, vigorous English COM
position, they not t. be surpassed by any SINH
lar productions upon the public records Of Eng
land or America.
Yet it was even possible Cor even this man.
clothed and crowned with all these laures. and
advancing to the border of old age, TO win new
trophies, which should outshine all the achieve
ments of his younger days While there was no
longer a voice to question the supremacy OF his
intelI-ctu, powers, and his genuine American
feeling, displayed firmly and so nobly during
his administration Of our foreign affairs, it
serted that he was man of section, and that the
powerful structure Of his intellectual organization
was accompanied by an absence ol moral courage
which destroyed the harmonious symmetry of his
character. 1t has been reserved ID later events
to draw the last fang from the serpent tooth Of
maliue, and to vindicate Daniel Webster. as
true and great genius, patriot and
statesman. The most bitter of his Democratic
opponents have hailed his recent efforts IN loud
burst of applause, echoed even from all South
Carolina at tine manly and noble stand taken by
Daniel Webster, in the U. 5. Senate, and the
heroic and sublime ground assumed by this great
moral hero, when, in the very front of Boston
fanaticism he thundered forth, 81 tread no step
backwards"
The true character o. Daniel Webster is now
understood. H. is seen the great American,
to whom North aud South are a common country;
who is ready 10 sacrifice in moment admiration
of his own section rather than do injustice to sec
ton which has not always rendered justice to him,
bu, who could not, even if he would, prevent pos
terity of all sections and of all lands from proclaim
ing him the greatest intellect Of the nineteenth
century, and patriot above fear and above re-
proach
Such is the man whom President Fillmore has
selected as Secretary of State. We hail that ap-
point, nc as a most evident token that the new
President Ill plant his administration upon the
broad just, liberal, national grounds oil winch Mr
Webster has been the exponent in the United
States Senate. In that appointment we see the
heel Of power crushing, as it ought, the serpent
head Of fanaticism.