The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1850-05-24
Daniel webster.

We know that there is deal Of nav
kish sensibIlity in the world about expo
sing corruption, especially in. high places,
and vice when exhibited by great men.
We know II is moi genteel, but we make
no pretenccs TO gentiity, nor can see
any reason 10 apologize for publishing
the following account Of Daniel Webster,
written by Mrs. Swisshelm, "a correspon-
dent OF the N. Y, Tribune,) 10 her own
paper, the Saturday Eisitor. There is
nothing enticing in the pictare--it is
dark, harsh and horrid, but we fear II is
true. A man given over TO such person
al vices as Mrs. s intima tes, may have
"godliken intellect, but his morals, his
social faculties, his soul must be brutiied
to a degreo that we can scarcely imagine,
tead which il wouId be difficult to dts-
cIlper lleno longer wonder a. his utter
"auI OF h..oypi consistency as a politician;
.! do not ,sLipk it is prejudice hat
makes me think Gfr. Weistefs issce dis.
agreeable; bui TO nor, has an exnrsssIon
Of coarscness, as though hsS animal BIo-
pensities were rather stronger diam his
powers. His face spseaks ne
sensualst by naiure--a natural, Aiaaale
that would require q S;arle
amount of strict training to elevate lpeio
righteousness, such as is condemned \
by our people, when described by See "
Bulwer. know This opinion Of MI.
Webster will be resented by his Western
friends. | have never seen any such ex-
pressed of him; but nearly every one
knows that he sometimes drinks to ex-
cess, and his friends here say he requires
10 be excited with wine TO make him ap-
Iroachable-civil. When quite sober.
he is as gruff as grizzly bear. His mis-
tresses are generally, if NOT always, color
cd woman-some Of them big, Hack
wenches, as ugly and vulgar as himself
These will openly run store bills on his
account. 1t is no wtndert the curse Of the
Almighty hangs on US as nation. The
wicked rule and the people must mourn.
The laws Of God are publicly SET at de- /
fance, by those whcm we choose 10 rule
over us. Webster | had always ad-
mired, even after his last speech. His
faults appeared like excrescences on his
greatness and virtues. But since | have
seen him, and come within the circle |
that surrounds him, lsok upon his faults
as the great component parts Of his ma
ture-thc essential Ingredients. The
good is only enough 10 preserve the unity
Of natures plan---to leave no creature
on earth entirely evil. The lion has his
courage to compensate for his ferocity-
the tigress her faiihfulness TO her young,
10 atone Tor her cruelty-the toad has
its diamond eyes as a substitute for all
other beauty-and Daniel Webster has
his great intellect, and occasional flashes
of good feeling and kindness, to compen-
safe for the total want of that spiritual
purity, that nice perception of the beau
tiful and true, which allies man TO the
angels, and both TO the divine essence.
can never admire Daniel Webster again!
He is too many removes down from the
highest order Of humanity. In. future
there will be no persuasion in his words,
no still small voice in bis wisdom, no
manliness in his courage, no halo about
his name. He is ugly: and never be.
fore saw bnt two ugly men,"
In confirmation ofthe above, it will be
recollec,ed that when Secretary ofState,
under Tyler, Webster grossly ill;treated
the wife of one Of the Clerks Of his De-
parlment, who had applied 10 him TO re-
tain her husband in office.