Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-05-08
From the Windham County Democrat.
Daniel Webster,

Without participating in the active scenes of
polucal STRIFE, Or engaging in the contests Of s
party poiltlcs, am lar from being an nattentiye
OF an indifferent spectator of passing events
y FROM the loopholes Of my retreat" look ont !
upon the busy, stirring arena Of political in
trguers and combatants. My long observation
OF the corruption and depraviy or party politics,
and the heartessness and Inconsistencies Of the
lovers and aspirants of Office, has taught me to
be surprised at nothing in the lives of politi.
clans. have long since made up my mind to
feel no surprise at any regeneration or incon-
sistency in political parties or political men,
But after all my observation and experience
after all that have seen of political corruption
and inconsistency, | am forced to confess my
surprise and astOnishment at the present position
of the man whose name may be found at the
head of this article. Low as is my estimate OF the
morality of parties, and unprinclpled as | have
long known them TO be, there is lower depth"
now reached by the party presses and politicians
of the present day for which was wholly I'M
prepared. The present efforts to laud Daniel
Webster by large class Of political presses
and political men, cannot fail to surprise those
who, like myself, are acquainted with his moral
and political history What can be more bane-
full to the good morals of the country, than the
applause and offices lavished upon one so noto-
riousy immoral and depraved? What induce
ments to virtuous life are held out to the
young, when they see the incorporate and cen-
tlous receiving the rewards due alone to viltue
When they see them holding the first offices in
the land?
The first public disclosure of Mr.. Webster's
gross bertinism was made while he was tngtO
riOusiy made the Secretary Of State under John
Tyler. The story must be fresh in the recollec-
ton of those whose memories run back some 10
or IL years. The lady of one of the clerks in
the State department. visited the Secretary in
his office, to solicit the continuance of her hus-
band in the Office from which it was reported he
was to be removed. They had talked the mat
ter over, and concluded that the solicitation of
the wife would be most likely to prevail The
Secretary, mistaking the strong desire of vir-
tuous woman to promote the welfare Of her hus-
band, tor the indication of a doubtful chastity,
made such rude approaches, and took such I'm
warranted liberties, that the lady, surprised and
alarmed at such unexpected and brutal treat
ment, reSorted to screams and outcries to pro-
tect herself from further insult. Her cries
brought Immediately to her aid several clerks
who occupied adjacent rooms, and she was, OIL
course, relieved from any further abuse. Thi;
was substantially the story that went the round.
of the papers at the time of its occurrence, anC
those who were at Washington al the time, as
sure me that it is strictly true.
The charge of Mrs. Swisshelm is of a mort
recent date, and has never been coutradicted-
While on visit to Washington during the win
ter before last, in writing home for the pape
which she edits at Pittsburgh, she states that tn
fact is notorious at Washington, that he kept hi
paid paramours and that it was not unusual 70
them to run up bills at the store on his account
This open and public charge of shameless licen
tiousness have never seen contradicted, thong
1t drew down upon the head OF the fair accusel
the most terrific storms of abuse and scurrit
from the whole kennel of barking stpendares
Instead of denying the truth of the charge, tn
mercenary parasites of the great expoundt
were directed to meet it with the most venomou
and dastardly obloquy.
Mr.. Websters habits of intemperance see
to have attained a universal notoriety. fin
no man of any intelligence that pretends to de
fend him against this charge. The instances
inebriation have been toofrequent and too publ
to make coaceament possible. If any doub
remained as to his habits, they must be remove
by the recent notice of the sale at auction of a
immense quantity of Champagne belonging
the " Marshfield farmer" And this is the ma
whom the descendants of the purtans are Gale
upon to applaud and dolize-the man in hone
Of whom a colossal bronze statute is soon to
erected in the city of New York-the man nor
caressed, perhaps, than any other American an
to whom no laudation is too eXtravagant and flu
some to be presented. What must be though
of the standard of morals among people sin!
, ing peans to such a man, and seeking to do hi
f honor! What must be the morality of the pre-
that is devoted to the interests of such a mar
, Even the women, "proh pltdor !" are found wi
ling to assist in burning incense to such maj
If we review the political life of Mr. w ebst
for the last ten years, we cannot be less surpri
ed at his present position and influence amor
the wings of the North. | doubt whether al
other man could possibly have maintained al
particle of political character or influence und
similar circumstances. His mean adherence
the Infamous John Tyler; his disgracelul rete
ton OF office after the treachery of Tyler vi
known, and all the other high minded membe
had resigned in disgust, ought to have conslgnt
; him TO political grave too deep ever to be e,
humed. 1t ought to have ostracsed him fro
/ the wing party forever. That mercenary al
servlle clinging to office, at the expense of hon
and principle, should have stamped lndeiblv u
on his forehead the brand of political recreant
, and meanness. But, although many infuenti
wings were disguised at his course, he succee
ed by degrees in worming himself back into ii
confidence of his party which he had SO sham
fully betrayed 1t is now well understood tn
he chung to the emoluments of Office until he r
ceived an unambguous intimation from the a
o;Jonfol DroeiJnnt hat tEhie
than his company" He however managed, q
ter all this, by professions of iealty to his part
to relnstate himself in the confidence of Il
l wings of Massachusetts, and thus secured a r
election to the U. S. Senate. He had on sew
!. raj occasions proclaimed his determined oppos
b. ton to the spread of slavery over free soil, al
4 was supposed to sympathize fully with the viii
S OF the North on the subject OF slavery. Thin
r passed along until the autumn Of lS49, when
r was made apparent that The approaching sessi
s of Congress was to be one Of unusually fe
: collision between the North and the South. L
e storm was seen gathering the clouds seem
e increasing in portentous gloom and blackne
The worst anticipatlons were realized at t
y very commencement of the session. Wee
: were consumed in vain attempts to elect
o Speaker. The Hotspurs Of the South soon Il
d no room to doubt that they were resolved to
e sist with unwonted violence upon the claims
s the peculiar institution" and to demand I
IL concessions of the North to these extrayaga
g claims. While The champions of the South We
n thus urging on the war & bringing forward tn
terms and conditions OF settlement, the eyes
It of the North we're turned to her hitherto fave
: lite champion TO defend her rights, ard to raj
It his potent and mighty arm in the cause of hbt
a ty at a crisis like this. 1t was thought that
!. whose ancestors periled life in the struggle
freedom, would in such critical and perilo
1 moment as this, be found on the side of ibert
D 1t was thought that the champion Of Grecian i
dependence would certainly be true to the ii
Y pulses of freedom when his native New EnglaI
was concerned and looking TO him with anxo
and mplorng eyes. Who then can depict Il
the dismay and indignant surprise pictured
every cUuntenance when the .'7th of Marcel