The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-26

BY the leading powers Of Europe
The Oregon question was stu In reserve and was rs
pfdly becoming urgent Mr. Webster had retired from
the department before 1t could be adjusted. The
country and Congress had become impatient The Pres
sIs.a s and unausioned and strong disposition was
manifested in Congress to terminate the convention Of
joint occupation; step which could hardly have failed
produce appeal to the right Of the strongest It
was . moment when war was by many persons deemed
inevitable Resolutions of inquiry into the military and
By leading friend o. the ssinissrstiOn AZ tiis
critical period Mr. Webster addressed letter gen.
tleman Ont McGregor) not beicngng TO the British
ministry but possessing tDer confidence in which the
real merits Of the controversy treated with equal
strength and candor While the Of the English
degree of which tt at offer was withdrawn
by our government, it was firmly stated thai Ameri
can standardization would ever agree to boundary more
favorable to England than that parallel Of latitude The
influence OF this statement FROM Mr. Webster, though
not In ofhce was decisive and the two governments
to, now member Of Parliams mt for glasgow.
years the country was twice saved with honor and
edit from the evils of war, by the talent prudence
and influence ofMr Webster.
But even the eminent services connected with the
foreign relations Of the country sink into ingnhcance
compared with Mr.. Webster's recent agency in
his norabe speech OF the 7th of March 1850 What
effort did much to stay the progress Danger
Gus opinions to expose the inevitable tendency Of the
spirit Of disunion to rouse national feeling and to
protIate the hopes of those who acting opposite
principles IN different parts Of the country baronized
Only in the endeavor to destroy the constitution
Few persons at Washington at the time are aware
Of the height to which sectional excitement and amino
stiles bad arisen To those who are well informed Is to
the real state OF things it Is known that condition of
affairs of the most formidable nature existed The dis
ruption Of ths Union event which stared In
the face Had that session Of Congress passed over with
nothing done calculated to esy the discomfort Of the
Southern States and to check the progress extreme
whether another session Of Congress could have been
held.
In word, moment of imminent peril had arrived
and q needed for the crisis 1t necessary
that he should be Of the highest standing and cha
racer ofthe most commanding eloauence and influence
fearless at and prudent and ready to risk favor
and fame in the discharge OF conscientious duty to the
country. Such man found in Mr. Webster; and
cordially as we acknowledge the merit and services of
any other distinguished ndividuas we ask with conf
dence whether another could have been found uniting
the same qualities in the sans degree and so circum-
duty required by the critical condition Of the country?
Does any ore now see or can any one now point out
character talent ana political association to discharge
the duty which was performed by Mr. Webster on the7th
OF March, 1882
His speech Of that day is to be regarded not more as
parliamentary effort than In the history
the country Everywhers at the South IL welcomed
with enthusiasm and gratitude and produced insau-
feotipg at the North who had been only doubt
f but fearfuy anxious in regard to the preservation
Of the Union found in Ii the exposition of those princi
PIES which this greatest Of blessings might be hoped
for 1t cannot be denied that presented views repug
10 the precOnceVeu opinions OF NUMBER OF
well disposed and patriotic citizens of the North but II
IL believed that time and the opportunity Of further
Election have convinced many Of them, that the
doctrines of the speech those Of the constitution
and the laws; and that these departed from Sc
parstion Of the States is inevitable.
The influence Of this speech throughout the country
was soon manifest. Letters and addresses signed BY
hundreds and thousands Of persons Of the
pectabity pouredin upon Mr. Webster from every quar-
ter pedgipg the support of their sgners and cheering
him onward in his 1t impossible that he
should not have been Of the hasard he
TO or that the duty he had undertaken pas
time But he has been nobiy sustained and often from
quarters the most unexpected Meantime his strength
demanded BY the condition Of affairs His various ad
dresses to public meetings and his to letters
esived BY him Throughout the remainder of the year
1850 have displayed an energy Of thought, power Of
writing and Of speaking aud general vgor and activity
OF mind such he had evinced In his earlier
years The occasion has seemed to call forth every
faculty of his mind every patriotic feeling
OF bis heart In the midst Of the excitement incident
TO the state Of affairs while called upon to address. the
people public occasions Of every description with
overwhelming correspondence and under the burden OF
the current duties OF the Department Of State he found
which legislatures have returned him votes Of thanks
which has gratlfed every American heart and which
has been printed, translated, and read, q; home and
abroad more extensively we presume, than any other
American production.
Nor did his sbors cease with the immediate occasion
which called them forth Public opinion seemed still to
demand the continuance Of his exerons and who has
not witnessed with asonishment his speeches and letters
during the present especially those speeches which
were usliNtrel py IN YORK, rom Lake Erie To
the sea- following each other with unexampled rapidy
AID exhibiting of asoniug fierce Of eoqrence
and an srdor CT patriotism surpassed unless By
himself In the great and browning effort occasion OF
laying the stone Of the capitol the 4h OF July
Let us not be thought TO claim exclusively for Mr.
others participated We freely and oheerfully admit
that order TO accomplish the great work OF national
cancellation the patriotic cooperation OF other distin
guehed men and leading statesmen In various parts Of
the country ndispensibly necessary Such coope-
ration was rendered with the warmss. zeal and the
to the patriotic statesmen who Without dsnc
tion Of party contributed their efforts TO rescue the
country from the impending catastrophe
We would In especial manner bear witness TO the
wisdom and hrmness Of President Fillmore aud to the
steadinets prudence and courage, with which he has
administered the government in season Of uaexamped
difficulty.
IL Is quite evident however 20 any one who will atten-
lively consider the state Of opinion In and out Of Con-
gress In 1850 that all ether influences however impor
isnt would have been unavaiug but for the assurance
afforded by the speech Of Mr. Webster that the persons
90 the greatest Influence and highest standing at the
North might be depended on arm friends Of the Union
and ready TO carry the constitution faithfully into effect
even when its provisions least In accordance with the
doubt that the speech Of Mr. webster and his subse-
quent efforts have been chiefly tai In exporting
the banful effects Of systematic sgtation-in impress
ing upon honest ana patriotic citizens OF cjnst
tutona duty-and In ring good and faithful
throughout the country that the union Of the States
destined to endure Webesve that all persons who take
IMPARTIAL view OF politics will concur in the opin-
ION that while the existence Of this agitation fs-med the
cb tourcr OF danger 70 the Union in 1870 the speech OF
Mr. Webster more than any other cause contributed 70
avert the catsstropfe II be left TO the intelligent
and candid to decide whether the recent suspicious
suit q the Southern elections Is not mainly owing the
belief that Mr. Webstefs this oocaiop, has
been sustained by the Of the two grea. political
parties 10 the non-.lsveholdng States, with whatever
violence u may be denounced by the third party recent
ly formed on the basis Of anti slavery agitation
The conduct Of Mr. Webster, as public man for a full
generation, nov before the public The greater part
OF that time he has paced la Congress with what honor
TO bis immediate constituents and what benefit 70 the
country at large need not be said Twice he has been
called 70 an important executive position Secretary Of
State We have already spoken Of the in which
be performed the duties q that department Ia 1871 and
1872 We have pointed out the success with which he
disposed Of controversies ALIKE inveterae aud embarras
ing and presevered the peace Of the country honor
able terms at moment when IL seemed all but hopeless
TO avoid war. On the lamented decease Of General
Taylor he vassgain invited to the Department of state
By President Fillmore. We are confident that the
Whole country win bear US out In saying, that
when In the extremely difficult crisis Of affairs
which then existed, be took charge Of the depart.
ment there ". Of the leading Statesmen Of the
country so clearly indicated by public opinion for the
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