Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-11-04
ADDRESSES
ON THE
DEATH OF DANIEL WEBSTER,
6u The House of Representatives., Oct. 26, 1852.
Hon. VIM g. Bradley of Westmin-
Ster.
ON THE


Hon. VIM. g. Bradley of Westmin-
ster.
After abiding to his Excellency's message,
and the adjournment Of the pevious day, Mr.
Bradley proceeded as follows;
Born in the same year and but nine weeks
from each other, and living in contiguous states,
it was my good fortune to become acquainted
with Mr.. Webster in early life. We both en-
tered together the twelfth Congress- summoned
by Mr. Madison to provide Tor the eXlgences of
the war with Great Britain Whatever may be
said Of their predecessors, no such Congress has
ever sat since. 1t seemed as if each state, ex-
cept perhaps our own, had there collected the
elite of its talent and poured it into the Capitol
TO say nothing of the giants Of the Senate, the
House of Representatives was filed with host
Of able men, at the head of whom on one side
stood Clay, Lowndes, Gheves, Calhoun, Grundy
and Folsyth-they are named in the order in
which they took rank in the House, on the other
side were Pickering, Benson, Stockton, CASTOR,
GroSVenor and Hanson. These noble bands
have wholly disappeared, except Mr. Cheves,
who PROBABLY owes his surviving to his early with
drawa from the exhausling labors of congrssion-
81 life, although every way qualified to fill and
adorn any station. 1t was among these states
men that Mr. Webster appeared, and, although
new member and but thirty years of age. imme-
diatey took his station as leader Sir, we may
say what we please about phrenology ndphysi-
osnvny but IL lOss sociII II,s x ti.1 -estcat
Author OF our being was sometimes pleased to
stamp upon the countenance of man. made in
image, some portion Of his own divinity; and
appeal to any one who ever saw Webster in
public life, if he was not struck at once by the
indications OF power contained in his very look.
he spoke, II my memory serves me, but seldom,
at considerable intervals, and although in his
last public appearance he was pleased, looking
at his later and mghtier efforts, to treat his
speeches of that day, which really laid the foun
daton OF his fame, rather slightly, yet those who
1 beard them will never lose the impression which
they made, lie remained member until the
close Of Madson's administration, when, pres
sed by the necessity Of providing for his grow
/: ing family, he returned to the practice Of his
profession in his native state: but fading it to
be lRcommensurate with the eXigencles of his
situaton he removed 10 Boston, where a vacacy
occurred OH the decease of Samuel Dexter.
How well he filled it our books of jurisprudence
abundantIy prove While thus successfully en-
] gagged, Il new state of things arose. During the
| war the commerce of the Union had been al
most annlhilated, our merchant ships were lying
in the docks, and TO supply the wants of the
people, factories Of some kind or other had been
established broadcast oyer the land. When peace
came, the vessels dared from every port I; the
commerce of the country spread with new vigor
/. into every cllme immense mportatons Of mer-
! chandEe took place, and the infant manufactures
were almost crushed. In this way complete
antagonism was created between the mercantile
and manufacturing interests, end it was well un-
derSOoJ that Webster was the champion Of the
1 former and Clay the latter. Both were again
returned, as we'll pardon the cgotism-as my
self,-to the House in the last Congress during
MIR. Monroc's administration. Those great men
were there pted against other, and then broke
out that rivalry which was neither really extin
gulsbed until, lately, in the grave. Sir, it was
sublime spectacle tosee those two commanding
minds, day after day, week after week, contend
4 ing over the tariff bill of 1921, travelling over
the whole scene Of political economy, and ex-
hausting every art OF logic or eloquence in an
almost balanced house. Seven times the bill
hung on the casting vote of the chair, but al
last Mr.. Clay prevailed and it was passed. The
policy of the government became changed -
M Ss R S5s qfaeftayd ys ssa IL tR6 GqRH
OF the house, the tariff again came up-and he
supported on grounds directly opposite to those
! he had taken before. There are those who have
never ceased to reproach Mr. Webster with in
consistency in this respect; but, Sir 1t scenes
to ma that there is n distinction which is often
overlooked or forgotten. When a man berays a
principle vital to the interests of the Republic
and whlch,he had maintained before, he is Who'll
Iy unfit for any public trust whatever but when
his change is a mere yielding to expedency, it
is different thing altogether. Tariffs are of
necessity always matters OF expedency, and an
unchangng one would in time, defeat itself If
the future historian shall have no heavier charge
OF this nature to lay against Daniel Webster-I
think his record will be fair and his fame will
bear it-nay, he may be found entitled to high
praise for having supported policy which recon
cled the jarrlrg elements and so much advanc
ed the material interests Of his country.
Mr.. b. then advcred TO Mr.. Websters first
appeapn:e in the Senate aud to his famous con.
test with Col Hayne The ancestor of that
gentleman, said MIR. B., a highly esteemed man
and, think, an officer in the revolutionary ar
my, was captured by some of TarIeon's troops
and bOrbarously and disgracefulIy hanged. The
memory of the atrocty sank deep into the heart
Of South Carolina anl bis descendant became
her petted child Well did he justify the pred-
lecton-for he was gentlemen Of lofty attain
mants, unspotted honor and an accomplished or.
ator. When he made this appeal 10 the Senate
in behalf of his struggling native State his
splendid eloquence would have made lasting
impression had he met with less formidable an
tagonst. But he sank under the pondcrous
blows Of MIR Webster. and secession became at
once utterly powerless.
From the time the deceased debaer remained
in the Senate-an unmatchahle athietic-unul
he was called into the Department of State by
Gen Harrison, and this brings me to transac-
ton more Immediately affecting ourselves
| When he catered the Cabinet The northern boun.
darles Of four States, Maine, New Hamprhre.
Vermont and part of New York, were unsettled
and had remained so from the days of the revo-
luton. There had been various attempts at ad-
iustment, and my once feeble services had been
required by the government but | must confess
without much hope on my own part-for, when
President Monroe, on his tour, visited his pred
ecessor the Veneral John Adams at Quincy.
the aged patriot expressed belief that the ques-
ton would not be settled, because he had found
1t the most difficult TO arrange and the British
Ministry more peTtinacious on that pint than on
all others in forming the treaty Of 1888. The
claim OF the United States was strong on the
sida of Maine and New Hampshire, but terribly
weak on that of Vermont and New York HAVING
no better foundation than survey, contessedy
incorrect, made Of portion of the line previous
to the American revolution, The opposite par
ty was desperately resolved on securing pas.
sage between New Brunswick and Quebec, and
the rights of Maine wore too clear to be surren-
dered without her consent. We failed and tho
failure was no reproach where GaIlan and Liv-
lngston could not succeed. Tho two nations
were on the eve of an outbreak, when the Eng
llsh Ministry deputed Lord Ashburton, a highly
respected nobleman, but more conversant with
commerce than national law, to confer with the
American Secretary, who was fully versed in
every branch of the question. No one can doubt
the triumphant superiority the latter would have
exhibited IN the controversy had it been carried