The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-16
THE REPU BLIC.

iudicious. AN earlier moment would have e. posed
our eulogies to those exaggerations which, whi!e
they do justice In some measure to the feelings
whence they spring, are no proofs OF sound Judg-
ment in the uterer, nor sources OF honor To their
lamented object. The great departed owe little TO
the record Of their worth which is made IN the
mdst Of sudden emotions, when me iresnnes' al
personal intercourse mingles with recollections OF
public virtues, and the object observed through
the tears of recent sorrow bears with IT the pTis-
matte hues which distort it's fair proportions. and
that simplicity which is the characteristic OF true
greatness And equally just lie il to the dead whom
we would honor, and TO our feelings which would
promote that honor, that We have not postponed
the season TO period when time would 50 have
mitigate ed our Just regret to direct our eulogies
only TO those lofty points of Mr.. Webster's char
acter which strike but from afar; which owe their
distinction less to their afinities with public sym
pathy than to their elevation above ordinary as.
cent and ordinary computation.
That distance, too, in Government like ours, 10
dangerous TO just homage TO the distinguished
dead, however willing may be the survivor, for
smaller objects intervene. and by proximity hide
the proportions which survey from afnr, |
and diminish that just appreciation which is ne
cessary to the honorable praise that ID TO perpetu
ate public fame.
Mr.. Webster was distinguished statesman;
tried cir, in nearly all the various positions whchn
our Government the civilian is called on to I'll, and
in all these places the powers Of gifted mind,
and improved by practical educa-
ton, were the great means by which he achieved
ton. With all Mr.. Webster's professional great
ness, with all his unrivaed powers in the Senate,
with bis great distinction as dIplomatist, he wns
fond of credit scholar; and his attainments, II
not of the kind which give eminence to merely
literary men, were such as gave richness and
tersencss TO his own composition, and vigor and
attraction to bis conversation. His mind was
moulded to the strong con .epion oithe Epic poet,
rather than the gentle phrase Of the didactic and
his preference for natural scenery seemed to parake
of his literary tasteit was for the strong the ele
waited, the grand. His childhood and youth joyed
in the rough sides Of the mountains of New Hnmp-
shire, and his age found delightful repose on the
wild shores Of Massachusetts bay. He was a lover
of Nature not in her holiday suit of field and
flower, but in those wild exhibitions of broken
coast and isolated hills that to stir the mind
into activity, and provoke 1t into emulation OF the
grandeur with which it ia surrounded. Yes, sir,
MIR Webster had with him much of the gentle
ness which gives beauty to social life, and dignity
and attraction to the domestic scene, just as the
rugged coast is often placid the geutest lake,
and the summit OF the toughest hill is frequently
bathed in the softest sunlight. and clad in flowers
of the most delicate hues MIR. Webster's person
strongly indicative of the character of his
mind; not formed for the lighter graces but grace
full in the noblest uses Of manhood; remarkable in
the stateliness Of its movements, and dignifed in
the magnificence of lite repose. Mr.. Webster
could scarcely pass unnoticed. even where I'M
known. There that in his mien which at
tracted attention and awakened interest; and his
head (whether its countenance was lighted by a
smile. such only he could give, or fixed by con-
temptation, such as only he could ndulge) seemed
an
"Arched and ponderous roof,
BY it's own weight made s,eadfast and imulovabe,
Looking tranquility"
With all Mr.. Webser's lofty gifts and attain
ments, he was ambitious. Toiling upwards from
the base of the political ladder, it Ia not to be
denied that he desired TO set his foot upon the up
most round. This could not have been thirst for
power; nothing of desire for the exercise of abso-
lutte authority could have been in that aspir alton;
for the only absolute power left (if any be lefO
by the Constitution OF the Executive OF this nation
is "MERcY." In Mr.. Webster it the dis
tinction which the place conferred, and the sphere
of usefulness it presented. He regarded it the
crow ming glory of bis public life-a glory earned
by his devotion of unparalleled taents and unsur-
passed craftsmanship. This ambition in MIR. Web
ster modesty. He could not gee, others
saw and felt, that no political elevation was neces
sary TO the completion of his fame or the dstinc.
ton of his craftsmanship. Ii was not for him to
understand that the last round of political prefer
ment, honorable Us it ia, and made more honorable
by the lustre which purity OF motive, great talents,
and devoted patriotism, are now shedding down
upon it. He could not understand that prefer
lnent, honorable il is, unnecessary to him;
that it could add nothing to his political stature,
nor enlarge the horizon of his comprehensive
views. IL is the characteristic of men Of true great
ness, of exalted talents, to comprehend the nature
and power of the gifts they possess. That. sir,
is a n homage to God who bestowe them But it
ia also their misfortune TO be dissatisfied with the
means and opportunities they. have assessed to
exercise those gifts to great national purposes.
This is merely distrust of themselves. The world,
sir, compr bends the of the talents Of great
Statesmen and gives them credit for their mastery
powers, without asking that those powers should
be tried in every position in which public men may
be placed.
see not in oil the character, gifts and attain |
ments OF Mr. Webster any illustration OF the Bril-
fish Orators exclamation relative to "the shadows
which we are;" nor do discover in the splendid
and the aims of his lofty ambition any thing
10 prove "what shadows we pursue"
The life of such Daniel Webster is one
of solid greatness; and the objects he pursued are
worthy Of being made in the image Of God.
life Of honorable distinction is substantive and
permanent object. The good OF man and the true
glory and happness of his country are the sub |
sta nt'al things, the record of which generation
hands down to genera ton inscribed with the name
of him that pursued them I will not, sir. tres
pass on this House by any attempt to sketch the |
character or parratc the services Of Mr. Webster;
too many will have share in this days exercises
to allow one speaker SO extensive range. IL lie
enough for me if, in obeying the indications OF
Others give to my effort the tone OF respect with
which the statesman and the patriot Webster
was regarded, well by the nation at large ns by
those whom have the honor to represent on this
floor. And in the remarks OF those W hose means
Of Judging have been better than mine, will be
found his chara ct,ristcs of social and domestic
life.
How keeuly Mo. " eb ter relished the relaxa-
tion6 winch puOIlC duties sometimes aHo"cu,
had opportunity of judging; for he loved to
call to my recoIIections scenery which had been
familiar to me in childhood, as it was lovely 10
him in age. Though dying in office, Mr.. Web
ster permitted to breathe his last in scenes
made classical 10 others by his uses and dear to
him by their mnstrations to aud correspondence
with his Taste.
The good of bio country undoubtedly occupied
the last moment. of his cbbing life; but those mo-
rnents were not disturbed by the immediat pres
sure of official duties, and in the dignity oil do
mestic quiet he passed onward; and while at
distance communities awaited in grief and awe the
signal Of his departure, the deep diapason OF the
Atlantic wave, us il broke upon his own shore.
was a fitting requiem for such parting spirit
NIessrs. APPLETON, of Maine; PRESTON, of
Kentucky; SEYMOUR, of New York; BAYLY,
Of Virginia; sTANLY, of North Carolina. md
TAYLOR, OF Ohio, generally addressed the House
upon the subject before il; when
The resolutions offered by Mr.. DAVIS, OF Massa-
chusotts, were adopted, and
The House ad burned.
---------,, 49,
FRiGHTFUL lNCREAsE OF CRIME In view Of
some Of the outrageous crimes lately perpetrated
in come of our large cities, the following passage
from a late oraton of MIR Mncaulay, the historian,