New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-11-03

Arely SUCCESSFUL career descended from an an
cestry originally Scotch, but for a time resident
in England, which migrated to this country very
soon after the Landing at Plymouth, he was born
IN Salisbury, (now Boscawen,) New Hampshire,
on the 18th Of January, 1882. His life has there
fore been extended over nine months beyond the
seventy years allotted to man. His earliest
known progenitcr was Thomas Webster, who
settled at Hampton, near the sea-coast Of New
Hampshire, as early as 1886. The Websters
we're generally farmers and Con occasion) SOL
diers, were fair haired, Of light complexion and
slender frame. The statesman inherited his
sturdy frame, dark features, black hair, ETC.,
from his fathers mother, daughter of Rev.
Stephen Batchelder, and woman Of remarkable
force and character. His own mother was also
a woman Of rare intellectual powers His
father, after fighting well for his King and coun-
try in the French and Indian wars, obtained,
after the peace of 1868, grant Of land III
Salisbury, at the head of the Merrimac river,
and there built his log cabin and commenced his
clearing in 1764-the farthest North of any
British subject in New England The log house
hong since vanished, as did the frame one built
beside it, in which Daniel Webster was born !;
but that the farm remains in the family, and
the trees which shaded his boyhood and the well
whence he guenched his thirst, still wooed him
with their well-remembered attractions, on each
visit, to the last
Young Webster received his education in the
common schools Of his native town, in the Phil
lips Academy, at Exeter, in the family of Rev.
Samuel Woods, of Boscawen, and at Dartmouth
College, to which his father resolved unsolicited
to send him-a great undertaking for q poor far
mer, in what was still almost a pioneer settle
ment. His brother Ezekiel was also sent a little
later to Dartmouth, imposing on them both, as
well as on their parents, the necessity of OBJ
serving a most rigorous economy. But they
were both carried credibly through, and more
than justified the fond hopes of their parents
Ezekiel became a lawyer of eminence, but fell
dead (of disease of the hearty while arguing
cause in Concord, N. H., in 1899
Daniel Webster entered college in 1897, and
graduated in 1901, spending the next year as
Principal of an Academy at Freburg, Maine,
earning his livelihood by copying legal records
After spending few months in the law Office
of a Mr.. Thompson in Salisbury, he went to
Boston, and entered as student the Office Of
Christopher Gore, an eminent lawyer and states
man, where he made rapid proficiency, and was
admitted to the bar in March, 1905. Return
ing to New Hampshire, he declined a proffered
clerkship in the Court, Of which his father was
now a Judge, and as his father was visibly de-
clining, he settled beside him at Boscawen, till
the old mans death, which occurred in April
lCOO 1uc IcAt year TtlluVulSutu HE
business to his brother Ezekiel, and removed to
Portsmouth, and was married the following
summer to Grace Fletcher, daughter of Rev
M. Fletcher, of Hopkinton, N. H. By her he
had four children-Grace, Fletcher, Julia, and
Edward-of whom Fletcher alone survives. Ed
ward died in Mexico, in 1847, while serving as
a Major of Massachusetts, Volunteers Julia
became Mrs. Appleton, and died in Boston somt
years ago.
Mr.. Webster lived nine years in Portsmouth
and was thence elected to Congress in Noyem.
ber, 1912, and reelected in 1914. New, Hamp
shire then elected by general ticket, and we be
lieve Mr. Webster uniformly led the Fedora
ticket. His talents were widely known to b.
extraordinary, though he had filled no publi
station, when he was first elected at thirty year
of age.
Either Mr.. Webster's own squeamishness 0
that of the editors of the successive editions
his speeches, have done injustice to his abilitie
by suppressing some of the nobler forensic effort
of his early manhood. We have clear recol
lection of reading Fourth of July Oration
his-we think delivered when he was but twenty
| one, or, at most, twenty-five years of age
which, for ability of statement, breadth of vie1
and vigor of language, would do credit to tn,
maturest mind. But it was Federal GRAFTON
and you will look for it in vain in any collection
Of his speeches. So of the great majority of his
anti-war speeches in Congress from 1913 to 1916
inclusive. True, he did not oppose the prosecu
tion of the war, now we were in for it.
Mr.. Webster's anti-war speeches of 1881
have rarely been surpassed in vigor and cogen
cy, and coming from young country lawyer
entirely unused to public life, they evinced
mind of unsurpassed ability.
In 1916 the Federal party of NewHampshir
were defeated in the Congressional election, bu
we are not sure that Mr.. Webster had consente,
to run third time In August of that year h
removed to Boston, and devoted himself entirel,
to the practice of the law. He declined a nomi
nation to Congress in 1918, and an election t.
the Senate which influential men offered to can
vass for in his behalf at little later period, bu
served as Presidential Elector in 1920, and a
a member of the Convention which revised tn
Constitution of Massachusetts,, in 1921. In tn
fall of 1922, he was again pressed to represen
Boston in Congress, (House,) and so urgentl,
that he did not feel at liberty to decline. I'll
was chosen by over 1000 majority, and returne'
to the Councils of the nation, after an absenc
of six years.
Ut his subsequent career we may speak NOR
hurriedly, since its leading features must b
fresh in the minds of most citizens. He distin
guished himself (1823) by proposition lookin!
to an early recognition Of Greek independence
and magnificent speech in its support. H
favored also like acknowledgement of Soutl
American independence. In 1924, he made hi
great free trade speech-the ablest ever deli
vered on that side Of the question. Boston wa
then the focus Of free trade, and the Federalist
were its principal champions, while the mass
the democracy, counselled by Clay, Snyder
d. d. Tompkins, Baldwin, II. Niles, Matthe
Carey, ETC., had for years been the ardent ad
| vocates of protection. The times have altere
since then; Mr. Webster. has seen occasio
greatly to modify, if not entirely retract h
| free trade notions.
| New England unitedly supported John Quinc
| Adams for President in 1924, and Mr.. Webste
concurred, though never personally an admire
of Mr.. Adams. He and John Randolph wer
tellers when the House elected Mr.. Adams Pre-
sident-by the vote of ID States to 11-and b
1 became one of the ablest and most inhuentis
supporters of the administration of Adams an
Clay. Reelected in 1928 and 1926 with scarcel
O show Of opposition, Mr.. Webster was in tn
latter year chosen Senator of the Unite
States. Towards the close of 1927 his first wit
died, while he was on his way to Washington
take his seat in the Senate. The next yea
l828) was signalized by the defeat of J.
Adams and the accession Of General Jackso
to the Presidency. During the session of 1923
80 occurred the memorable debate ON Foote
resolution respecting the public lands, wherei
| Mr.. Webster, in replying to Col. Hayne,
South Carolina, vindicated his right to ran
first among living debaters.
Mr.. Webster remained in the Senate, advt
eating the re- charter of the United States Banl
condemning the veto by which that re-chart,
was defeated--opposing the reelection of Gel
| jackson, and supporting Mr.. Clay in opposite
70 b;m-virorousIu Iu onnos;uo Multi 6cat;nn xvhf