Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-10
SEX DoEhAzss PEBs ANNUM.

much confidence IN mere professions and | hive
generally found that those who deal the most pro-
lusely in it are the most ready to sacrifice the 60
moral good when it comes in conflict with their
personal interest. But when man like MIR.
! Webster has deliberately shaped his course aud
| pursued it at the imminent risk Of his personal
popularity, and with the prospect of losing all his
hopes of preiermant, in order to promote what he
considered for his countrys good, and essential co
Its Integrity and sayatiou he may be held to be
a we'll tried patriot
have, | must confess, heard Of one objection
to Mr.. Webster. | have heard it rumored that
he has been at times or less embarrassed in
his peculiarly affairs, and that when in that pre-
dicament he has felt the inconyeniences of power
| ty and pecunary distress. About this, | know
personally nothing, and have not heard much. |
have 10 disposition to pry into the private afilirs
| OF others, 1t lisa matter with which we hayeno-
| thing to do in the Of Mr. Webster, unless
perchance it may have a bearing upon his mer-
| its as a candidate. The argument against him is
| tins. Ii a man cannot manage well his own ptl-
| vate afilrs he ought not to be trusted with the
affairs of others. Admitting the argument to be
true, it remains to shew the truth of the major
proposition as applied to him. Is it true that Mr..
| webster cannot manage his own affairs I! Or on
the other hand, is it not true merely that he does
not manage them because his time bus been de-
voted to the public interests and ina great meas
ure engrossed with them! When Mr.. Webster,
In early life, left the House of Representatives and
| moved to Boston, he determined to devote HIM
self to his profession. But he was not suffered
to remain there; he urged and drawn away
fromlt by the pressing solicitations Of friends and
political men, all over the country, to enpage
again in public affairs Ell e has consequently been
able only occasionally and as a sort of bye-busi-
ness to pursue his profession. He may, since,
be said to have lived and breatlled in the public
institutions of the country. To them all his en-
ergies, all bis thoughts, all his reflections have
been devoted. How then could he compete with
others In the management and acquisition of pri-
vate property? But AIr w. does not stand alone
In this particular, MIR. Pitt was embarrassed his
country, after his death, paid his debts was he,
therefore, unfit to manage public affairs JetfeT-
son aud Hamilton were embarrassed who doubts
| their competency! Mr.. Clay has been embar-
raised, and his debts have been paid for him
Who will stand up and say that he is not an ac-
complished and efficient statesman
There is similarity in some respects. in the
tate and fortune of these two men-Clay ahI
Webster--tllat is very striking They were born
without any patrimonial estate. They inherited
from their parents, poverty and a good honeer
name. They have devoted the best days of their
lives to the public interests The highest and
noblest aspirations OF their lives, have been to
blend their names with their country's history
to go down to postelity in that history as their
places which have yielded but little enonmens
mot sufficient to give them comfortable sub
sistence, considering the position they occupied
and the expenses to which they were necessari-=
y subjected. Who then will attempt to brand
them, by charging poverty upon them? What
parallels here presented for our contemplation
M ust that parallel continue Or will our Re.
public wake up and confute the charge so often
made, that Republics are migrate full
But ii this parallel is to continue Mr. Wah
ster like Clay, is TO be thrust aside. IF the idea
which has gone abroad, is to prevail-that dis.
tinguished talents and services IRE not to be re-
warded, what is the consequence Such men
VIII seek other pursuts--pursuits which will en-
able them to accumulate wealth, the want of
which is made such reproach. And you rnay
have hereafter Stephen Girards and John Jacob
Astors-but no more Henry CIays or Daniel Web.
sters.
Weare now broughtto the consideration of the
subject OF availability. Different opinions ara
entertained on this subject. Some think it ought
10 be discarded altogether; others appear to look
upon las entitled to the most prominent import
ance. They scarcely look at anything ese.-.
Their only inquiry is,-w he run ? Thus, man
kind are always inclined to run into extremes.--
1t would not do utterly to disregard it; if So vote,
would often be merely thrown away But it must
certainly be considered as subordinate to oua]i6
cation, and ought not to prevail at all un ess there
Is some clear and solid ground for supposing that
a candidate would hot be acceptable to the people
Politicians who sometimes undertake to guidei,
this NATTER ought not to set up their own perso-
nal preferences much less ought they to be actn
aed by sordid and selfish motives This question Of
availability is atogetherpremature at present. At
this stage OF the business. every one who hos 81
voice III the matter ought to consult his own
views OF what would be the best for the count,,r
under all the circumstances, and what candidate
1EaIy- fn
terests OF the country. The proper time tor
touching at all ON the more subordinate question
OF availability, would be ut the General Conyea+
tlon. Then by comparing views, that ouestio,
could be Judiciously adjusted. But, to do this, II
Is manifest that in primarily selecting tho mem
bers OF the Convention, the different sections
should consult and examine for themselves nnon
the subject of qualification If each section
should act not upon its own views but upon th,
prooabie conJectures as to what are the views i,
othef quarters, you would get in the Convention.
not the candid opinions of the different sections.
but simply their conectures as to what other sac.
tons might think. The result would be, an ntte.
absence truthiuness.
have indnlged in these remarks, however.
simply to place the subject in what consider IN
true iisnt' ana not to shrink from the nyestpa-
ton of the matter now
do not hesitate to declare NV entire conv;o
ton that Mr.. Webster is at this time dec;dadh,
the most available candidate that can be selected
from any party, to go before the people of this
country, wish every part of my proposition to
10 uis'lhct,y regarded. BY the People, l mean
not the Politicians-tIle middIe-men us H.
Burke calls them-but the rank and file. the real
bone and sinew of the country.
am prepared to prove it.
MIR. Webster whenever and whereverh he goes.
commands more attention and regard anons tha
people, than any other candidate Whether il,
the country or the city, in this direction OF that
uiiec'ioii' ttey are always anxious to meet him,
to greet him. to hear him rhara s. ~. -. ::