Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-11-05
Hon. VIM. &. Bradiey's Speech.

IL was my good fortune TO become acquainted
with Mr.. WEBSTER in early life. both
entered together the twelfth Congress, sum
moned by Mr. Madison to provide for the exi-
gencics of the war with Great Britain. What
ever may be said of their predecessors, no such
Congress has ever S It since. 1t seemed as if
each state, except perhaps our own, had there
collected the elite of its talent and poured 1t
into the Capitol. To say nothing Of the giants
Of the enate, the ouse of Representatives
was filled with host of able men, at the head
of whom on one side stood Clay. Lowndes,
Cheves, Calhoun, Grundy and Forsyth-they
are named in the order in which they took rank
in the ouse,-on the other side were Picker
ing, Benson, Stockton. Gaston Grosvenor and
ans II. These noble bands have wholly dis
appeared except Mr. Cheves, who probably
owes his surviving to his early withdrawal from
the eXhausting abors Of congressional life, al
though every way qualified to fill and adorn
any station. 1t was among these statesmen
that Ma. WEBSTER appeared and, although
new member and but thirty years Of age, im.
mediately took his station MS leader. Sir, we
may say what we please about phrenology and
physognomy, but 1t does seem to me as If the
Great Author of our being was sometimes
pleased to tamp upon the countenance OF man.
made in his image, some portion of his own d-
vlulty ; and appeal TO any one who ever saw
Webster in public life. whether ne was not
struck at once by the indications OF power con-
tanned in hs We Y look le spoke, if my nem-
Dry serves me, but seldom, at considerable in
tervalS and although IN his last public appear
ance he was pleased, looking at his later and
mghtIcr efforts, to treat his speeches Of that
da which really laid the foundlton of his
atne, rather slightly. yet those who heard them
-, ii, i
remained a member until the cose Of Mad-
sons administration. when, pressed by the ne
cessty of providing for hIs growing family. he
returned 20 the practice ot his profession IN his
native state; but finding it to be lncommensu-
rate with he exigeucles of his situation, he re-
moved to Boston, where vacancy occurred on
the deceaSe of Samuel Dexter. ow well he
filed it our books of Jurisprudence abundantly
prove. While thus successfully engaged, n
new state ofthings arose. During the war the
foreign commerce of the Union had been al
most anniu,atcd. our merchant ships were ly-
lng IN the docks, and. TO supply the wants
OF the people, factories OF SOne klnd or other
had been established broadcast over the land
When peace came. the vessels darted from cv-
cry port; the commerce of the country spread
with new vlgOr into every cline; immense I'M
portations Of merchandise took place, and the
infant manufactures were almost crushed. In
in'S way a compete ah'agohlSm was created
between ''e "erca"lI'r ana manufacturing IN
'eFeS'5' ana 1t WIS wen u"ue'A.oou that wen
Ster was the chNhpoh ol TIE former ana Clay
ol ,he Idl'er' Do'h were again returned, as
"eI-pdTuon lle t-olIH"' us NlEsciI,-to the
ousc in the last Congress during Mr.. Monroe's
administrations nose great men were therc
pt'ied aGalhs' each other' ana men oroKe out
tlat rivairy "hicn was never rca'iy eXtIhgulshed
uh H. 'a'eIy' III the grave oir II was SUP
ln'e SPGc'"cIe 10 see 'HoSe TWO commanding
''ill"'' any dI'eF uay' ana week aller week,
ronlehdlhE over 'hc tarlu pl!! OF lo+i. travel
ing over we "hoie science OF polll'caI econo
my, ana e"haustIhE every art OF logic or eIo-
Qnehce III an almost balanced mousse. seven
'liheS ll' OH huh4 Oh lle ensuing Vote OF the
chair' Out AT 'a'' MT' Noy PFeVaheu ana II was
P'S9e"' lne PuHc! oi 'nt government hecah'e
chhh4ed-Mr. " eoster @rhIe'oly yleI"ed 10
'He hle!h'lo1' ana l"o years afterwards, "hei
NC TOO" '"c Ituu VI lile "o'He' 'le Iirll agaih
came tP-'nu ne supported on GROUNDS d.
rttt'! Opposite 10 't''Se lie 'au tih'H oe'ore'--
mere are t'u"e "ho nave i''eF ccHS'n 10 re-
proach MI rOSter with inconsistency IN ms
respect "ut Hir' 1t seems to me mat there IS
distinction Whlch Is too often over'"oRrd or tor
the interests OF the Republic ana which ne
'ad maintained before ne Is Wholly uhit Tor
| ny Puohc Uu1t Whatever nuI "heh MS cnange
an, thiu, ,l,orct6or T,r,t. arc nf rcccssi,v
,Lwavs matters ofevnedicucv. and unchonG-
,nr one wonlJ in ti,na dotnat i,solf If rho fn-
,ura I,stor,,n Shall L,ra mn honv;nr cb,rro If
h,s nature to law or,;n.t Daniel "a ebs,cr-I
hinl, his record viii ho far md L;s fon,o w,ll
hnor ,t-nav bn NAV ha f,uud entitind IN high
nr,isn for h,y,nr snon,rt ed a nol,cv winch ro-
rnnr,lod tho rim, aIou,cn,s and 50 mich od-
y,ocnd rho nIatnri1l ,n,oro.,s of h,s conntrv
Nr Rrodlov thnn odvorted to Mr. Webster.
first annonronce in rho Senate and 70 his "a
,,,,,,. i.',ntaIt ,y,th ri arno Tbo ancestor
of tla, rcntIomon s,;d IIr p a b;rhIy es.
I,ron,ed ,nou and / tim, An offirer In The re-
yoIn,innnrv army WINS canturod bv some q,
r,rlo.or,str an. and ho, .rnnslv ana dis ,roco.
r,I,,, L,n,,od .,ho ,,'o,,,ar,, 1f ,I,, ,,rnci,y
mi, nnon ,,,o tho ho,r, ~ cou,h Cnro,,ra onJ
his Les,nnInnt hacora hor nottnd ch,ld Wcll
d,d ho in.t,fy tho nrad,Irc,,pnNfo he was
,,ar, Io,J,an ~ at,';n,non,s nrsnn,,od hon.
~ and nm accn!nI,.h"I nrotor Whon h,
,,,Ida h,s anoo>I ~ iho S-,ata in behaIf Of h,,