The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-11-19

awaken surprise that, under the pressure OF
such legal labors, he should have stood up 50
stoutly and so long. Butwhen we accumu.
late the other achievements Of his life
his miscellaneous studies-his labOriuos re.
searches into almost every department OF
knowledge-his agricultural supervision
and care-his varied, continuous and vol
luminous eOrrespondence-hi magnificent
addresses upon literary and patriotic topics
and occasions-his social duties though
pleasing, vet rendered numerous and ex-
hausting BY his high distinction-his long
continued and prodigiOus Legislative labors
in the councils Of the Union, partaking Ia
the discussion Of the many exciting ques-
tions that have arrested or shaken the cOun-
try-his task so successfully performed as
the head of the State Department--and the
wear and tear Of the constant excogitation
ofhis stupendOus intellect, we are impressed
with astOnishment, not only at the mind
that could accomplish such gigantic labors,
but at the corporal frame, which, for sew
enty years, could sustain the working Of
such huge enginery. Surely 1t was not Of
common materials, as il was not of com.
mon mould. II had the elements of rare
endurance and unwonted power. But, at
last, exhausted, it has released its hold up
on the great soul that has so long inhabited
and informed it. And yet, up TO very re-
cent period, we could not speak OF him as
having grown old in his labors, for years
left no enervating mark upon him, but only
seemed to lay an accumplating wealth ol
dignity and majesty upon that historic head
In the short period of our national ex.
istence, our country has been wonderfully
fruitful of great men. The stirring period
of her revolutionary history was calculated
to bring out and excite to utmost tension,
whatever Of talent, power and genius then
existed amongst her sons. The succeeding
stage of her career was scarcely less adapted
to call into requisition the utmost efforts of
her children, IN the necessity The time im-
posed, of reducing chaos into order, aud
organizing, launching, AMI boldly carrying
forward this new government; and intel.
lectual capabilities could not lie idle, when
such tempting fields of conquest stretched
within the view oflandable ambition. And
yet the eye may glance along the starry
names that hang in the clear sky Of our ma
iional history, and il will find none of
greater magnitude or brighter ray than that
which has Just ascended TO take its merited
position in the consolidated dome.
In real intellectual strength il is probable
that WEBSTER rarely had his equal since
the morning of time. Certainly, at the
time Of his death, no man known to us, in
any Of the nations, evinced like capacity.
Strength, mental sinew, was his crowning
characteristic. The resistless power with
which he trod the field of contest betOkened
inevitable overthrow TO those who dared
oppose him. When the chosen champion
OF the South, amidst the Civilizations Of his
friends, endeavored 10 bind and fetter the
arms OF WEBSTER with the tough cords that
had been so long fabricating and seasoning,
the giant sat in calm repose, till his enc
mics reioiced in the anticipated accomplish
ment of their object; then, slowly rising as
if sustaining the dropping hopes of the
country, with the light of conscious supe-
riority beaming from his eve, he tore asun-
der the strands that bound him like wisps
of straw, and applying his stalwart ShOul-
derS to the temple his adversaries had
reared, whelmed the structure and architects
in one common undistinguishable ruin.
No intellectual contest in this country, had
ever excited similar hopes and fears. The
| whole people had started TO their feet at Il e
eloquent and audacious assault that Col
| HAYNES had made upon him. Great and
commanding as all knew his powers; to be
confident as was the reliance of his friends
in the exhaustless fertility of his genius.
vet every one but himself, felt the tremOr of
fear that there was a possibility of failure,
that in that time of awful responsibility, the
lustre of his name might dim and die be-
fore the darling splendor of the Southern
eft Rtt fFny,, tho Epct fhaf his
clarion note resounded in the Senate, hope
changed to confidence then peal on peal Of
withering sarcasm broke over the heads of
his affrighted foes he brushed their cob
web arguments from sight, planted the
patriotism of the old Bay State on an i'm
mortal eminence, and closed with strain
of deep and magnificent eloguence upon the
blessings; the necessity, and the glory of
the UNION that has no parallel in the re.
cords of speech. What were his sensations
during the delivery of this splendid oration,
he has himself narrated, in answer to a
friend. al felt, said he, g as if everything
had ever seen, or read, or heard, was float.
ing before me, in one grand panorama, and
had little else 10 do, than to reach up, and
Gull thunderbolt, and harL at him."
In referring to professional argument
made by him only five or six months since
we said of him, and now repeat, that thirty
! years ago, when WEBSTER was in the fresh
ness of his ambition, and the prime of his
! physical life, he must have been the most
convincing, resistless, terrific advocate that
ever stood before jury. So many forces
mingled in him-such substratum Of com.
mon sense, the great primitive rock that
supports all else-such comprehensiyeness
and sweep of glance-such imagination
when he chose to permit its intrusion
amidst his sterner thoughts-such diction
every word asledge- -hammer-such capacity
for stripping off all disguises in which in.
genuity may have dressed its sophistries-
such advantages of person, of presence,
manner, eye and voice, were perhaps never
united in equal proportions, in any indi.
vidual before. The arguments of his oppO.
nents were brittle in his hands. What Cor.
dian knots he could not wait to unite, he
rent in twain. Before this tribunal-a Jury
to our mind, unquestionably though this
may not accord with the general view,
WEBSTER stood in the position, of all others,
best adapted to display his resources and
his strength. Some suppose that the Sen
ate furnished the brightest scene for his in
tellectual gladiatorship. Many think, from
the logical character of his mind, that Sc
we're and close ratioeinatiOn before the Su-
preme Court Of the United States, was the
element in which he found himself most at
home. And some imagine, that on great
occasions of public interest, and before pop
L. l. 4