Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-11-13
From the Libcrator.
Death OF Daniel Webster.

! lhls topic must he Tie me lncVlluole lcN
Of the weekly discourse of the JiberdtOr, a'
well ms of every other paper in the country
We are sorry that the editor is not at home
TO bestow upon this task the strength of en-
pllnsis he would be sure to give il. The
world would then know that there was ai
least one man who did not Join in that cho.
rus of 1a,tery which Wings, Democrats, aud
even Free Soilers, have united in raising
over Mr.. Webster's coffin. We trust that he
will express his sense of what is due to him
in the next paper. In the midst of full
some p0negyric with which the air is thick
1t will he comforting to feel one winuowing
breath of discriminating truth TO help clear
away the fog, and to show the Dead some
what as he will appear to impartial posterity.
! We shall not attempt TO do justice to this
| topic, but II is due To tho Abolilionists and TO
| the Slaves, that il he known that they have
no incrnse to burn before his shrine, c,-tlini
| Death has worked no change in their opinion
of his acts when living.
II is perhaps natural feeling which
shrinks from uttering, in the stcrnest lang
ungc ones sense of the evil deeds of the
| newly dead. Even murder leaves some OF
its horror in the ghastly presence of tie
sirangled assassin. But Death, while it may
soften for moment the feelings which jus
tice exloris towards the criminal, can work
no change in his guilt or in the permanent
character of his actions. Death but sets his
seal upon both, and delivers them over TO
the unprejudiced verdict of after times
Nothing can he luore weak or absurd than
The tritc apothegm '.Nd dc morluis nisi bcnim'
Truth aud Justice are the due of the Dead
and of the Living. Flattery is as misplaced
in treating of the Dead as Detracton. 'Suun
CtIque is u better rule of action to every
lnnn his due = And the common sense Of
the world accepts this M just or History
would be u mere collection of lying Epi-
raphs.
We certainly have no praise for Mr.. Web
sier. But that is of the less consequence,
MS almost every Alectiug-housc reeked with
the most nallscous adulaiiou on the day of
his dealh--as every Court has responded 10
the lamentations OF every Blr-as every or
gnnic Body, from the Cabinet nj Washington
10 The Board of Brokers in State Street,
have joined in one syInpathizing wUl,-as
every newspaper has wrapped itself in the
sable garb of wo-ns every flag now flaps
nt holt nast, and ns these demonstrations
are but the first drops that run before the
inundnii0n of Eulogy which is 10 come
But we lnve no disposition TO employ bitter
aud his public life. The simple juxtnposi-
lion of his words at Springfield, in 1913, and
those at Washington on the Seventh of
March, 1850, would make all severity of
language as unnecessary ms il would hc tune
and weak. The gloomy terscncss OF Taciius,
or the glowing exubcrance of Glbbon, could
give no darker colOring to that portrait drawn
by his own hand. We are content to let
posterily Judge of him from that picture fur
nislied 10y himself seen in the light of the
circumstances OF the last years OF his lilG.-
While we have no regretto express for Mr.
Webster's death, we as certainly feel no en-
ultatiOn in view of il. IL God have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, much
less should man. Had VIC any personal
hustility towards him, we might lament his
dying Just at this time, il wHs, surely,
most fortunately timed for him. But we re.
gard the event as one of the slightest posi-
hlc importance, for good or for evil. Mr.
Webster had passed the time appointed for
man on enrth aud his political career would
have ended on the Fourth of next March, ii
he had been permitted TO hold his office ill
then. The shareholders, whom hc had rli-
ined his fame TO concinte, had shown the
esteem they held him IN at the Baltimore
Convention, mud the hitter dia,ribe of Mr..
Mnngum of n. C., just before Congress nd-
jpuriIcd, was but iuretastG OF whit they
had in store Tor him, for his trcnchery To the
candidate OF his party. Ills desertun 0f the
Wing party, while lac was enjoying the pre-
miership under il, had necessarily iuIirllcd
their respect and confidence, aud left him
nothing to fall back upon Int II pallry hand
ful OF sychophIIts aud parasites, eqnnlIy des-
iiIute OF political weight aud personal intlu
cnce. His strength for good and for evil
expired before his death.
Indeed, his political influence was never
great Even his speech of the 7ll Of March,
though fatal TO his fame, was immnterial 10
the result. The Compromise bills would
have passed in his despite, il not with his
aSsIslance, The Shareholders really owed
him no return for his service that day, for il
made 10 difference in the issue. They were
willing, of course, to have his aid, aud,
doubtless, were proinse of promises and fiat
ieres TO secure il; bur, substantially, il was
Of no consequence TO them They were sure
of their gnne before they cajoled him into
playing into their hands. So, as to the
effect that speech had in developing the
atheous character Of the Chief Priests aud
Levites, of the Doctors of Divinity aud
Churcll-Inembers, of the Northern Church,
il did not make the StunrIs and Deweys and
Sharps, the Springs, the Spencers, aud The
Lords, the moral monsters That they boasicd
themselves to be. 1t merely gave them the
occasion TO show themselves MS they really
were. 1t was Slavery that had been mould
ing their characters for years, through the
necessity il imposed of reconciling its exist
ence and It's necessary enorniIies with the
Christian Religion.
Indeed, it is curious to consider how in
consequential the forty years of MIR. Web
ster's public life huye been. His professional
career has been brilliant, and hus produced
results of vast profits and just repptalion.-
But his parliamentary success has fallen far
short of whit his forensic triumphs had
promised. First at the Bar, lie wus never