Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-30

JUST AND DISSEMINATING TRIBUTE.

vi the countless expressions Ol resPeot anu nonoi
to the memory of the great Statesman just lost 70
his country and the world, whether rendered by his
brethren Of the legal profession, by corporations,
popular assemblies, we have hardly seen one
which has set forth so Justly and eloquently the
character of Mr. WEBSTER, as the speech of the
Hon. REyERDY JOHNSON, of Maryland, delivered
before the Superior Court of Baltimore on the Goth
instant. 1880
When the Court opened, Mr. JOHNSON rose and
addressed it as follows
May it please your Honor: Before you proceed with
the ordinary business Of the Court beg leave to make
a request in behalf of the Bar.
The sad which induced your adjournment of yes
terday fell heavily hearts, and the deceased was
SO connected with profession and had for SO many
years adorned and elevated it, that had melancholy
pleasure in meeting together to express admiration
Of DANIEL WEDsTER-to minge tears with those of
the nation, and to bear especial testimony Of
of the great loss his death is to class and
appreciation of the many illustrations his professional
has given of the tendency the law when properly
studied and comprehended enlarge the sphere ndi
vidual POLITICAL and national justice The result Of the
meeting will be found in the resolutions which hold in
my hand My immediate purpose is to ask that they be
placed the files of the Court permanent record Of
the sentiments which influence us.
But before do this ask permission trespass few
moments on your indulgence. DANIEL WEBSTER sdead
Although anticipated for few days. the public heart was
not able bear the calamity II fell for moment under
the shock. 1t literally stunned by the blow. No
man was heard to speak no man who did not
Indicate the Deep narrowing sensblity to great ire
parable public loss. Why this? Mr.. WEBSTER had
ever lived in comparatively distant State and there he
had died. He was with in person but occasionally
and then only for brief periods His social relations had
embraced but few of our cizenshs intellectual powers
had never been fully displayed amongst u.s. Why then
the universal and sincere grief the intelligence that
on the oath of October all that mortal of Daniel
Webster more" The is in every heart
His spirit had local mts-hs counses had no local
objects His vision from the first and was coexen-
ve with the EXTREMIST confines of his country and even
reached with anxious gaze beyond and wherever there
appeared the semblance of hope that freedom could find
home. He was, it true of New Hampshire by birth
and of Massachusetts, by adoption but his heart as was
its duty every where throughout the Union beating
with rapture at all the manifestations of its true glory
power and sharing with his mighty intellect in those
and brilliant and almost superhuman efforts to
display its value to people, and the cause of
freedom throughout the world and perpetuate its exist
ence The indulgence you kind enough to extend to
would be abused if attempted to recaptulate the
many occasions in his public life in which his
sive patriotism shone farth
To two of these, however may be pardoned for part
cuarly adv@tng-the speech in reply to Mr.. Hayne,
made in the Senate of the United States on the DIST of
july $780, and that of the It'll of March, 1850 in the
same body on the slavery question. Whilst these are
models of parliamentary eloquencewhst in that parti-
car the history Of human spoken thought be search
ed in vain for single effort surprising the first and the
illustrations Of pure and enlarged patriotism which man
has furnished do not in that regard transcend either
it is the broad national spirit the perfect love of Amer
hprtu cd Iona hvo U,;n.
the constitution fathers gave u.s. that renders the
name of DANIEL WEBSTER dear the American mind
1t is not too much to say that the dangerous and almost
fatal heresy OF notification trumphany met and
subdued by the first of these efforts that it has never
since ventured in its original FORM make its appear
ance Its chivarous champion fell before the blow and
his cause fell with him never again to revive. What
might have the fate Of the country for this r
umph, man certainly tell. But we do know that
dreaded possible was averted by it, and that then
and always has the nation acknowledged the deem debt of
gratitude owed for the result On the ether OCCASION the
It'll March, 1850, like danger, though from different
cause impending. The South believed her peculiar
institution of domestic seryude to be threatened by their
brethren Of the free States They thought their const
tutional rights about to be violated They believed
1t the purpose degrade them in the ewes of the
world by denying to them their absolute equality under
the constitution with the rest Of the Union sensitive
people alive to their State and individual honor and
with courage which faltered it became evident
that rupture inevitable and one which must in the
end terminate our existence as one nation, unless the
ncntly obviated Whether this could have been accom-
pshed by other than those which were finally
adopted there be differences of opinion but II il due
to truth to say that then living contributed more
to the happy result Of that struggeto the removal of
the dangerous sectional agitation with which the whole
land then heavng and to the restoration Of raterna
harmony and Of peace prosperity and power which now
make Us 80 absolutely happy at home, and SO valued
abroad, thss Daniel Webster.
In this second instance, oo of his great and inyalu
able services unlike the first he had to render them at
the certain temporary sacrifice Of his popularity at his
more immediate home. But he saw the danger and Game
to the rescue, regardless Of personal consequences IL
instead OF believing perhaps he had right TO believe
from his knowledge Of the substantial patriotism Of his
constituents, that that sacrifice would be but for time
he had thought that il would be forever he would not
sure, have hesitated to make it. His entire nub;c
life manifested but one master spirit teaching decided
al his mighty powers to rendering happy and pover
full at home respected and influential abroad and as far
as human means could accomplish II, to making our
Liberty and Union, [then] and forever, one and in
separable !"
Whatever differences may exist as to the measures AZ
public policy which he from time time advocated ar
the soundness Of all his interpretations of the Constitution
Of the General Government think that now when his
life s ended and the excitement Of political warfare "a
to him Is forever hushed his countrymen win never he
found to question the motives of his public conduct but
unhesitatngy believe his declaration made in the
Senate the Odd Of March, 1928 in reply to another
great man, Mr. Calhoun and TO imputed charge of
want Of patriotism that Of opinion can be found
doubtless many subjects, but conduct flows from
the feelings which animate the heart know that no act
of my life has had lie origin in the want Of ardent love of
country y that they will doubt that he had ample
warrant for the bold consciousness of his ability triu
M-lo ~x1xk a. a II a.