New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-10-26

generally Dttp gwen 20 lu>t euCI - nc
undoubtedly held 70 DC right and proper HIS views on
the transient end compsI svey uuiraportsnt fnaacSi
questions Of the Bank and the Tsrf are now Of Little
conse Ience. Posteriy will Judge him by his relation
to the only subjects which pOsiery VIII care Tor In
vrescnt history the only really great or dii ,t SUD
iects with which tire American sts'esman hiss 10 deal,
thaf Of the foreign policy Of the Republic AMI thst of
slavery IN our foreign policy Mr. WxnsrER from
r-st 10 last had broad and generous views From the
time of his Greek speech to the hour Of bis death y-s
terdsy morning are not aware thu. he ever wavered
On that point h wished he country 10 NJ power on
earth end exercise among the nations that nEuence
10 which her strength and her principles Justly entitled
her We have In cur pocket private circular nom
tire " ehster Committee OF New-forS- IN which his
claims 10 the Presidency are ST 1gy urged on tos
very ground and with entire lusilce Tor none oi our
puhhc men have been more consistently American than
Mr. WEBSTER IN this respect
ON the Question Of slavery. tho test and toueatone
of American staesmsnsh.p which more than anything
else VIII decide in the future the repuiaons o. toIAy
Mr WEBSTER fer thirty years held a oeter p's',.ou
than sny of his very eminent cOtcmpo'sr's. IL u
speech at Plymouth IN ls20 in his speech AZ MODS
Garden IN 1851 in his speech in FGnuei Hall IN Noyem
hey lsi4 ir he Address Of the AntiTeNas COnvennon
Of lSi5 and on many ether occasions, pubhc ana pEi
vs;e he had declared against Slavery In the clsaret
sri most emphatic manner. y. Nolos Garueh ne
Lad SAID:
"My oppostou TO slavery in this country, TO TIE IN
crease of representation IN Congress general an
Gi'elsa. y Hes 40 bu ,s al snch rx,sn
son and all n increase in al places n all times under
all Inducements AsAAurs "a
supposed limitation Of great interests against al cono
tons. agans: al compromised . r.,
To this position Mr. WEBSTER adhered III tue tath
7h of March 1850 As afe rs 1873 ne claimed the WI
mo, Froyso n his thunder ald professei himself viii
ing and able % stand the Buffalo platform IN Una
year he hsd urged the Free soil movement ana hau
held private conferences OF counsel snd enc0Neen
with those who ere the leaders ot the free S'u
uary OF Massachusetts, BIZ. when "A ls5O lie ef'Sl5
Gene lie f,tercd and fell The struggle het"een rec
dom and Slavery, between Justice ana lWusuce w1lc1
had been going for hteen years had a. engtn req NED
that point in the Estious Councils which ali good men
desired. Slavery had proved 20 be the weakest AMI
hsG yielded. The ordinance Of Freedom, the Wllin
Proyiso had passed the House Of Representatives and
would have passed the Senate but for the stupidity Or
traachery Of John Davis in talking against time I'll me
Senate adjourned. The Shave Power made one more
lily desperate and apparently hopeless one tlrln
ness the part OF the North would have settled the
Cuestou forever and given fatal blow 10 the curse
ard opprobium Of county by placing the National
Government where Il belongs, openly AMI permanently
on tie sill Of Freedom and Justice
Al this uncture, Mr.. WEBSTER suddenly changed his
posiron and renowned the views he had publicly held
Tor thirty years lie sssaed the opponents oil slavery
he spoke ard voted against the Wimot Frovl5o AM
cave HE cordial and effective support TO tn en-
actrent OF the Fugitive Slave Law Inc prmciple
reason he gave tor this extraordinary change OF OPINION
wa that The agitation the subject o slavery Wa h
dAngering the stability Of the Union. II sdcicnt an
swer 70 this ~ state that the public funds wer. not In
the least affected and showed symptoms OF danger
that not gun had been hred, nor soldier brought
inro efeld in opposition 70 the Government anr Ihat
the Governir ent itsel at least s principal ocers,
Precedent Taylor and his Secretary OF State, M Clay
ton with every means OF Information AT Their comnand,
had no apprehensons OF the result the secret OF tue
Whole thing being, according to Mr. Cytons puOi.hei
declarations since, that ambitious men had ralsen inc
chost OF dlsscuiion, 10 get the credit o; laying "
We shall not undertake to judge OF Mr. WEssrEss
moiyes-to decide whether he wa really alarmed az
,he aspect OF aairy, whether, his enemies nave
alleged he az umed fear which there no reason To
feel ard sought obtain the electoral support Of tho
South by defending her against the Slavery agitation,
and OF the North By savng the Union, and preserving
the pqace Of the country Whatever his motives, he
rursued his object with admirable zeal ana energy.
The most striking manifestation OF power in hi' whole
career bis effort Of the last two years IN behai oil
Slavery sud the Fugitive Slave Law. lie succeeded 10
an nnost incredible degree in changing and cOruptng
the public sentiment OF the North though the invincoe
strength OF the ausnvery feeling offered success'ul
resistance biz assaults and stands erect and unshaNe
B whle he has gone down to his grave disappoIhteu
baled man Alter all his servccs 10 the Sou 'er''V7
greater than rendered to hec by rny othcr
person. the South ungraeiuly deserted him In me- hor
Of need She gave him not snge vote IN tne Natiohh
his 70 he hoped that the future in Judging Mr. WEB-
STIR will forget his thirty years service o the cause
If Freedom in The contemplation OF his TWO years ser
vice of Savey There is great reason 20 believe that
he was deludcd by false information, and by eyil al
yisers and that had he followed the dictates OF his own
great heart rather than the cOunscs OF crazy men, ne
never would have fallen from his high position
Mr. WEBSTER has departed this life, calmly, bravery
piousy. He has died ms Christian ou3h, 20 uie
II l. mid by those who have known him well, that he
wat man of uncommony strong religious feelings and
firm believer IN the truths Of revelation We have
heard from the lips Of eminent men, who poltcaly
were among the warmest opponents OF Mr. WEBSTER
who had in former years been fanilary acquainted
with him. very decided testimony 70 the tevor OF h'
devotional feelings and 10 the extent o his acquaintance
with the Sacred Scriptures and with the most profound
points of Christian doctrine and faith. " SUI i've,
were his last words lie still lives we also may say
His mighty spirit in another world viii Ind that res
which was hardly given 10 il here and hs splendid In
teect will ind filter topics for it, exercise than the
bills of the senate or the cases OF the Courts.