The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-15

Ma. PREsIDENT: " How ARE THE MIGHTY FALL
en- % was the pathetic lameptaton when the lead
ers of Israel were struck down in the midst OF
their services and OF their renown Well may we
repeat that national wall, How ABE THE MIGHTY
FALLsN" when the impressive dispensations oil
Providence have recently carried mourning 10
the hearts Of the American people by summoning
from life to death three Of their eminent citizens,
who for almost half a century had taken part, and
prominently, toe, in all the great questions as wen
of peace as of war, which agitated and divided
their country.
Full they were, indeed, Of days and of honors,
for
1.-THE hand of the reaper
Took the ears that were hoaryj
but never brighter in intellect, purer in patriot
ism nor more powerful in influence, than when
the grave closed upon their iabors, leaving their
memory and their career at once an incentive
and an example for their countrymen In that
long course Of trial, but trust OF freedom anu
prosperity also which is open before US.
Often divided in life, but only by honest conyic-
tons Of duty followed in spirit OF generous emu
lation, and not of personal opposition, they arc
adopt upon this striking occasion the beautiful
Ian guage addressed to the people OF England by
one of her most gifted sons, when they were called
to mourn, as we are now called, bereavement
which spreads sorrow, dismay almost, through the
nation, and under circumstances OF difhcuity and
danger far greater than any we can now reason
ably anticipate in the progress OF our history:
"Seek not for those a separate doom
But search the land of living men,
Where shall we find their like again."
And to day, in the consideration OF the message
OF the Chief Magistrate, it becomes US to respond
his annunciation, commendin l'selI as IL Goes
to the universal sentiment OF the country, oil Inc
death Of the last of those lamened statesmen, as
national misfortune. This mark of regret and
respect was due alike to the memory OF the dead
and to the feelings Of the living. And nave rs
tened with deep emotion to the eloquent testimo'
mails to the mental power, and worth and services
Of the departed patriot, which today nave beeh
heard in this high place, and Will be heard To
morrow, and commended TOO py the Ame1ieah
people. The voice Of party ia bushed In the pres
ence of such national calamity, and the grave
closes upon the asperity of politca contests when
il closes upon those who have taken part IN them.
And well may we, who have so often Witnessed ms
abors and his triumphs, we'll may we, here, upon
this theatre Of his services and his renown, re-
calling the efforts Of his mighty understanding
and the admiration which always followed its
sxertion, well may come with our tribute OF
ncknow led gment to his high and diversified pow
ers, and to the influence he exercised upon his
auditory, and in fact upon his country. he was
indeed one of those remarkable men who stand
prominently forward upon the canvas OF history
i'm pressing their characteristics upon the age in
which they live, and almost making 1t their own
by the force of their genius and the sPiendor OF
their fame. The time which elapsed between the
day was prolific of great events and Of distin'
guished men, who guided, or were guided oy
them far beyond any other equal period in the
history of human society. But in my opinion
oven this favored epoch has produced no man
possessing n more massive and gigantic intellect
or who exhibited more profound powers OF In
vestigation in the great department Of political
science, to which he devoted himself In All
its various ramifica tone, than Daniel Webster.
The structure of his mind seemed peculiarly
adapted to the work he was called upon TO do, ana
he did il other man Of his country-ot MS
age inde ed-coud have done it. And his name
,rIt ,l.rhl Ntph
some of the most difficult and important questions
which our peculiar institutions have called into
discussion. 1t was my good fortune to hear MN
upon of the most memorable OF these OCCASIONS,
when. in this very hall, filed to Overlooking with
an audience whose wrapt attention indicated his
power and their expectations, he'entered into an
analysis of the Constitution and OF the great prin.
ciples of our political organization with vigor OF
argument a force of illustration, and felicity oil
diction which have rendered this effort oil his mind
one of the proudest monuments Of American ge-
niue and one of the noblest expositions which the
operations of our Government have called 1ortn.
| speak of it's general effect, without concurring
in all the views he presented, though the points OF
difference neither impair my estimate OF the
speaker, nor of the power he displayed in this
elaborate debate.
The Judgment of his contemporaries upon the
character Of his eIoquence will be confirmed by the
future historian.
He grasped the questions involved in the subject
before him with rare union OF force and dlscrim-
nation and he presented them in an order Of ar
rangement marked at once with great persplculty
and with logical acuteness, 30 that when he ar
rived at his conclusion he seemed to reach 1t by n
process of established propositions, interviewer
with the hand Of a master And topics, barren OF
attraction from their nature were rendered inter.
eating by illustrations and illusions, drawn from a
vast storehouse Of Knowledge, and applied with n
chastened taste, formed upon the best models Of
ancient and Of modern learning. And to these emf
nent qualifications was added an uninterrupted
flow of rich, and often racy, old fashioned English,
worthy Of the earlier masters OF the language,
whom he studied and admired.
As a statesman and politician, his power was felt
and acknowledged through the Republic, and all
DO willing testimony to his enlarged views and
to his ardent patriotism. And he acquired Eu-
ropean reputation by the State papers he prepared
upon various questions o! our foreign policy, and
of these, his refutation and exposure OF alb.
surd and arrogant pretension of Austria, ia distn-
gulshed by lofty and generous sentiments becom
ing the agc in which he lived and the great people
in whose name he spoke, and it is stamped with n
vigor and research not less honorable in the exhi-
bijion than conclusive in the applications; and it
will ever take rank in the history of diplomatic
intercourse among the richest contrbu ions to tn
commentaries upon the public law ofthe world.
And in internal, as in external troubles, he was
true and tried, and faithful, and in the latest may
il be the last, ii tbs most perious criss of
our country rejecting all sectional considerati tons,
md exposing himself TO sectional dcnunciations,
he stood up boldly, proudly indeed. and with con-
| summate ability, for the constitutional rights oil
| spirit of ggression as Incompatible with our mu-
tual obi with the duration OF the Confede-
ration itself. In that dark and dreadful hour his
voice heard above the storm, recalling his
countrymcn to a Of their dangers and their
duties, and tcmperng the lessons Of reproof with
the experience of age and the dictates OF patriot
ism. He who heard this memorable appeal to the
public reason and conscience, made in this crowded
Chamber with al eyes fixed upon the speak or, and
| almost all hearts swayed by his words of wisdom
and of power, will sedu!ousy guard its recollec-
| ton of those precious incidents which
while they constitute the poetry Of history, exert
permanent and decisive Influence upon the destiny
| of nations
| Aud our dece ascd colleague added the kindel
affections of the heart to the lofty endowments OF
| the mind; and recall, with almost pain full sens
| bty, the associations of our boyhood, when We
were school-eilows together with all the troubles
and the pleasurcs which belong 10 that relation o
life in its narrow world Of preparation He rem
dered himself dear by his disposition and deport
ment, and exhibited como Of those peculiar char
acterstic features which, later in life, made hin
the ornament of the social circle, and when study
and know ledge Of the world had ripsncd hi
facultes, endowed bin with powers OF conversation
| have not found surpassed in my intercourse
| with .ptv knt ali liza nd ct onf