The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-15
THIRTY SECOND CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
TUESDAY, December ID, 1852
SENATE.


A letter was read from the Hon. w. r. KING, re-
questing the Hon. ID. r. ATcHIsos 10 preside dur
ing the day.
MIR. A. accordingly took the chair.
SENATE COMMITTEES.
The CHAIR announced the following appoint
ments to fill the vacancies on the standing COM
mittees:
On Agric,lture.-Mr. Hale.
On Pirate Land Claims.-Mr. Seward.
On Revolutionary Ciaims.-Mr. Toucey' chair
man; Me-. Charlton.
On Roads and Canals.-Mr. Chase.
On Contingent Expenditure MR.. Bright
cHAPLAINs.
Messrs. UNDERWOOD and HUNTER present
ed large numbers of petitions praying the employ,
ment of chaplains in the service oil the Onited
States.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Mr. ADAMS presented the memorial of the Bap
fist Convention of Mississippi praying the inter.
ference of Congress to protect Americans abroad
in the exercise of their religious opinions.
MsxIcAS BOUNDARY.
Mr. MASON introduced bill amending the act
making appropriation for the continuation OF the
Mexican boundary; which was referred - the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
pREslDENT's MESSAGE.
On motion of Mr.. MASON, 30 much Of the Pre-
sident's message refers to foreign relations was
referred to the committee on that subject
And then, motion, such portions OF the mes-
sage as referred to Improvement OF rivers ana
harbors, naval affairs, military affairs Indian at
fairs and public lands, were respectively referred
to the appropriate committees
DEATH OF DANIEL WEBSTER.
MrDAVIS. Mr.. PRESIDENT: rise to bring to
the notice of the Senate an event which has touched
the sensiblities and awakened sympathies IN all
parts of the country an event which has aPproprl
ately found place in the message OF the President
and on ht not to be passed in silence by the Sen
ate. Sir, We have within short space mourned
the death of succession Of men Industrious by their
scryices their talents, and worth. Not only have
seats in this Chamber in the other House, and up.
on the Bench of the Court, been vacated, but death
has entered the Executive mansion, and claimed
that beloved patriot who filled the chair OF State.
The porta Is OF the tomb had scarcely closed up
On the remains Of a great and gifted member of
this House, before they are again opened to re-
ceive another marked man OF our day, one who
stood out with singular prominence before his
countrymen, challenging, by h'sextrnordinary In
tellect ual power, the admiration OF his fellow men
Daniel Webster, "a name familiar in the re-
motest cabin upon the frontier,) after mixing &C
lively with the councils OF his country for iorty
years, and having reached the limits OF life as
signed 10 mortals, has descended to the mansions OF
the dead, an d the damp earth now rests upon his
manly form.
place with admring listeners is hushed in eternal
silence. The multitude will no longer bend in
breathess attention from these galleries to catch
his words, and to watch the speaking eloquence OF
nor will the Senate again be instructed by the out
.pourngs Of his profound intellect, matured by
long experience and enriched by copious streams
from the fountains of knowledge The thread Of
life ia cut, the immortal is separated from the NOR
tai, and the products Of great and cultivated
mind are all that remain 10 us OF the jurist and
legislator
lie attention, maintained for SO long period an
equal degree of mental distinction. In this and
the other House there were rivals for fame, and he
grappled in debate with the master minds of the
day, and achieved in such tDaniy conflict the lm-
perishable renown connected with his name.
Upon most Of the questions which have been
much agitated in Congress during his period Of
service, his voice was heard Few orators have
equaled him in a mastery power of condensation,
or in that clear logical arrangement OF proofs and
arguments which secures the attention Of the
nearer, and holds it with undated interest
These speeches have been preserved, and many
of them will be read forensic models, and will
command admiration for the great display of in g..
tellectual power and extensive research. This is
not suitable occasion to discuss the merits of po
ltical productions, or to compare them with the
| illusions of great contemporaneous minds, or to
! speak of the principles advocated. All this be-
| longs to the future; history will assign each great
| name the measure OF it's enduring fame.
Mr. Webster was conspicuous not only among
the most illustrious men in the halls OF Legislation,
| but his fame shone with undiminished lustre in the
judicial tribunals as an advocate, where he parti.
Cipated in many OF the most important disc ussions.
| On the bench was Marshall, Story, and their
brethren, men of patient research ard comprehen-
sive scope OF intellect who have left behind them,
| in our judicial annals, proofs Of greatness which
will secure profound veneraton and respect for
| their names At the bar stood Pinckney, Writ,
| Emnc, and many others who adorned and gave
| exalted character TO the profession. Amid these
| lumnaries Of the bar he discussed many OF the
| great questions raised in giving construction TO
| organic law, and 10 one shone with more intense
| brightness, brought into the conflict of mind
|. more learning, higher proofs Of severe mental dis.
| irlip mn lliar oiI
Among such and in such honorable
| Combat the foundations Of that critical know
| ledge Of constitutional law, which afterwards be-
came prominent feature OF bis character, md
entered largely into his opinions legislator
were laid. The arguments made at this forum
display a careful researCh into the history of the
foundation of the Federal Union, and an acute
anal ysis OF the fundamental provisions of the Con-
sutution. Probably no man has penetrated deep
or into the principles, or taken more comprehen.
sive and complete view of the Union of the States
than that great man Chief Justice Marshall No
question was subtle az to elude his grasp, SO
| complex as 10 defy his penetration. Even the
great and the learned esteemed it no condeecen-
sion to listen to the teachings Of his voice, and
one prohied more by his wisdom or more vene-
| rated his character than Mr. Webster.
To stand among such men with marked distnc-
ton, as did MIR. W chatter, ia association which
might satisiy any ambition, whatever might be
| its aspirations.
But there among these illustrious men, who have
finished their labors and gone to their final homes
| he made his mark, strong and deep, which viii
be seen and traced by pos,ery.
But need not dwell on that whis h ia familiar tC
oil readers who feel an interest in such topics, MOI
need notice the details of his private life, since
hundreds of pens have been employed in revealing
all the faCts, and IN describing in the most vivic
manner all the scenes which have been deemed
attractive. Nor need reiterate the fcrvent Ian
guage of euiogy which has been poured out in al
quarters from the press, the pulpit, the bar egis
lative bodies, and public assembes-since his owl
productions constitute his best eulogy.
could not, ii were to attempt it, add any thin
to the strength or beauty of the manifold evidence
which have been exhibited OF the length, th
breadth, ond height OF his fame; nor is there an,
occasion for such proof in the Senate-the plac
where his face was familiar, where many Of hi
greatest efforts were made, and where his ntellec
tual powers were appreciated
Here he was seen and heard and nowhere els,
will HE claim 10 great distinction be more cheer
fully admitted.
But the places which have known him will
know him His form will never rise her,
again, his voice will not be heard nor his ex
pressive cocntcnanCe scen. He ia dead In hi
last moments he surrounded by his famil,
and friends at his own home, and while consolct
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