The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-21

|
| downfall Of the Wing party, and all i'll principle
and doctrine tha it 60 long has cherished and held
| dear.
/ From lie Boston Daily advertiser.
Mr.. Webster's strength ms n Candidate.
Politicians Of the Whg party who are looking
| to New England, and considering who is likely 10
command the votes Of different States in the next
Presidential canvass, ought to consider that MIR.
WEBSTER has never been put in nomination by the
| Wing party Of the country. His strength, there
fore, in this part of the Union cannot be estimated
| by those who do not live in the midst of the ele
nents which constitute that strength, and they
| ought, therefore, to give ed to those who can
| speak from personal knowledge and observation
| 1t should be recolleced that New England has
had but two Prcsidents-the elder and the younger
Adams; and of these, only The latter became n
candidate for the Office after partiea had become
+ formed, and party warfare began seriously to be
wagcd And in the case of Mr.. John Quincy Adj
ans there certainly nothing to call forth pop,
ular enthusiasm or local pride in any rema -kable
degree. That enthusiasm and that pride have
consequently never 'een touched as they capa
BILE of being touched in these New England States,
and the people have never had The opportunity Of
naniiesiing the strength of their own attachment
to a great New England name. No name that
TO produce for a century to come, can be compared
To Mr. Webster's in this respect.
We do not speak unadvisedly, or without long
and careful observation, when we cay that there
moral elements in MIR. Webster's position here
which cannot be fully appreciated elsewhere,
and which will make him in New England the
strongest Presidential candidate of all the Wings
for whom the suffrages Of the people have ever been
asked. We do not forget the manner in which
General liza rison swept the country in lSi0 or the
more recent success OF General Taylor. In each oil
these cases no great personal strength belonged to
the candidate, and none whatever OF the kind that
is possessed by Mr.. Webster. In his case vast
dormant power, that has never been called into
activity in any election, lies ready for action. IL is
the power Of the intelligent intellect of New Eng
land diused through ali classes, occupations. and
interests and looking to him the great cinbodi.
mcnt Of American statesmanship.
A whole generation of men, now in the activity
Of middle lie. have grown up under the direct aud
immediate influence Of MIR. Webs,er's Inind and
character. He may be said ~ have educated THE
poclion Of the living men Of New England In pub
lie alairs. His opinions, HE views OF public ques
tons, and the morale Of his poll cs, form part Of
the established modes Of thinking oi more persons
than those Of any other public man who has ever
lived IN this country. Indeed, II may be sad that
there has been no statesman whatever in any
country, whose recorded wisdom is known aud
studied 10y ~ many pcrsous as is that OF Mr.. Web
ster. There Is nor an intelligent native voter IN
Nav England. between the ngcs OF twenty one and
lorty, whose common school education did not en-
brace a knowledge Of the great productions Of bis
intellect; and there very few native voters IN
New England, Oi any age, who do not know Ia
miliarly the part that Mr. Webster has taken upon
all public questions. the agency that he has had la
settlng them, and every important lact, pinion
and achievement IN his whole public career.
10 Is impossible that etatc snan who stands In
such relation az this to intelligent and edu.
Gated people should not call forth their cuthusias
Tic eSoruons, when hc is presented as candidate
for the highest Office in the Government, under cir
CunstancCs which VIII give them an opportunity
10 make those .x,rtious of service. Interested par
iisAns Of other caBdidates, Of other political
combinations, may tell the people Of New England
that Mr.. Wcbsicr's day has gone by They know
better, and viii contradict the assertion latly and
with emphasis. They know that lac las never IN
his whole hie, filled IL has b, On with great Deeds
achieved greater things, performed more labor.
and produced more important rosults in any two
years than during the Two years which ended on
the styenth Of March last. These two years have
embraced the great seventh oi March spocch,
which srvcd the Union from DISSOLUTION, the almost
equally I, -eat and anly az influential popular
addresses 81 Buffalo aud Albany, which brought
public opinion so a healthier and sound'r Condi-
tion; the IlulsCmann letter, which rang like tfuIn
pct through the sironehods Of Europ an absulu-
tisin aud al the vast and complicated iaborz Of lhc
State Department since June, 1850.
The people may be It'd that Mr.. Webster 10 not
popular. They know better, aud viii contradict
that too. They arc folly as likely 20 know who IA
popular, md who is not, as anybody who under
takes 10 spcak iOr them in the matter /, was said
with entire truth. tho other evening, by speaker
at public meeting, that f you put'up Mr.. Web
sier's hat Ou pole, iu any p0puiOus place, more
people would 90 10 look at u than would go to hook
any other mans hat with the owners head ia IT,
With Or without a feather ia the other hat, We
would lay a small wager the result; and, " you
come 20 the question ~ between heads, VIC viii take
any o. Is that, any where IN America no man living
can draw forth such manifestations Of mingled in
crcst, curiosity. and pride, the Defender OF the
Constitution. This is notorious. What, then, is
popularity II 10 of various kinds undoubtedly In
Mr.. Wchstcrs IL ~ the power Of iutCllcCt and
character over the intellect and character Of in
tclligcnt people. let no man, who bas voice Ia
determining the course and prospects Ot the wing
party, underrate that power. As surely as il is un
dcfratcd aud disrcgudcd for more supcrlicel aud
cphcncral elements OF success. surely will The
result bring rcgrcts that will be only the more keen
because they will bc too late.
A. more tfperiai interest, however, centres IN
Massachusetts, at tis part, ulsr moment. than Ia
any oi tho Nce England States. The question Is /
asked, all over the country, az Washington, ai |
New York. everywhere, where two three %
moro WhiCs gathered together "iiOw vii |
Massichusct,s 60? VIII her vote be given tu Mr. /
Webster Have the people there forgiven hfn ipr
the ith Of March departure from what MsB ,onsid- |
cred the tue courscg" Upon ihis matter We We |
a serious word to say TO the psope OF other /
States.
Il il undoubtedly true that a majority Of the peo
plc Ui Massachusetts difr, red from Mr.. Webster ON
that occasion. i,is plso truc that there great
danger Of permanent fcparation from bin ui the !
Whigs of this state, as consequence at that !
cpccch No man well CXaggeratc the peril |
w!ch Mr.. Webster then encountered, aud which
all Incn now believe hc encountered from loity /
principle oi patriotism, and under The guidance %
iar.sccing wisdom. There deep dt-sttisiac |
ton felt IN Mnssachuscts, snd II would bc idic Co
disguise dcuy the fact that this dissttistction
was felt by many old and long tried friends But |
IL would be just idle 20 deny that the dissails
faction has gwen place not only 70 brm iaith IN
the purity 81 Mr. Wchstcr's purpose, bu' 70 an /
equally firm conviction OF the wisdom, trulh, and i
sOuudncss 0I the position which be took on that |
memorable occ casiOn when lac rose 90 ~ *, mot |
as northern man, OF . Massachusetts man, but 5s
an Atscriran, and a member Of thr Senate oi the !
United Stdtci." Tho process ~hi,li has troueht
aBou ilis 1banyg bad been as honorable ~ the po0