Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-04
THE REMARKS OF GEN. PIERCE ON
THE CHARACTER or Mr.. WEB

!
In Concord, \. H., on MONDAY, at Ten o.
clock, most Of tho stores and Offices were clos
cd. and buslncs. wa suspended; and soon al
Ter. the representatives, Hall vas crowded
full Of cltzeos, large number oil ladies' beng
present
i scritsoffcsolnrions were offered and read;
ofer y heh the Chairman chilled upon General
Iieree TO address tire meeting. The crowded
hall became as still as death General Pierce
rose 10 comply; and with deep emotion, which
at tmes almost oeercume hin, and in calm
and impressive manner suited to the OCCASION,
he SPOKE asfolloas:--
Mr.. Challinan-How deeply have all hearts
been impressed by the ter,cnt appeal 10 That
Power in which our fthers put their trust in
the hour Of their weakness aud trails And
how his thai solemn n preston been enhanced
! by the last words Of the truly great man, just
read by tue Rev. Dr. Bouton
Bal few weeks have passed since a deep
! gloom WAS east over our country by the death
Of the great statesman of the West. II had
long been understood thai his light was flick
rrlsg II lis socket, and must soon 90 out
S6ll the announcement, when it came, was
laden with sadness; and We have all since then
been disposed to look with warmer affection
=
peer and Associate, the intelligence Of whose
sudden deceasc will fail like a funeral pail
upon the public mind throughout that Union
10 which he gave his best affections and roblc5t
efforts.
bad met Mr.. Webster repeatedly prior To
ls33, bat my personal acquau lance with hrm
may be said 10 have commenced with my frat
winter at Washington. His attachment 10 our
IL RI atr
stance, perhaps, led to "A series ofknd acts and
coulcses toward me, during the session Of
| S33-l, and aftcrWard, the grateful recollcc-
lion Of hich Will never be ofaced mourn
for him, rs for a friend Cor w-lc Sc personal IT,
gard my own heart Las given back true and
full response.
Among eminent citizens Of commanding
power md influence, While | was in the Sen
ate, ho stood perhaps pre-emncnt. In bis rich
combination Of qualities us an orator, lawyer,
ana statesman, it may safely be said he had no
rlvd. How iorciby and sadly are we re-
minded Of the great men with whom he was
associated IN the Senate chamber and who pre-.
ceded him IN his transit through the dark val
| ley White, Grundy y, Forsyth, Sonhard. Wall,
Linn, Sewer, Silas Wright, Hill, Woodbury.,
Calhoun, Clay-ncn who left their impress
upon the agr-names indissolubly connected
with the fame and history Of their count y--all
like him whose death We are now called upon
to dcplore. were links in the chain which
bound the past generation to the present; and
all like Inn, are now ON the other side Of that
narrow line which divides time from eternity.
| Upon whom have rheir mantlcs fallen Who
are 10 take their places in the perlls through
winch our country may be called to pass 3
Who, with patriotic courage and statesmallke
forecast are to guide in the storms that will at
times. inevitably threaten Us, in our unexnm.
pied development Of resources as a nation.
our almost fearful progress, our position of
amazlng responsibility MS the great, confederate
ed, self governing, power Of the globe These
are questions " hleh will press themselves upon
all mind; but no, alas can satisfactorily an
swcr them
To speak of Mr.. Websers' genius, his vari-
Gus and solid attalnmcnis, his services, would
be 10 discourse OF matters rs familiar even t.
The chuIdfen OF his native State, as household
words. Besides, this must hc lett 10 vigorous
pens and eloquent tongues after the first gush
ct suct, aud the oppressive sense OF loss, shall
TO some extent have passed away. 1t is, and
long has been, my irn conviction that Mr..
Webster had hold upon the minds and hearts
OF his couatymen which fail to be Justly est
mated only because there has been no iull OPP
porlunityto measured. You, Mr.. Chairman,
have truly said that Mr. Wcbsters GREATNESS d
was of that rare character which no earthly
position could eAat. lie came To official sta
TORS, as he approached all subjects presented
to his mlad, their superior and their master.
He has reared for iimselfa vast pillar of re-
nown, which will stand in undiminishcd
strength and grandeur, when the works off
mans hands erected to his honor, " i'll he like
Nnevch; and, fear, when this Union may
have shared the flle which MAS the dread off
his latter years. A few years ago, when the
distinguished brother Of the Deceased was call.
ed IN an instant from time to eternity in the
court room IN this place, With the last words of
a perfect sentence lingering upon his lips,
another citizen, most eminent and beloved
Il lhe late Iamented George Sullivan) eNclaim-
cd NV hat shadows we are, " hat shadows we
pursued How these cmatic ords come ba, k
10 us here, as iiby an echo How mere earthly
Ionors and distinctions fade amid a Gloom like
thls--hOW p0itttcai 0SperitirS a2e rb02le0c9