Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-18


always to the Constitution. He aspired place and pre-
feent but not for the Of political power,
and still less for pieasurable indugencss and only for
occasions to his country and for the fame
which such noble actions might bring Who will
such ambition Who had greater genius, subjected
Seyerer discipline What other motives than those
ambition could have brought that genius into activity
under that discipline, and sustained that activity
equally under eyerchangng circumstances long His
ambition never fell off into presumption He was the
contrary content with performing all practical duties
even IN common affairs, in the best possible and
he never chafed under petty restraints from those above
nor malicious annoyances from those around him. If
ever any man had intellectual superiority which could
have excused want of Difference due human authority
or skeptcism concerning that which divine he
such Yet he was, nevertheless, unassnming and
courteous here and elsewhere in the public councils;
and there was, think time in his life when he
not unquestionng believer in that religion which
offers to the meek the inheritance of the Heavenly
Kingdom.
Daniel Websters mind was not subtle but it was clear
1t was surprisingly logical in the exercise Of induction
and equally vigorous and energeticn all its movements
and yet he possessed Imagination strong that if it
had been combined with moderated enthusiasm Of
temper would have overturned the excellent balance OF
his powers.
The civilian rises in this, other Republics, by the
practice of eoquence and Daniel Webster became
orator, the first of orators.
Whatever else concerning him has been controyerted
by any body the fifty thousand lawyers of the United
States interested to deny his preensions conceded to
him unapproachabe supremacy at the bar. How did
y he medtaed intensely Where others appealed to the
prejudces and passions of ures he addressed
only their understandings Where others lost themselves
among the streams he assembled to the fountain While
they sought rules of law among conflicting precedents
he found them in the eternal principles Of reason and
| justice. sa.-
But it is concedng much the lesalprofession to
call Daniel Webster lawyer. speak for clients
and their interests he seemed always be speaking for
his country and for truth So he above
his profession and while yet in the FORUM he stood be-
Hal
while he surpassed Erskine, who taught the at
Westminster the law of moral responsibility and he APP
preached Hamilto who educated the eaSts at Washing
the Constitution Of their country and the phoso
ply Of Government. 10y
An undstingushable line divides this high province of
the Forum from the Senate, to which hAPhiosophy and
eloquence were perfectly adapted Here in times OF
stormy agitation and bewdering excitement when yet
the union of these States seemed have been cement
ed and consolidated and its dissolution seemed 10 hang,
if not the immediate result of the debate least upon
the popular passion that that result must generate Daniel
Webster put forth his mghtiest Efforts couessedly the
greatest put forth here this continent Those
efforts produced marked effect the Senate they sooth!
ed the public mind and became enduring lessons Of in
structon to countrymen the science of consttu
tona law, and the relative powers and responsibilities of
the Government and the rights and duties Of the States
and of citizens.
Tried by ancient definitions Daniel Webster was not
orator. He studied no art, and praetited action
Nor did he form himself by any admitted model He had
neither the directness and vehemence Of Demosthenes
Milton, the magnifcence of Burke. 1t was happy
for him that he had not The temper andsases of his
age and country required eoquence different from all
these and they found il in the pure logic and the vgor
yet massive rhetoric which constituted the style of
Daniel Webster. ~
Daniel Webster although a statesman, did not aim
be either popular parliamentary leader He left
common aairs and questions to Others and reserved
himself for those great and inrequent occasions which
seemed to involve the prosperity the continuance of
the Republic On these occasions he roseebove partisan
influences and alliances and gave his consels earnestly
and with impassioned solemny, and always with
affected reliance upon the intelligence and virtue of his
couAtrymen. -
Tie first revolutionary assembly that convened in Bos-
promulgated the principles of the revolution of 1885,
Resistance unjust laws is Obedience to God and it
became the wachword throughout the colonies Under
that motto the colonies dismembercd the Empire
and erected the American Republic At aneay day
ed to Daniel Webster that the habua clfishng of that
principle after its great work had been consummated
threatened to subyert in its the benecent
constitution which afforded the highest atainabe securi
ty against the passage Of unjust laws He addressed
himself therefore, assduousy and almost alone to what
seemed to him the duty of calling the American people back
from revolutionary theories to the formation of habits Of
peace, order, and submission to authority He nculcat
ed the duty of submission by States ami citizens to all
laws passed within province of constitutional authority,
and of absolute reliance constitutional remedies for
the correction OF all and the redress OF all injustice
This was the political gospel of Daniel Webster. He
preached it in and out of season. boldly constant
ly with the zeal of apostle and with the devotion if
while he lived and those influences will last long
the Constitution and the Union shall endure
do not dwell on Daniel Websters exercise of admin
stratiye functions. 1t marked by 4he ability
that distinguished all his achievements in other fields of
duty 1t at the time y-conservatye of
peace and of the great principles of constitutional ber
ty upon which the republican insttuonsof his country
founded But while those administrative services
benefited his country and increased is fame all felt
nevertheless that his proper and highest place here
where there field and scope for his philosophy and
eoquence here among the equal Representatives of the
constituent States, which at k be held togeth
and to be moved in the establishment of CONT
mental power controlling all the, American States and
balancing those Of the Eastern world aRd could not
but exclam in the words of the Roman orator. when
him leave the Legislative Councis-to enter the
Office of administration Quant,s angusta' rcsra glo
ria 81 dildtari Ueiis ~ ..Et-
Mr.. STOCKTON, of New Jersey said: Mr. President,
this city only this morning and to the Senate
chamber wholly unapprzed in relation TO the present
solemn and interesting proceedings 1t would therefore
become me, the soemnty and grandeur of tae
cason to mngle, entirely unprepared needs must
be- my voice with the eloquent voice Of which
has this morning done honor to the Senate for any other
purpose than simply and briefly to express my grief my
sorrow--ay sir, my eartfeltspervadng sorrow-when
heard that Daniel Webster dead.
Senators, have known and, loved Daniel Webster for
thirty years. What wonder, them should sorrow But
that am my feet, and the Senate who knew and
loved him too listeners, how am to express that
sorrow cannot do it it. cannot be done Ian
guage is too poor o, SIR all words, in moments like
these, when grief oves to- be expressed cold and
frgid. Senator's now hardly realize the sad
event that Daniel Webster is really dead that he does
not still live" did hope that God, who has watched
this Republic who can do oil things who hung the
earth upon nothing who so endowed mind Daniel