The daily union., 1852-11-02


And breathed the long, long night away
In statue-ke repose -
:" But ere the sun, in all his state,
Hpmed the eastern skies,
lie passed through glorys morning gate
And walked in Paradise
SPEECH OF MR. CHOATE.
In the circuit court of the United States, Mr.. Juss
Curtis presiding, Mr.. Webs,ers death having besn !,
nounced by the United States district attorney G,ou
Lunt, esq., and the accustomed motions Of adiop,nm.a
and for the entry of the proceedings upon the minutes
the court having been offered, Mr.. Choate spoke ss "a
lows:
May il please your honors: | have been reoues,a
by the members OF the bar OF this court 10 add
lew words TO the resolutions just read in which
they have imboded, they were able, their sor
row for the death Of their beloved and illustrious men,
Der and countryman, Mr.. Webster; their estimation Of
his character, life and genius their sense Of the B..
reavemen-to the country as 10 his riends-incapabe
repair the pride, the oDdness the lia and he na,S
Otto pride and fondness with which they cherish ana
would consign to history 10 cherish, the memory Of
great and good man.
And yet could earnestly have desired to be excused
from this duty. He must have known Mr.. Webster lea,
and loved him less than your honors or than have
known and loved him, who can quite yet--que ysl-
before we can comprehend that we have lost him for
ever-before the first paleness with which the news
his death ovespread cheeks, has passed away be.
fore have been down to lay him in the Pilgrim sol
he loved well, till the heavens be no more-be mus
have known and loved him less than we have don,
who can come here quite yet to the series biz
servce-o display with psychological exactness the trau
OF his nature and mind to ponder and speculate on ID,
Secrets the marvellous and source of that vast
power which shall see no more in acton--nor aush
in any degree resembling ii--among men, These hra
moments should be given 10 grief. II may employ
may promote calmer mood, TO construct more eabo
rate and less unworthy memorial.
For the purposes OF this moment and place indeed no
needed What there for this court or for this
bar to learn from me here and of hml The wear
and the day OF his brlhhat birth place the frontier
yet bleak and waste. the well OF which his childhood
drankdug by that father of whom he has said, thai
through the fire and blood OF years OF revolutionary
war he shrank from no danger no toll, sacrifice, 10
his country, and TO raise his children 10 condition
better than his own"he elm tree that father planted
fallen now, as father and have faen--that training
OF the giant infancy on catechism and Bible and Waits,
version OF the Psalms and the traditions OF Plymouth
and tort William and Mary, and the revolution and The
age OF Washington and the banks OF the Mer
rlmac flowing sometimes in flood and anger from his
springs in the crystal hillsthe district schoolmas
tiers, Chase and Tappan; the village library; the dawn
ing of the love and ambition OF letters; the few months
at Exeter and Boscawen, the life of college. the proba
ionary oil school teaching the clerk ship In The
Fryeburg registry OF deeds his admission to the br
presided over by judges like Smith, illustrated by pf
tisers such Mason where, by the studies in the
tenons OF nine years, be laid the foundation OF the pro
fessiona mind his irresistible attraction public LIE,
the Grafton commerce the Rockingham resolutions;
his first term OF four years service IN Congress- when,
by one bound he spraDg to his place by the side OF e
foremost OF the rising American statesmen his removal
TO ihs State aad then the double and parallel current
which his life, studies thoughts, have since flowed
bearing him TO the leadership OF the bar by universal
claim; bearing him TO the leadership OF public life
last OF that SURPRISING riumvirae, shall we say The
greatest, the most widely known and admired al thes
things 10 their minutes details. known and rehearse
iamiary Happier than The younger Play happier than
Cicero, he has found his historian unsolicited IN his life
time, and his counirymen have him all by heart
Ia fhan tn all nnth In hffuUt
mind. And then, If may borrow the language OF one
of his historians and friends-one OF those through
whose beautiful palbos the common sorrow uttered ils
yesterday in Fanenil Hall" dare not come here, and
dismiss in few summary paragraphs the character Of
one who has filled such a space in the history, who
holds such place in the heart OF bis country II would
his great SOUL his rich endowmenis his long and honor
able life to endeavor thus TO weigh and estimate them
half hour OF words, handful OF EARTH for fifty ytar
of great deeds, on high places
But although the time does not require anything elab
GRATED and sdequateforbds il raiher-some boken sen
fences oi venerahon and love may be indulged 10 b
sorrow which Expresses us.
There presents itself, the first, and 10 any observa
ton OF MIR. Websters life and character two-old emf
nence-emnence OF the very highest rank in two-foh
held OF intellectual and public dspsyhe profession Of
the law, and the profession of craftsmanship, OF which
y would not be easy TO recall any parallel 10 the biof
raphy OF illuslrous men.
Without seeking for parallels, and without asserting
that they do mol exist, consider that he by unve.
sal designation the leader OF the general American bar
and that he was also, by equally universal desigDs-
uon foremost OF her statesmen living at bis death-ir
Terror to not one who has lived and acted the open
ing OF bis own public life Look these aspects OF bs
greatness separately and from opposite sides OF the sur
passing elevation Consider that his single at be
bar may seem 10 have been enough 10 employ the Largest
faculties without repose--for a life iime and that
then and thus the "infntus forensium nrum labor,
should have conducted him 10 mere professional re-
ward-a bench OF chancery law--the crown OF ne
hrs OF aavocaes--juisperiorum eioqusn,isd mu-to m
pure and mere honors OF great magistrate that ths
woad be as much as ~ allotted 10 the ablest in the ds
button OF fame Even that haIf-if may say soo hlsn
lusirous reputatonhow long the labor to win it-hov
worthy OF all that labor He bred hstn the severe
school ol the common law, in which its doctrines wes
eKpounded by Smith, and it's administration shaped ana
directed by Mason and its Foundation principles -
historical sources and ilustratons its connexion w'a
the parallel series OF statutory enacments lis modes
reasoning, aud the evidence OF its truths he graspei
easily and completely, and have myself heard him Gay
that for many years, while still the bar he tried moe
causes and argued more questions Of fact to III. jury n
perhaps any other member OF the profession anywhere
have heard IRON others how even then he exemplhel
the same direct clear, and forcibe exhibitor Of Proofs
ana the reasonlfgs appropriate 10 proofs, well as p
same marvellous power OF Discerning Instantly whal ~
cali The decisive points OF the cause in law and iac
when ne was later more widely celebrated This WH
me lfst epoch IN his professional training. "a.
Win the commencement of bis public life, or with ~
aer removal 10 ibis Saie bega the second epoch OF ~
professional training conducting him through the gfaas
lion OF The national tribunals to the study and Prs'