Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-11-11

as member of the Convention which revised
the Constitution of Massachusetts in lS2l.-
In the fall of 1922, he was again pressed to
represent Boston in Congress blouse, )and so
urgently that he did not feel at liberty to de-
cline. He was chosen by over / 900 majori-
ty, and returned to the Councils of the Nation,
after an absence of six years.
OF his subsequent career, we may speak
more hurriedly, since its leading features must
be fresh in the minds of most citizens He
distinguished himself 1929 by proposition
looking to an early recognition OF Greek In
dependence, and a magnificent Speech in its
support He favored also like acknowledge
ment of South American Independence, In
1924 he made his Free Trade Speech--the
ablest ever delivered on that side of the ques-
ton Boston was then the focus of Free Trade,
and the Federalists were its principal cham
pions, while the mass of the Democracy, coun-
selled by Clay, SNYDER, d. d, ToMPKINs,
BALDWIN, H. NILES, MATHEW CAREY, &c,
had for years been the ardent advocates of
Protection. The times have bravey al
tered since then; Mr.. WEBSTER has seen oc-
cason greatly to modify if not entirely retract
his Free Trade notions; and Free Trade is
now said to be Democratic. But we are d.
crossing.
! New-England unitedly supported John
Quincy Adams for President in 1924, and Mr..
Webster concurred, though never personally
an admirer of Mr.. Adams. He and John Ran
dolph were the Tellers when the House elect
ed Mr.. Adams President-by the vote of 13
States to 11-and he became one of the ablest
and most influential supporters of the Admin
istratlon of Adams and Clay. Reelected in
1924 and 1896 with scarcely show of oppo-
sition, Mr.. Webster was in the latter year
chosen a Senator of the United States. To-
ward the close of 1927 his first wife died, while
he was on his way to Washington to take his
seat in the Senate. The next year (l828)
was sighalized BY the defeat of J. q. Adams
and the accession ofGen. Jackson to the Pres
dency He married a second wife, a few
years later-Miss Caroline Leroy of this city,
who is still living.
! During the session of1629-30 occurred the
memorable debate on FOOT's Resolution re-
specting the Public Lands, wherein Mr..
WEBSTER, in replyinff to Col. HAYNE, of S.
c., vindicated his right to rank first among
living debaters 1t is hardly too much to
say of his great and lesser Speech on that oc-
casion that they rescued the Federal Consti-
tuition from a construction fast becoming pop
ular which, once established as correct, must
have proved its destruction. The contitution-
al right of any State of the Union to nullify
an act of Cnogress, whether by its ordinary
Legislature or by Convention specially call
ed, once admitted as legal, would strip the
Federal authority of all just claim to be con-
sidered Government and throw US back mp
on the inetficiency and semi-anarchy Of the
old Continental Confederation. Yet that doc
trine of Notification, so frankly propounded
and ably defended by Col. Hayne in the de-
bate with Webster, claimed with much plaus-
ibilty to be based upon and clearly deducible
from the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
of 1888 and '99, which are known to have
been drafted respectively by JEFFERSON and
MADISON, and repeatedly reaffirmed as con-
, tanning the Democratic creed respecting the
powers of the Federal Government and their
rightful limitations. Mr.. WEBSTER inexora-
bly, demonstrated the incompatibility of this
doctrine with any real power or force in the
Federal Government, and, admitting fully the
right OF Revolution as superior to ell Govern
ments, showed that State could not remain
in the Union and assume to nullify acts Of
Congress upheld by the Supreme Court-that
the contrary assumption was condemned by
the Constitution ITSELF and uttetly at war
with the public tranquility and safety. Mr..
w EBsrER's speeches arrested the Jackson
party on the brink of committing itself ire
trievably to the doctrine of Nullifcation-a
committal which would have proved an act of
suicide.
Mr.. WEBSTER remained in the Senate, ad-
vocating the recharter of the second U. States
Bank, condemning the veto by which that re-
charter was defeateG-opposing the re-elec-
tion of Gen. Jackson, and supporting Mr.. Clay
in opposition to him-vigorously opposing
Notification when attempted to be put in
practice in 1833-opposing the Tariff Com
promise of that year-the Removal of the De-
posits, &C., &c. He was a candidate for
President in 1886, but received the twelve
votes of Massachusetts only. He continued
to serve in the Senate, warmly advocating the
election of Gen. Harrison in 1910, until he
was called thence to take the first place in
Gen. Harrson's Cabinet, which he continued
to fill after the untmely death of that lamen-
ted patriot until long after John Tyer's
treachery to and persecution of those who had
elevated him to the post whence he acidetal-
ly reached his dizzy hight, rendered it proper
that he should have left the State Department
and shaken off the dust from his feet. Anex-
cessve tenacity of Office has been blemish
on the character of Mr.. WEBSTER. He re-
mained in the Cabinet until 1S43, having
meantime negotiated the Ashburton Treaty
whereby our long disputed North Eastern
Boundary was definitely settled, and returned
to the Senate on the 4th of March, 1S45.-
lie there opposed the Mexican War as he
had previously opposed the Annexation of
Texas, avowing the most invincible repug-
nance to any act whereby the extension of
Slavery should be accomplished under the
flag or by the power of the United States
lie did not however, oppose the granting of
supplies for the prosecution of the War. Mr..
WEBSTER wds a candidate for the Wing
Presidential nomination at Philadelphia in