The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-10-28
RICHMOND. VA.
Thursday Morning, October 2S, 1907
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF DANIEL
WEBSTER.
icon TIN Z ID j

OF Mr.. Webster 8 lie. ueH. SaehSo" """ '
his seat on the 4th Of March, lS29. From
that period he had waged, what the Adams
men of that day regarded as a relentless war
against the friends of the late Administration
At that time, Mr.. Calhoun, the Vice-President,
was on terms of the utmost intimacy with
Gen. Jackson.
Mr.. Haype, the Senator from South Carolina,
was regarded at the time, and justly regarded,
az one of the ablest and most brilliant men in
the Senate. He was the warm, personal
FREUD Of the Vice President, and, Of course, in
innate at the White House. In addition to
him. the Administration was sustained in the
Senate by powerful array off great names !;
such as Woodbury., Benton, Grundy, Living
ston, &c. There was suspicion on the part
Of the New England Senators, that the first oc-
casion was to be taken, in the session OF 1879
80 to make an attack upon New Eng land, and
upon Mr.. Webster, its principal champion,
who, il was thought, must succumb beneath
the overwhelming odds brought against him
odds sustained by the President, the most pop
ular man that had ever been raised TO the emf
hence upon which he stood, and by the Vice
President, whose vast talents and commanding
position, rendered his influence almost irresis-
tible under the circumstances, We know not
nor is il necessary to enquire, whether the sus-
pcion was just but if it was, the occasion on
which the combination might display its line
Of operation soon offered.
On the 29th Of December, Mr. Foote, Of Con-
necticut, man now Use distinguished in histo-
~, save for the storm which he unwittingly
raised on this occasion, offered the following
resolution "Resolved, That the Committee
on Public Lands be instructed to enquire into
the expedency of limiting for a certain period
the sale of the public lands TO such lands only
as have heretofore been offered for sale, and
are subject to entry at the minimum price. AL
so, whether the Office of Surveyor General
may not be abolished without detriment to the
public service"
A desultory debate Immediately arose, and
a motion to postpone the consideration of the
resolution until the ensuing, Monday was car
ried. When it came up, Mr.. Foote dec lined
leading in the discussion, for the avowed rea-
son, that he had never known a resolution of
enquiry made the special order of the day.
1t was finally laid over until Monday, the 18Th
day of January, 1880.
When that day arrived, Col. Benton opened
the discussion by furious assault, upon the
North, which he accused of ungenerous con-
duct towards the West, and said that the West
must look alone in future to the " solid pha-
lanx of the South" He was followed by Col.
Hayne, who attacked the North with great Sc
verify, declaring that it was opposed to settling
up the West, because it wished to retain at
home population of paupers for the use Of
its manufacturers.
Mr.. Webster, though taken by surprise by
Mr. Foote'S resolution, and by the speeches of
Messrs. Benton and Hayne, Immediately took
the floor in reply to the latter. He gave way,
however upon a motion to sdjourn, made by
Col. Benton, who gave as his reason for MAX
ing it, that he was unwilling that the harmo-
ny of the sounds which had just pervaded the
Senate Chamber, and which still fingered upon
the tympanum of Senators, should be broken
in upon by aught discordant.' On the Goth,
Mr. Webster made his first speech in reply to
Col. Hayne. 1t was a speech of immense
power, but in the blaze of the second and
greater, it has been entirely overlooked.
On the 2lst MIR. Hayne made his rejoinder
in speech of great brilliancy and pow er.-
Before the Senate proceeded to business, Mr..
Chambers of Maryland, rose, and proposed to
postpone the further consideration of the SUBJ
ject until Monday, the 25th. but to this Mr..
II. objected most vehemently. The reason
why the resolution of postpoDement was of.
fsredb by Mr.. c. was that Mr.. Webster was en-.
gagged in a suit Of great importance in the Su-
preme Court, and was compelled 10 watch it
closely, not knowing when he might be called
on to address the Bench. Mr.. Hayne said "ths
gentleman had discharged his fire in the face
OF the Senate, and he wished to return it,
Mr.. Webster Immediately rose, folded his arms
with great dignity, and said, Let the discus
sion proceed. / am ready. am ready nov
10 receive the genteman's fre.'
Mr.. Benton then rose, and addressed the
senate In aspeech Of an hour, the main object
oil which was to prove that Mr.. Jefferson, and
not Nathan Dane, was the author of the ordi-
nance OF 1887. But Colonel Hayne could not
0'ook delay, and he asked his friend from Mis-
sour 10 give place, in order that he might re-
Ply Denton consented, and motion made nv
DELI OF New Hampshire, to adjourn unt;l
.ne following Monday, was lost Col. H.vns
h... "'eueed his speech, which, as we
ons ,h.u-t ,"''''a'ed' was very powerful
ono, though it exhibited an undue ,ronos.;a
o. hl'emper, and not a little .rrorsn.a '
,hese feelings, no doubt, were s,imuI.,aI :.
'ns warm approval Of the friends ,vho ~,
gathered around him, and by the ;n,erss, ,. nau
10 him by the Vice-President, who rsna. .an"n
sent him notes to assist him in his snssoh ny
ter he had spoken an hour, the Ssns,. -. nj
cd until the following Monday. The .s.;.,
NOUS nature of the debate, and the LONE 80
given Col. Hayne for preparation, had e.c;,sl
unusual interest 10 the debate, and tho G..