The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-30

who heard them will never forget, and some Of
which rest in the tradition Of hearers only. But
there were other belds OF oratory on which, under
The influence OF more uncommon springs Of in-
spretion, he exemplifed, ia still other forms,
elcquence in which do not know that he has had
superior among men. Addressing masses by
tens Of thousands in the open air tire urgent po
iical questions OF the day, designated to lead
the meditati0Ds OF an hour devoted TO the COM
inemoration OF some national era, or some in.
cldent marking the progress Of the na1on, and
lifting him up to q view OF what is and what IL
past and some indistinct revelation OF the glory
that lies In the future, or the death OF some great
historical name, just borne by the nation to his
t'mb, we have learned that then and there at the
base Of Bunker Hil before the corner stone was
| laid, and again when from the finished column the
centuries looked on him; in Faneuill Hall mourning
for those with whose spoken written eloquence OF
freedom its arches had SO often resounded; on the
rock OF Plymouth; before the capitol OF which there
shall not be stone left on another, before his
| memory shall have ceased to ive-ln such scenes,
| unettered by the laws OF forensic or parliamentary
debate multittdes uncounted lifting up their eyes TO
him; some great historical scenes OF America around
/ him. oil symbols Of her glory and art and power
ard fortune there voices Of the past, not unheard;
shapes Reckoning from the future, not unseen; some
! times that mighty intellect, borne upwards to
height and kndled to an illumination which we shall
more, wrought out, as it were, IN an instant
| picture Of vision, warning, predictions the pro-
gress Of nation the contrasts Of its eras; the he
role deaths; the motives to patriotism; the maxims
cred and may be heightened, wrought ont in an in
slant, picture to fade only when all record of
! mind shall die.
have reserved until could treat it as separate
and final topic, the consideration Of the morality Of
Mr.. Websers public character and life. To his true
fame, to the kind and degree OF influence which that
large series OF great actions. and those embodied
thoughts Of great intellect are to exert the future
this is the all.important consideration. In the
| la tspeech which he made in the Senate-the last
those which he made, as he said, for the Consttu-
ton ara the Union, and winch ne nignt nave com
| nended. as Bacon his name and memory, /" to mems
charitable speeches. to foreign nations and the next
| ages yet with better hope he asserted" The
ends aim at shall be those OF nay country my God,
and truth" Is that praise his
Until the 7th day Of March, 1860, think it would
have been accorded to him by universal acclaim,
as general and rs expressive of profound and intel
gent conviction, and of enthusiasm love, and trust,
as ever sauted conspicuous craftsmanship tried by
many crises OF affairs in great nation, agitated
ever by parties, and wholly free.
That he had admitted desire to win, by deserv-
ing them, the highest forms OF public honor, macy
would have said, and they who loved him most
foDdy and felt the truest soicitude that he should
cary good conscience and pure fame Frightening
he was not ignorant Of himself, and he therefore
knew that there was nothing within the Union,
Constitution and law too high or too large, or too
difficult for him. He believed that his natural or his
acquired Abilities and his policy of administra-
ton, would contribute to the true glory Of America
ard he held no theory Of ethics which required him
to dispsrage, to suppress to ignore vast capacities
Of public service merely because they were his
own If the fleets Of Greece were assembling, and
her tribes buckiiDg on their arms from Laconia to
Mount Thrace, from the Cape Of Sunum to the west
erDmost isle and the great epic action was opening
it not for him to fegn insanity idiocy, to
cape the peris and the honor Of command. But that
all this in him had been ever in subordinaton to q
principed and beautiful public virtue; that every
SOL al aspiring, had been uniformly held by MIN for
nothing against the claims Of country; that nothing
lower than country seemed worthy enough-nothibg
smaller large enough-for that great heart, would
hour before that day he had died. how would then
the great procession Of the people Of America-the
great tliumphal procession OF the dead-have moved
onward to his grave-the sublimity of national sor
row. not cOntrasted not outraged by one feeble voice
of calumny!
In that autecedcnt pubhc life, embracing from
1872 TO 1904 period Of thirty eight years--I find
g1andest proofs OF the gepuiueness and comprehen-
sveness Of his patriotism and the boldness and man
Illness of his public virtue. He began his career of
politics as federalisi Snch was his father-so be-
loved and revered; such his literary and proession.
companions; such although by no very decisive or
certain prep0nderance, the community in which he
was bred and was to live. Under that name Of party
he entered Congress, personally and by connection,
opposed to the war, which was thought to bear with
such extreme sectional severity upon the North and
East And yet one might almost say that the only
thing he imbbed from federalist or federalism, wa
love and admiration for the constitution as the me
that he cherished.
He came into Congress, opposed, as have said
TO the war-snd behold him, il you woul judge OF
the quality Of his political ethics, in opposition Did
those eloquent lips, OF time of life when vehemence
and mprudence ale expected, il ever, and not I'M
graceful, let fall even one word of faction? Did
he ever deny one power to the general government,
Which the soundest expostors OF all creeds have
allowed it? Did he ever breathe syllable which
could excite region. State, family of States,
sgains; the Unon-which could hold out hope
or did to the enemy?--which sought to turn or
tended to check the tide Of new and intense ma
tionalty, then bursting up, to flow and burn till all
things appointed to America to do shall he fulfilled?
These questions, in their substance, he put to Mr..
Calhoun, in 1888, in the Senate, and that great
man7,one Of the authors Of the war-just then, only
them In relation to Mr.. Webster and who had just in
situated reproach on his conduct in the war, was
silent. Did Mr.. Webster content himself even
with Directing to the details of the mode in which
the administration waged the war? No, indeed.
Taught by his constitutional studies that the Union
was made in part for commerce, familiar with the
habits Of our long line OF coast, knowing well how
many sailors and fishermen driven from every sea by
embargo and war, burned to 60 to the gundeck and
avenge the long wrongs Of England on the element
where she bad inflicted them his opposition to the war
manifested itself by teaching the nation that the deck
was her field Of fame. Non iii inpe,7,sm peiagi
sae,rm que trideafitm, sed aobis, sorte datum.
But might recall other evidence of the sterling
and unusual qualities of his public virtue. Look in
how manly sort he not merely conducted a parti-
cular argument or particular speech, hut in how
manly sort, in how high moral tone, be uniformly
dealt with the mind Of his country. Politicians get
advantage Of him for this while he lived; let the
dead have just praise to day. Our public life is
long electioneeriDg and even Burke tells you that
ut popular elections the most rigorous casuits would
remit something Of their severity But wherever do
you find him hattering his c0untrymen, indirectly
directly for votei On what did he ever place him.
felf but good counsels andiseful service His arts
were manly arts, and he never saw day of tempta-
tion when he would not rather fall than stand on any
other Who ever heard that voice cheering the peo-
pie on TO rapacity, to injustice, to vain and guilty
glory WHO ever saw that pencil of light hold up
picture Of manifest destiny to dazzle the fancy?
How anxiousy rather in season and out, by the en-
ereeiic eloquence Of his youth, by his counses lie
queathed the verge of timely grave he preferred
10 teach that by all possible acquired sobricty O.
mind, by asking reverently OF the past, by obedience
.o&4h oaa,,,a L,4l e.