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

ssis whsn see alma mater Surrounded Hks Cesar
upss stab would not for this right hand hAvs her
70 re and cay q n Qsoqxs nj fk!"
And thou, too, my son He sat down. There
was death'lik stiffness throughout the room for
some moments; every one seemed t. be slowly recov
eripg himself, and coming Rradua ly back to his or
binary range OF thought and feeling.
1t gas while Mr.. Webster was ascending through
the long gTadations Of the legal profession to ts
highest rank that by parallel series of displays on
stage and in parts totally distinct by other studies
thoughts and actions, he also to be at his death
the first Of American statesmen. The last of tue
mighty rivals was dead before, aud he stood alone.
Give this aspect also OF his greatness passing
glance. His public life began in May. 1873, in the
House Of Representatives in Congress. to which this
State had elected him. 1t ended when he died. n
| You except the interval between his removal from
New Hampshire and his election in Massachusetts,, it
was a public life Of forty years. By what political
morality and by what enlarged patriotism embracing
the whole country, that life was guided, shall con-
sder hereafter Let now fix your attention rather
on the magnitude and variety and actual value Of the
service Consider that from the day he went upon
| the Committee of Foreign Relations, in 1873 in time
Of war. and more and more the longer he lived, and
| the higher he rose, he man whose great talents
and devotion to public duty placed aud kept hun IN
a position Of associated or sole command; command
in the political connection to which he belonged,
! command in opposition, command in pOwer aud
consider the responsibilities which that implies, what
| care what prudence what mastery OF the whole
ground, exacting for the conduct OF party, a. Glib
bon says of Fox, abilities and civil discretion equal
to the conduct OF an enpire-consider the work he
did in that life Of forty years. The range OF subjects
investigated and discussed, composing the whole
| theory and practice OF our organic and admnistra
tive politics. foreign and domestic the vast body Of
instructive thought he produced and put in
| possession Of the country, how much he
did in Congress az we'll ut the bar, to
fix the true interpretation, as well as to i'm
| nroou fha tran dart vain nf tho
ton ITSELF much altogether any urist states
man since its adopton--how much TO establish in
the general mind the great doctrine that the govern
ment ofthe United States is government proper,
established by the people of the States, not com
| pact between sovereign communicating within
its limits it u supreme, and that whether it Is within
its limits not in any given exerton Of itself, is TO
| be determined by The Supreme Court Of the United
Statesthe ultimate arbiter-in the last resort from
which there Is no appeal but to revelation. How
much he did in the course Of the discussion, which
grew out Of the proposed mission to Panama and at
later day, out of the removal Of the Deposits to
place the executive departments Of tho government
its true basis and under its true limitations, to
to that apartment all its just powers the
one hand, and on the other hand to vindcate
to the legislative department. and especially
to the Senate, all that belong to them
to arrest the tendencies which he thought at one
time threatened to substitute the government OF a
single will OF single person OF great force of oh aracter
and boundless popularity, and Of numerical majority
of the people told by the pead without intermediate
Institutions Of any kind, judicial or sen itoral, ia
place of the elaborate system of checks aud oal-
ances, by which the constitution aimed at govern
ment of laws, and not of men-how much, attract
ing less popular attention, but scarcely less import.
ant, to complete the great work which experience
had shown to be left unfinished by the judiciary It
of 1889, by providing for the punishment OF all
crimes against tie United States--how much
for securing safe currency and n true
financial system, not only by, the promulg alton
Of sound opinions, but by good specific measures
adopted, or bad ones defeated how much to develope
the vast material resources OF the country, and TO
push forward the planting of the West not troubled
by any tear Of eXhausting old States--by liberal
policy Of public auds-by indicating the constitl-
tioRal poxer Of Congress to make aid in ma king
large classes II internal improvements, and acting
on that doctrine uniformly from 1913, whenever a
road was to BE- ait, rapid suppressed, canal
to be opened break water or lighthouse SET up
above or below the flow Of the tide, If SO far beyond
the ability Of single State, or of 80 wide utility to
commerce and labor as to rise to the rank oil a
work general in its influences another tie
Of union because another proof Of the benefcence OF
uniOn-how much to protect the vast mechanical
Of many hundreds Of millions, after having been ured
into existence against his counsel,, against his sci
ence Of political economy. by policy Of artificial
couragement for being sacrificed, and the pursuits
and plans Of large regions and communities broken
up, and the acquired skill squandered by sudden and
capricious withdrawal of the promise Of government
how much for the right performance Of the most
delicate and difficult OF all tasks the ordering OF the
foreign affairs Of nation, free, sensitive, selfcon
scious recognizing, it IL true. public law and
atty ofthe State binding the conscience oftheState
vet aspiring to power eminence, and command, rs
whole frame full Of and all on fire with American
feeling sympathetic with liberty everywhere-how
much for the right ordering of the foreign affairs OF
such State-anng in all his policy, from his speech
the Greek question in 1929, to his letter to N.
Halsemann in 1850, to occupy the high, plain, yet
dizzy ground which separates influence from inter
venlion, to avow and promulgate warm good will to
humanity ever striving to be Free to inquire authen-
ficuI1 iptn ho nf tic sfrun nIaot tn ila
official and avowed pains to ascertain the moment
when its success may be recognized consistently,
even with the great code that keeps the peace Of the
world abstaining ever from everything which shall
give any nation right under the law of nations to
utter one word of complaint, still less to retala.e by
war, the sympathy, but also the neutrality Of Washing
ton-how much to compare with honor concur
renee of difficulties with the first power in the world,
which anything less than the highest degree of dis
erection, frmness, ability and means Of commanding
respect and confidence at home and abroad would
inevitably have conducted to the last calamity, q
disputed boundary liue Of many hundred miles, from
the st. Croix to the Rocky Mountains, which Iii
vided an exasperated and lmpracticabie border po
puaton, enlisted the pride ard affected the interests
and controlled the politics Of particular States, as
well al pressed on the peace and honor OF the nation,
which the most popular administrations of the OF
the quietest aud best pu bic feelings, the times Of
Monroe and of Jackson, could not adjust which had
grown so complicated with other topics of excite
ment shat false step, right lett, would have
been step down precipice-this line settled for
ever the claim OF England 20 search our SHIPS TOR
the suppression Of the slave trade-senced forever
and a new engagement entered into By treaty. bind
ing the natolal faith to contribute specific naval
force for putting an end TO tho great crime OF mai
the long practice Of England 10 enter an American
ship and impress from its crew. terminated forever
the deck henceforth guarded sacredly and com
plstely by the 1sg-how much by profound discern
ment, by eloquent speech, by devoted life to
strengthen The ties Of Union, and breathe the fine
and strong spirit of nationality through ali our
bers-how much, most OF all last Of all, after The
war with Mexico needless il his counses had COVE n
ed bad ended In vast acquisition Of territory.
IN presenting to the two great antagonist sections Of
country vast an area to enter on, 80 imperial
prize 70 contend for, and the acoursed fraiernal
strife begun, how much then, when rising to the
measure OF true and difcult, and rare greatness,
remembering that he had country to save as we'll
as local constituency to crafty, laying all the
wealth all the hopes Of an illnstrions life on the