Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-17


fore the revolutions every and every in that
great tragic action the Of controversy following the
revolution and preceding the constitution unlike the
her in which divided among ourselves on the greatest
questions which engage the mind OF America-the
questions which the existence of National Government
Of the continued existence of the State governments on
the partition Of powers the umprage OF disputes be-
tween thema controversy on which the destiny Of the
New World staked every problem which has success
svely engaged politics and every name which has
figured in them, the whole stream Of our time open
clear, and present 70 his eye.
think, too that, though not frequent and ambitious
otter of authorities he had read in the of the
dy Of his profession politics, and had medated all the
great writers and thinkers by whom the principles Of
publican government and all free governments most
authoritavey expounded Aristotle, Cicero Machiaye-
Of whose discourses Livy maintains mastery
an argument how much wiser and constant the
people than the prince doctrine Of liberty consoatory
and full Of joy-lIarrngton, Milton, Sidney, Locke /
know he had read and weighed.
Other classes of information there we're, partly obtain
cd from books, partly from observationto extent
referabc to his two main employments of politics and
law-by which he distinguished remarkably. Thus
nobody but struck with his knowledge of civil and
physical geography and TO less extent Of geology and
races of all the at routes and marts of foreign
coastwise and IMP commences the subjects which it
Exchanges the whole circle Of industry it comprehends
and passes around the kinds of mechanical and
featuring productions and their relations to all labor and
fe the history, theories and practice of agriculture,
own and that OF other countries and its relations to gov
ernmen Liberty happiness and the character Of natinps
public efforts but appreciate the variety and accura
cy of his knowledge and the true compass OF his
mind, you must have had some familiarity with his friend
y written and must have conversed
with him with some degree Of freedom. There, more
than in Senatorial forensic debate, cleaned the true
riches Of his genius as well as the goodness Of his large
heart and the kindness Of his noble nature There with
no longer great part to discharge no longer compelled
to weigh aud measure propositions, to tread the dizzy
heights which part the antngonisms OF the constitution
to put aside illusions and illustrations which crowded on
his mind in action but which the dignity of public APP
pearance had to reject in the confidence of hospitality
which ever he dispensed prince who also was friend
his memory of his most extraordinary faculties quite
in proportion to oil the rest swept free the readings
and abors of more than half century and then allu
sions direct and ready quotations. passing mature cr
cism, sometimes only recollection of the mere emotions
which glorious passage interesting event had once ex
cited, darkening for moment the face and filing the
eye, often instructive exposition Of current maxim
of philosophy politics, the history of an invention the
recital of incident casting light some trans
action institution this flow Of unsuded CONVEX
saton quite remarkable any other exhibition of his
mind better than any other perhaps at opened an
unexpected glimpse of his various requirements and gave
you to experience deghtedly that the mild sentiments
have their eloqucnce well as the stormy passion"
There must be added, next the element Of impress
sive character inspiring regard, trust and admiration
not unmingled with love- 1t had think, intrinsicaly
charm, such belongs only to good NOBLE and beaut
full nature. In its combination with much fame so
much force of WILL and much intellect, 1t filed and
fascinated the Imagination and heart 1t aeconate
in childhood and youth, and it than in
the few last months of his long life. 1t is the universal
testimony that he gave his parents in largest measure
honor love- obedience; that he eagerly appropriated the
first which he could command to relieve the father
from the debts contracted to educate his brother and
himself; that he selected his first place Of profess
sional practice that he might soothe the coming ofhs
old age; that all through life he neglected no occasion
sometimes when leaning on the of friend, alone
with faerBg voice, sometimes in the presence of great
assemblies, where the tide Of general emotion made it
gracefuto express his afectionate generation of him
who reared and defended the log cabin in which his elder
brothers and sisters born against savage violence
and destruction; cherished all the domestic virtues be-
meath its roof and through the fire and blood of some
years OF revolutionary shrank from danger, no
toll sacrifice to his country and to raise his
children to a condition better than his own"
Equally beautiful his love Of ell his kindred and Of
all his friends. When hear him accused of sehshness
and cold bad nature recall him lying sleepless oil
night without tears Of boyhood comforting with Eze
ke how the darling desire of both hearts should be
passed. and he too admitted to the precious privileges of
education; courageonsly pleading the cause of both
brothers IN the morning, prevailing by the wise and dis
corning affection Of the mothers suspendng his studies
Of the law and registering deeds and teaching school to
the means for both of ayang themselves Of the
opportunity which the parental scsacrifce had placed
within their reach loving him through life, mourning
him when dead with love and a very wonder.
fulpassng the of woman; recall the husband,
the father of the living and Of the early Departed the
friend the counsellor of many years. and heart grows
too full and liquid for the refutation of words.
Mr.. Websters aectionate nature, craving friend
ship well as the presence Of kindred blood dused itself
pTNaNe NE BuNe DIS nospi
tates kindness to his eye warmth to the Of his
hand made his greatness and genius unbend themselves to
the payfuness Of childhood flowed out in graceful
INDUCED of the past the dead incidents when life
young and promised to be happy; gave generous
sketches Of his rivals, the high contention now hidden
by the handful of earth recalled hours passed fifty years
ago with great authors recalled them for the yerna emo
tons which then they made to live and reye in the soul
And from these conversations OF friendship man, no
man, old young went away to remember one word OF
profaneness, ausion Of ndelicacy, one impure
thought unbelieying suggestion, doubt passed
the reality of virtue, of patriotism of enthusiasm, OF
the progress of doubt righteousness or
temperance, or Judgment TO
Every of his tastes and recreatons announced the
type of character His love Of agriculture Of sports in
the open air. Of the outward world in starg and storms
and and boundless wilderncssparty result OF the
influences of the years Of his life perpetuated
like its other affections and its other lessons of mothers
love, the psalms the Bible the stories of the wars
partly the return Of unsophstcated and heahfu
ture firing for space, of the idle business of political
life, its distinctions its arfcalites to empoyments to
race alike God has framed it, in which one feels him
self only man. fashioned from the EARTH set to till it,
appointed to return to it. yet made in the image of his
Maker, and with spirit that shall not die-al displayed
whom the most various intercourse with the world
the longest of strife and honors the conscious
Of intellectual supremacy, the coming in Of wide
fame, constantly charging left he at first natural
simple, manly, genial, kind.
You will all concur, think, with learned friend
who thus calls my attention to the resemblance Of his
character in Of these particulars to that of Walter
Scott:
Mature endowed both with athletic frames and noble