Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-26
birthday ospan,e, Webster.

| Boston papers as having been grand affair. 1hs
presidents table. says the Post. crossed the up
per end Of the large dining room ofthe Revere
and three long tables were ranged lepgthwise the
hall. Upon the centre table perfect repre-
sentation. in confectionery. of the Marshfeld
house with its walks and shubbery. among which
the fasorite tree and seat Of Mr.. Webster were
not forgotten. Upon another table was repre-
sentaton Of the same material, of Mr.. Webster
birth place in Salisbury. with its queer fence of
rails and its old shed adjacent. beneath which
rested miniature and primitive looking cart.
with various odds and ends peculiar TO an old
fashioned country house. An attempt had been
made to get "A repre- ntationof the Franklin house.
but il had been disappointed In its stead was a
beautiful pillar of slab. bearing notices from slr.
Webster's replies to Mr.. Calhoun.
Flags were arranged upon the walls; above
which were displayed as notices. occupying "a
portion of three sides Of the room. the extracts
from Mr.. w. great Ilayne speech:
while the Union lasts we have high exciting,
gratifying prospects spread out before us. for us
and our children. Beyond that seek not TO pen
citrate the VEIL &c.
Hon Edw'd Everett delivered an o,aton which
will be Justly pronounced one of his greatest ef
fers: We make some extracts from 1t:
On this occasion, in this circle Of friends most
, of whom, with greater or less degrees Of intima-
cy. were individually known to him and had cul-
4
rather to say few words of the man. Let us to-
night leave his great fame to the oountry's, to
the worlds care. IL needs not our poor attesta-
tion il has passed into the history of the United
States, whore it will last and bloom forever. The
freshly remembered presence of the great Jurist'
invisible 10 the eve of sense. still abides III our
tribunals. the voice of the matchless orator yet
echoes from the arches Of Faneull Hall II ever
it is given to the spirits of the departed to revis
it the sphere of their activity and usefulness on
earth, who can doubt that the shade of Webster
returns with anxiety to that Senate which so Of
ten hung with admiration upon his lips and walk,
by night an unseen guardian along the ramparts,
of the Capitol OF what he was, and what he did,
and how he spoke and wrote. aud connselled
aud pursuaded, and controlled, and swayed. in
all these great public capacities his printed works
contain the proof and exemplhcaiion; recent re-
collection preserves the memory, and euogy,
warm and emphatic, but not exaggregatei, has
set forth the marvellous record.
II all else which in various ports OF the eoun-
try has been spoken and written of him should
bo forgotten, land there is much, very much,
that will be permanently rcmcmbered) the euo-
gy Of Ar. Ilillard, pronounced at the request Of
the city of Boston, aud the Discourse of MIR.
Choate delivered at Dartmouth coege-whose
great suiiciency Of fame il is to have nurured,
two such pupils have unfoldcd the intellectual,
professional aud public character of Daniel Web.
s'er, with an aouleGess of analysis. wealth OF
illustration and spendor of dIctlon, which will
convey TO all coming time an adequate and vivid
conception OF the great original. Ah,my friends
how little they knew Of him, who knew him only
as public man. how little they knew of his per
sonal appearance who never his countenance,
except when darkened with the terrors of his
deep flashing eye! These at times gave So.
verify to his aspect which added little to the
desolating force of his invectiye and the wither
ing power of his sarcasm when compelled to put
on the panoply of forensic or parliamentary war
But no one really knew even his personal ap
pearance who was not familiar with his rndi-
ant glance. his sweet expression his benmng
smile, lighting up the circle of those who he low
ed and trusted and in whose sympathy he conf
ded.
Were to Tx upon any one trait rs the pronl
nent trait of his personal character. it would he
his social disposition, his loving heart. If there
ever was person who felt all the meaning OF
the divine u,terance, "it is not good for man IL
be alone" it was he. Notwithstanding the vast
resources of his own mind and the materials toI
self communion laid up in the store house OF sucl
an intellect,few men whom haveknown have beei
so little addicted 10 solitary and medtative intro
spection; to few have social intercourse, sympa
| thy and communion with kindred or friendly
spirits been SO grateful and even necessary. I'm
less actually occupied with his pen or his book
and coerced into the solitude Of his study To-
some specific employment, he Stunned Ia be II
| lone lie preferred dictnton to solitary compo
sition. especially in the lattcr pnrt of his life
and he much liked, on the eve of great effort, j
it was in his power to reduce the heads q
his argument TO writing, to go over them with
friend.
The strong social disposition of Mr.. Webste,
of which have spoken, of course fitted him ad
mlrably for cornwall Intercourse. use that eX
preston in its proper chronological sense. point
ed out by Cicero in n letter TO one of his friends
and referred TO by Mr.. Webster in a charming
note TO Mr.. Rush. in which he contrasts the su
pcrior refinement of the Roman word c0nrirtUl
Giving together) with the Greek Symposium
which is merely drinking together. Mr. Well
ster entered most fully into the sentiment of Cl
Zero, SO beautifully expressed in the letter allu
led to: "Sed ,nehercufe, mi Pete erira jocu,
moneo te, que pertinere I'D beafe pirendum arbi
tro,; ut cum pr is bonus, jucandis, amantibn
tum pipds. Mill apius rite mill dd beGte ri
Uendnn accomniodatius. Nee id ad uoiuptdtm
refero, sed dd communication rite ct pictns, r.
missionemYue animorumi quo marine ermone q
tctur fa,niiari, qua est in conrinio duicissimuS.
Mr. Webster loved to live with his friends; wit
good pleasant men who loved him" This wa
his delight alike when oppressed with multiple
cares of office at Washington, and when enjoy
ing the repose aud quiet at Marshheld. He loy
ed his friends at the social board because it
there that men most cast otf the burden of bus
ness and thought; there, rs Cicero says, tina
conversation is sweetest; there that the kind
affections have the fullest play. BY the socit
sympa,hes thus cultivated. the general con
sciousness Of individual existence becomes NOR
intense. And who that ever enjoyed it can foi
get the charm of his hospitality-so liberal :
choice, so thoughtiuR In the very last days {
his life. and when confined TO the couch iror
which he meyer rose. he continued to give min
ute directions for the hospitable entertainer
of the anxious and sorrowful friends who came t