The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-04-03
WHOLE NUMBER 2O4
Adams and Webster,

| -'he c'uef NuitlHS, ana D:lnlrl webster:
"Again you heard that cloqnence, with Il
higher hope of 4 more splendid result, in
l776. The leader in that great cause was
our own John Adams, OF Massachusetts. Hc
was the orator alone OF the revolution in
which the nation was born. Others CO.
operated splendidly with him-Samucl
Adams, Samuel CLase, Thomas Jefferson,
Tatrlck Henry, James Otis-in tho earlier
stages. Each one of these went abroad
aud scattered broadcast the seed of life in
the waiting, virgin soil. Jefferson the ma
g'c OF style, the power Of touching the feel
lngs with those fair ideas of freedom and
equality, dear TO men, so irresistible at that
time. Henry the indescribaLle spell OF
| speech, which fills the eyes, stays the blood,
turns the check pale, instIling into the soul
the sweet madness of battle Samuel Chase,
the tone OF Indignation, the proud defiance,
aud the extraordinary ar, of inspiring courage
and hope. John Adams niunc seems to have
met every demand ofthc time
"As right, rs a question of prudence, rs
question OF honor, as a question OF feeling,
as question of conscience. hc knew it all
through and in that mighty debate, which
began as far back March or February,
l77G, to its close, on The 2d Of July, lie
presented it i'll all its aspects to every pas
sion and affection appealing to the sense
OF wrong, eXaspcratcd, at length, almost be-
yond control by tie shedding of blooI-to
g'iet' to indignation, to sclfrespect, to desire
Tor happiness and safety, TO the sense of
moral obligation, to the fear of God cast
ing out all other tcar-to all these IDEAS and
all these passions he appealed for months,
DAY alter day, until the result was attained.
the'record ofwhich he has left in a letter to his
vile. An extract from this letter Mr. Choate
read giving expression t, the cxutant feeling
OF Tie elder Adams at the signing of the De-
ciarat'on OF independence. Not single
reported sentence Of all his speeches las
come down to us. The great spokesman
OF all age unto an age is dead. And vet OF
these last words, is not our Whole America
one immortal record and REPORTER still p?
low they blaze on the pillars ofthe Union
Low their deep sense is unSolded and inter
preted by every passing hour How they
come out to life, and grow double, as it were
IN the frightening rays of light which were
revealed to him, as the f;,Jled Invisible harp
gave out It's music to the mountains Yes
they have periShcd yet all thinrs around
us-our laughing harvest, our songs oflabor.
our commerce whitening every sea. our Sc
cure homes, our school. houses. on, cbnrchos
our happy people, the stainless, radiept f]ao
how they come pealine, peano. "Iude,
dendence now, and independence forever ~
Prolonged applause
"And now, said Mr.. Cboate IN conol,-
sion, on review of this series Of thc most
eloquent OF men, and these circumstances
OF their time, does an exceeding love de.
celve US, or have We not ourselves seen and
followed mourning to the grave one man
who, cast upon times so troubled and So
high, would have enacted part of eoual
splendor, and won a fame rs historical-our
own Websters Loud applause.1 WAS
there ever cause to be pleaded before ~,
assembly OIL earth to which he would not
have proved himself more than canal
Consider that he WAS cast on Il great. nuiet.
civil age; on an age and lan,l marked bv
law, order, contcntmcnt, healthful progress.
ny intellectual growth and beautiful. ma.
teraf prosperity, resting on deep and Sta
bic freedom We SAW that great ocean.
Daniel Webster wlen in its calm. but how
i strong northcr had blown over it, or
hurricane of the tropics had stirred IFS ui,.
Sounded depths p That mighty season
that majesty yEfreedom, that sovereig gn brow
and eye that fountaino of eloquent Telling,
passion, imagination, which seems to me-
never to have been completely compre-
hended upon earth, fathonlcas asa sen.
and. like that demanding The breaking up
rettle monsoon or the attraction Of those
great heavenly bodies, the lights of the
world, tontise them fully and adequately.
to owhatatrf'nphs:of of cloqueuce mau ever
witnessed, were these mighty faculties un-
Eeqnel.a I: >[Arpianse] Assisted by. that
mf,yal organ, The Greek language Of De-
mosthcnesc, would lie not have rolled an
equal thunder and flashed an equal flame3
Would he not have brcathed virtue into de-
caying Greece, and turned back forsa time
the inevitable lour9 And when the pil.
lars Of Roman liberty were shaken, would
not their last great champion have weIcor1,
ed. him as an ALLEY worthy oftbe causegs
And was he not the ,nan to Stand by Adams,
and second the motion which has made ,s
illustrations moreover immortal among
men'a Merights of the colonies the VIC,
latian Of thosesrights, the larger rights of
mao, and tile violation of the rights Of ha
flonal; life-would he not have stated
Ethose views as with the clcarness ola sun.
Beam transparent, definite, exact? Whofi'
reason was convinced, the conscience in
structed, would he not have swept, will, h's
all commanding power, the grander PAS
sions Of grief; Indignation, selfsacrficc and
tbeslove OF country !; and then rs the Wis
ION Of the independence Of America glim-
mered through the future, would he not,
with NJ asoulas triumphant, tongue sas
confident, and a Heart prophecy as sure as
on a later festive day, he did on the rock
Of the Pilgrims, bid distant generations.
"Hail aud comet" Enthusiastic hap!.
plause. -lds~'ra - : l..4}! ~
. The Hon. Mr. VenaLle, formerly Demo