The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-01
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MR.. WEBSTER.

From the Private Correspondence of Mr.. Webster, in
press.
was born January Is, 1892. My father, by
two marriages, had FIVE sons and five daugh-
tiers. | am the youngest son, and only survi.
wing child. | have nephews and nieces, both OF
the whole and half blood that is to say, sons
and daughters of my brothers and sisters, of
both my fathers wives
The year following my birth, my father remov-
ed from his first residence, which was log
house on the hill, to the river side, in the same
town, distance Of three miles. Here, in the
meadow land, by the river, with rough high
hills hanging over, was the scene of my earliest
recollections; or, as was said in another case,
Here / found myself" | can recollect when
't oodS 1890; but cannot say that can remem-
Der further back. | have q very vivid impress
sion, indeed, of something which took place
some years earlier especially of an extraordina-
ry rise in the river. / remember how the deluge
OF rain beat Tor two days on the house; how all
looked anxiously to see the river overflow its
banks; how the waters spread over the meadows;
how the boat, coming from afar on the other
side OF the river, was rowed up till it almost
touched the door-stone how NJ. G's great
barn, fifty feet by twenty, full Of hay and graf D.
sheep, turkeys, and chickens, sailed down the
current majesicelly before our egca aud bow
we were all busy preparing 70 ily to .Le noun
tains as soon as our house should manifest
disposition to follow Mr. G.'s barn. reuem.
Dor, socm 10 remember al thesa things. i
did indeed see as much Of them a child OF
five years could see, for | think It was in 1891,
but still | am Of opinion that my i'm -ess.0- Is
from narrative, and not from remembTa6aa OF
the vision. Plain, Ineligible, aud striking
things of this kind, | have learned, make an
impression on young minds in recital, which it
is difficult afterwards to distinguish from actual
personal recollection.
[ do not remember when or by whom | was
taught to read because l cannot and never
could recollect a time when / could not read
the Bible l suppose / was taught by my
mother, or by my elder sisters. My father
seemed to have no higher object in the world
than TO educate his children to the full extent
of his very limited ability. No means were
within his reach, generally speaking, but the
small town schools. These were kept by teach
ers sufficiently indifferent, in the several neigh
borhoods of the township, each small part of
the year. TvsthesB sent, with the other
children.
VIZ - she school was in our neighborhood, il
wo easy to attend; when it removed TO a more
Lant district, followed it, still living at home.
: lille yet quite young, and in winter, was
sent daily two and a half or three miles to the
school, When it removed still further, my ia
Their sometimes boarded me out in neighboring
family, so that 1 could still be in the school.
good deal Of this was an extra care, more
than had been bestowed on my elder brothers,
and originating in a conviction of the slender
ness and frailty of my constitution, which was
thought not likely ever to allow me to pursue
robust occupation.
In these eohoois, nothing was taught but
Teaulng ana rriting and, as to these, the first
s1ne ,%a perform better than the
,e"o"o'' " BANGED master could
vas so laborious,
}rtstion TO me
mo that thew