The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-24
Daniel Webster : Parcv,,.

uscteu with these u our apeessors We knov |
so phyacaiiy, aud we believe II to be 90 man
y. ~, We reasoa partly fror analogy, because "
~ .ae ofate creation. We have ganei grsa
eeAisot knowledge about horse when We kuev
Ifoni What "bsood" hs sprang. This fee,iur. 20 b.
sa.s, 49,, " not 60 stroag wish us ~ In Europs whsr
s,aios anu position ~ s.ciety arc hereditary an,
90 much OF q depends on al accurate knowisds
Y, eaes ancestry. Yet even hero II 10 strong
particularly wksn tho individual concerned ha
become eminent. For this reason, aii that relate
W At. "ebsters pateltase 10 peculiarly interest
ihS, tor We believe With posterity he will be re-
xafaea a. she great intellectual giaat of the age
ne nimseif does not SOON TO have troubled him
se't very much about the matter, though hs dit
some, iof ne once employed John CofiiD, Esq. O
Ns"pnry,to trace 1t back for him. At this time
according 10 Mr.. Coihu, ha was mistaken Ia tn,
name even OF his grandfather.
-, ~ may not be generally known that both Of Mr.
"sosfer's parents were born in the immediate vi
entity of Newburypor.; all their nobility. too, wa.
.nas prondest OF AL nobility, that Of nature. Hii
father, Ebeuezer Webster, was born at East Kiug
ston, n. H., about ten miles from Newburyport-
FROM tIe poverty of his parents. as we suppose
ne was adopted by an iL2aeutial and wealthy
man, Maj. Ehenezer Stephens. Mr.. Stephen.
owned large tract Of unsettled land In Now
Hampshire, In q plac3 called Stevenstown, from
himself, since called salisbury. portion Of this
ne gave to young Webster, who went there and
settled down as the ago of twenty-five. He built
him log cabin, Ia which he lived for seven years
pr Webster thus speaks of his fathers early con
difion-"A msu who is not ashamed of himself
need not ee ashamed Of his early condition. 1t did
not happen to to be born ip log cabin, raised
among the snow drifts of New Hampshire, a. a
period 30 early, that when the smoke frst arose
iiom Its ruoe chimney, and cured over the frozen
hiiis, there WAS no similar evidence of . white
mans habi.atiou between it and the settlements
on the rivers Of Canada
All his life he remained poor, and rs is we'll
known, was obliged to mortgage his little farm to
raise the money to educats his children. Yet tho
poor, 10 was honored usefa and respectful. lie was
always one OF the most prominent citizens of his
TO w. discharging its most responsible Offices year
after year. He served often in the legislature OF
his State, as Representative and Senator. He was
member Of the Convention called to firm State
Constitution, and also of the called to copsid-
er the proposed United States Constitution. He
was appointed, in 1871, Judge Of the Court of Com
mon Pleas for Hillsborough county which office he
heid till his death. He was a Christian, too, &C.
tive iu all the affairs of the Church.
His revoiutionary services were very important t.
extending thr ough the whole war. At 6rst Cap
tain, be was promoted pl 81 10 the rank OF Colo
mel He was brave, trusty aud reliable officer,
and Engaged in many situations Of great respon
sioiiity He was in the army when the news came
OF the birth Of his son Daniel Calling to his
brother in law, Stephen Robinson, be said. "Here,
stephen, have another boy at home; get gallon
OF rum and We will be merry" This, of course,
was before temperance days, when even good Chris
tians thought it no harm to use little stimulant
to help keep the heart cheerful.
1t is said on occasiop, Captain Webster was
encamped with General Stark, near the British u
little stream alone dividing them-the British,
however. in much greater free. A storm of grea:
length and severity arising, the Americans ,und
| shelter in large baru. When fair weather came,
it appeared that the British had disappeared. This
| seeming like al ipterposition OF Providence some
one proposed prayers.
"D-n the prayers" said soldier, "let those
pray who want to-"
General Stark was so much inceused at the Ian
guage, that he struck the soldier over the shonL
der severely with his sword, saying that the name
OF God should not be profaped in this army. Tbey
all went into ths barn, when he called on CAPITAL
Webster to lead in prayer, who, mounted upon a
haystack, prayed with such fusncy, that, as Ste.
phen Bohonuon said, "ihere never was SO much
blubberiDg at a camp meeting"
Judge Webster's personal appearance was very
fine, to which his son often alluded in ter;ns OF
pride He WAS tall, stout, very dark, with keen,
black eyes, aud powerful voice-ail we'll known
characteristics of Daniel. He died in 1906 when
bis son, but for whom his own memsry would, even
now. have become dimmed, was still young man,
unknown to fame.
Judge Webster's second wife, the mother OF
DApiel, was Abigail Eastman, who was born in
Salisbury, directly opposite Newturyport She
was tailoress by trade, going round from house
TO house. as her services were required. Her
father was the owner of small farm The father
came from Wales, and hrst settled in Salisbury
She had two brothers. Ezskiel and Daniel, for
whom she named two of her children.
The story OF the courtship 10 thus told Soon
after Mr. Webster became u widowsr which was
in March, lJ74, ne came to East Kingdom, his old
Did h0tue. on visit. lady friend said TO him,
"vny do you not get married ugainf" IL wOuJ,
he replied, '.if knew the right one" 81 can tell
y0p,' she said, zone who will just sut you-Abi-
gail Eastman, of Salisbury, about as black as you
are" He mgunted his horse and went TO Sails
bury. Reaching the hosse, young woman came
to the door, whom be asked if Abigail Eastman
lived there She told him ste was the oue when
be banded her the letter of introduction he had
brought. She invited him in, and before he LETT,
the bargain was made. They were married Octo
Der 18th, 1774
Both Sir. Webster's parents we're persons OF hne
physical devoIopsment and strong good sense, lu-
ured to toll, and beloug ging to the common ranks
of life. No patrician blood flowed in thsir veins.
rhey seemed 20 spring up like the fabled heroes
Of Old from the sarth gave birth to soc by
whom they have been more honored than if they
could have traced their coat of arms through q
line Of a thousand senseless and titled ancestors,
and died. Intellectually the race is dead. Ne son
of Mr. Webster inhorifed more than the name,
and in fact We, as rule, never lcok for great
man in a great mans son. Do families have floods
aud ebbs Of greatness the tides, and 10 the In
teilect Of great man the accumulation OF sue
cessive senerationsy Many interesting quest ions
suggest themselves on this subject OF genealoey,
which musE reserve for a subsequent article
Neao6uTyport Herald.