Smyrna times., 1859-09-29


sion made on the American mind was seen i
the liberality with which cargoes of food an
clothing, year or two afterwards, were dis
patched to the relief of the Greeks. No egis
lative measure was adopted at that time In con
sequence of Mr.. Webster's motion and speech
probably none was anticipated by him; but n
one who considers how much the march o
events in such cases is influenced by the mora
seniim ents, will doubt that a great word likt
this, spoken in the American Congress, mus
have had no slight effect in cheering the hear
of Greece, to persevere in their unequal bu
finally successful struggle.
The greatest parliamentary effort made by
! Mr.. Webster was his second speech on Foote's
resolution; the question at issue being nothing
less than this: is the Constitution Of the Uni
! ted States a compact without a common umpire
between confederated soveregnties, or is it a
government of the People of the United States
sovereign within the sphere of its delegated
powers, but reserving great mass of undele-
gated rights to the seperate State governments
and the people! With those who embrace the
opinions which Mr.. Webster combatted in this
speech, this is not the time nor the place to en-
gage in an argument; but those who believe
that he maintained the true principles of the
Constitution, will probably agree that since that
instrument was communicated to the COntnen-
tai Congress, seventy-two years ago this day,
by George Washington, as President OF the
Federal Convention, no greater service has
been rendered to them than in the delivery of
this speech. Well do | recollect the occasion
and the scene. 1t was truly what Wellington
called the battle of Waterloo, a conflict of Gil
ants. | passed an hour and a half with Mr..
Webster, at his request, the evening before this
great effort; and he went over to me-, from a
very concise brief, the main topics of the speech
which he had prepared for the following day.
So calm and unimpassoned was the memoran-
dun, so entirely was he at ease himself, that |
was tempted to think, absurdly enough, that he
was not sufficiently aware OF the magnitude of
the occasion. But | soon perceived that his
calmness was the repose Of conscious power
He was not only at ease, but sportve and full
of anecdote; aud as he told the Senate play
fully the next day he slept soundly that mig ht
on the formidable assault of his gallant and &C.
compllshed adversary. So the great Conde
slept on the eve of the battle of RocrUi; so
Alexander slept on the eve of the battle of Ar
bella and so they awoke to deeds of immortal
fame. AS saw him in the evening Cf | may
borrow an illustration from his favorite amuse-
menD he was as unconcerned and as free of
spirit, as some here have often seen him, while
gently rocking on the tranquil tide, dropping
his line here and there, with the varying for
tune of the sport. The next morning he was
like some mighty Admiral, dark and terrible,
casting the long shadow of his frownng tiers
far over the sea, that seemed to sink beneath
him ; his broad pendant streaming at the main,
the stars and the stripes al the fore, the mIzzen,
and the peak; and bearing down like temp
est upon his antagonist, with all his canvas
strained to the wind and all his thunders roar
ing from his broadsides.'
AS JURIsT.
Mr.. Webster's career was not less brilliant
as urist than as statesman. In the famous
Dartmouth College case he inaugurated new
system of judicial jurisprudence. The eloquent
allusion to another celebrated case we quote
entire:
"Not less important, and, at the time, not
less novel, were the principles involved 10 the
celebrated case of Gibbons and Ogden. This
case grew out of grant by the State of New
York to the assignee of Fulton the exclusive
right to navigate by steam the rivers. harbors
and bays of the Empire State. Twenty five
years afterwards Mr.. Justice Wayne gave to
Mr.. Webster the credit of having laid down
Tue DTOdu SIouhu Ou WutSh bhO
waters of the United States, every creek, and
river, and lake, and bay, and harbor IN the
country was forever rescued from the grasp Of
State monopoly. So failed the intention Of che
Legislature of New York to secure rich Pc
cuniary reward to the great perfecter of steam
navigation SO must have failed any attempt to
compensate by money the inestimable achieve
ment. Monopolies could not reward it; silver
and gold could not weigh down its value. Small
services are paid with money large ones with
fame. Fulton had his reward when, after twen-
ty years of unsuccessful experiment and hope
deferred, he made the passage to Albany by
steam ; as franklin had his reward when he
saw the fibres of the cord which held his kite
stiffening with the electricity they had drawn
from the thunder cloud as Galleo had his
when he pointed his little tube to the heavens
and discovered the Medicean stars; as Colum-
bus had his when he beheld from the deck OF
his vessel a moving light on the shores OF his
new-found world. That one glowing un1tter-
able thrill of conscious success is too exquisite
to be alloyed with baser metal. The midnight
vigils, the aching eyes, the fainting hopes turn
ed at last into one bewdering ecstacy of tri-
umph, cannot be repaid with gold. The great
discoveries, improvements and inventions which
benefit mankind, can only be rewarded by oppo
| oibiOhg Ooio1oyt PN'N'Ny N"N 49, ~Ny A'6 "NeaS'
HIS CAREER AS DIPLoMATIsT.
Mr.. Everett devotes this portion of his ad
dress to triumphant vindication of the memory
of Mr.. Webster, from the charges of disenge
nuousness and even fraud in the settlement o
the northeastern boundary question which wer
brought against him in England, and whic
have very lately been revived in that country
He shows that Mr.. Websier's conduct in tha
affair was high-minded and honorable, an
quotes from speech of Lord Ashburton hi
! assertion that I" the reflections cast upon tina
most worthy and honorable man are unjust"
: Next he speaks of him as public sPeake
!. with the general characteristics Of his styl
: and manner, and the central idea OF his Poit
cal system.
: "fIe regarded as an approach to the perfe