The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-19

magnificent rhetoric Who that heard IT, has real ii,
will forget the dcsolang energy Of his denuncmoa
of the African slave trade, in the discourse at Pymnth
the spendOr Of the aposrophe 10 Warren Ia the nrst
discourse Bunker Tll that To the monumental SHAFT
rumpettones Of the speech placed in the lips OF John
Adams, in the culogy on Adams and Jefferson; or the
sublime peroraton Of the speech on Foots resolution or
tho lyric re Of the imagery by which he illustrates the
extent Of the British empire the almost supernatural
terror Of his description Of the force OF conscience IN the
argument In Rnapps trial Then, how bright and fresh
the description Of Niagara; how beautiful the picture Of
the Morning in his private correspondence, which, as well
his familiar conversation, cnivened by the per
rctuai play Of joyous and fertile imagination. In word,
what tone In all the grand and melting music or our Ian
guage is there which is not heard in some portion Of ms
pose tho basis OF the strain Like the sky above us
sometimes serene and cloudess and peace and love shine
strcamers, in wild fantastic play, emerai and ross and
orange eecy whte shoot upward from the horizon,
mnge in fiery canopy at the zenith, aud throw out
their Pickering curtains the heavens and the earth
while at other times the mastering tnlest piles his low
erR battlemenis the sides of the North furious
wind rushes forth from their blazing oopholcs, and
vuiled thuners give the signal Of tho elem nta war
notice, lastly, sort OF judicial dignity in Nj Web
ster's mode OF treating public questons which may be
ascrbed tho high degree in which he united, in the
range Of his studies and the habits Of his fc, the urs
with the None think, but great statesman
could have performed Mr. Websters part before the high
tribunals Of the land none but great lawyer could
have sustained himself he did the floor the senate
In fact he To that elevation at which the law, in
its highest conception, and in its versatile functions aud
agencies as the great mediator between the state and tho
gle protected from the violence and craft OF his
fellows and clothed for tine defence Of his rights with the
mighty power Of the mass; which Watches faithful guar
dian, the life and property Of the orphan in the
die spreads the ags or the public peace alike the
OF the wilderness which conyovs the merchant aaI Gs
cargo safety 10 and from the ends Of the EARTH pre-
acrbes the gentle humanies Of civilization TO contcndng
armies; sits serene umpire Of the ciashng interests OF
coniederated states and mouds them all into grand
Unien. say Mr.. Webster TO elevation which
all these attributes and functions OF universal lawn &C
alternately
saccessyey constitution satae and decreeare mingled
INTO one harmonious protecting, strengthening vazlng
sublime SYSTEM brightest image earth Of that ineibe
sovereign energy which, with mingled power, wisdom
and love, upholds and governs the universe.
happened one bright starry night to be walking home
with him, ut late hour, from the capitol ut Washington,
after skirmshng debate, in which he had been speak
warmth, ON the subject OF the constitution forming
united government The planet Jupiter, shining with
cendeed Capitol II and uuconscously pursuing the train
Of thought which he bad been enforcing in the Senate,
pointed 10 the planet and sad:-"' Night unto night
shnweth knowledge; take away the independent force
emenatirg from the hand Of the Supreme, which mpels
that planet onward and il would plunge in hdeous ruin
from those beautiful skies unto the sun; take away the
attraction OF the sun, and the attendant planet
would shoot mady from its Sphere urged and restrained
by the balanced forces it wheels its eternal circles through
the heavens"
TIE CONTEMPT rEs WORK ON CONSTITUTION.
His reverence for the constitution led him 10 mediate
work in which the history Of it's formation and adoption
should be traced, its principles unfoded and explained
anaogios with other governments investigated it's
utnCES
try for ages yet to come developed and maintained His
thoughts had long flowed in this channel The subject
not Only the on which he had bestowed bis
earnest parliamentary efforts: but il formed the point Of
reference OF much Of his historical and miscellaneous
reading He was anxious To learn what the experience
Of mankind taught the subject Of governments in any
degree resembling As fathers, in forming
the Confederation, and still more the members Of the Con-
venon which framed the ccnstituton-and especially
Wash!ngtonsuded with diligence the organization of all
the former ccmpacs Of govefnmentthosc Of the Neither
lands, Of Switzerland and ancient Greece-s0 Mr.. Web
tad
conederaces Of modern and ancient tines for lessons AMI
apaoges OF encouragement and warming u his country
men, lie dweit much on the Amphiktyonc league Of
GREECE Of the confoderaces to which the trainers
the constitution often referred and which is frequently
for Greece, ii had little claim to that character Founded
originally c"ufiaternity Of religious rites,
panied in the lapse OF time into loose political associa
ton, but was destitute Of all the powers OF organized
efficient government On tins subject Mr.. Webster found
remark in Grotes History Of Greece which struck him
being OF extreme significance the people of the United
States Occasionally, says Grote, there partial
pretence tor the imposing tie bestowed upon the Am
llikycnc league by Cicero .Commupe Grciie Concium
but should completely nsintrpret Grecian history il
We regarded rs federal council habuay directing
habi.uaily obeyed" And now said Mr.. Webster,
" comes passage which ought To be written in letters
Of gold over the door OF the Captof and OF every
state Legislature Had there existed any such
Commune CoEclium' Of tolerabe wisdom and patriot
SIN, and had the tendencies Of the Hellenic mind been
e history oa5y have A Ssen
The Macedonian kings would have remained only as re-
lee'abie ne'ghbors borrowing their civilization from
Thracians ard lllyrans, while united Heas might have
maintained her own territory against the sonquering
legions OF iRome.'' wise and patriotic federal
would have preserved from the Mace.
DOMAIN phalanx and the Roman lcgons.
Professional and official abors engrossed Mr. Webster's
time left him leisure for the execution of his med.
tated work Oh the constitutions theme which, Us he
fountains ward its prophetic issues seems to me-
IN the wide range Of its topics TO embrace higher and
richer elements of thought for the American statesman
patriot than any other directly connected with the
Spiritual welfare OF man.
MAGNITUDE rHsxs-rHE FUTURE or THE UNION
What else is there, in the material system of tho world
50 wonderful as this conceament OF the western hemi
sphere for behind the mighty veil Of waters9 How
could such a be kept from the foundation of the
world till the end Of the fifteenth century, What SO as
'cnishrP the concurrence, within less than century
the invention OF printing tn, of the true
system Of the heavens and this great world discovery
What mysterious the dissertation Of the tribes
Of this continent cm the civilized and civzlbe races of
mans What SO remai kabc in political history the ope
ration Of the Influences in conflict, in harmony
ender which the various nations Of the Old World sent
their children t. occupy the New-great populations 81
enty stealing into EXISTENCE the wilderness OF one cen
tuiy twarning in the next with mlions ascending the
s'f'ams, crossing the mountains, struggling with
settler eits Of foreign powers but ever onward,
wafds What so proPitious as this hong colonial
hinng in the school of chartered government and them
RheE the fulness of time had come, what majestic
amidst all its ycisstudes and all its trials the Grand
Sear alton mutually beneficial in final result b, both
fties-the dread appeal TO arms, that venerable Cont
mental Congress- the august Declaration the strange ALI,
Of the Oldest monarchy Of Europe with the infant
reP'bIcf And lastly what 81 worthy the admiration Of
men ao angels as the appearance of him the expected
Linn the Hero, raised up TO conduct the momentos
e' 10 It's suspicious issue in the Confederation Union
the Constitution
VIEWS OF THE PRESENT
This prophetic glance, merely at the impending but
the distant atnre this reliance the fumant Of the
great design OF Providence, illustrated through whole
history TO lavish upon the people Of this country the
cnfnuated blessings Of all former stages Of human pro-
gress made him tolerant Of the trdy and irregular
advances and temporary wanderngs from the path of
"tat he deemed u wise and sound policy, than thoso
ieTyd spirits who dwell exclusively in the present. and
make less allowance for the gradual operation of mora!
Influences This the reference the great
sectional controversy which now sharply divides aud
SO violently agitates the country. lie only conn
IDENTITY anticipated what the lapse of years since
decease has witn ssod and Witnessing that the newly
acquired aud newly organized territories OF the Union
would grow up into free States but, IN with all
or nearly all the statesmen Of the last generation he be-
ltved tina, free labor would ultimately prevail throughout
the country lie thought he that III the operation of
the same causes which have produced this the