Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-09-21

speaker Let US contemplate him for moment In either
Without passing through the preliminary stage of the
State Legisiatare and elected Congrss In six years
from me time Of hs admission to the Superior Court of
New hampshire he was his first entrance into the
House OF representatives placed by Mr. Speaker Clay on
the Committee Of Foreign Affairs and took rank forth
Suh as one o. The leading statesmen of the day. His
hrst speech had Inference to those famous Berlin and Nj
Ian DEGREES and orders In Council which have arca-
dy alluded and the Impression produced by such
as to lead the venerable Chief Justice Marshall eighteen
years aterwarus In writing TO Mr. Justice Story say
AT the time when this speech delivered did not
know Mr. webster but much struck with Il that
did not hesitate then to state that he very able
man. ana would become of the very first statesmen
IN America, perhaps the first" Ills mind at the very
outset oil his career had by Kind ofnstnct SCARED from
the Pneipes which govern the municipal relations
divdus TO those great rules which dictated the Law of
Nations 10 independent States He tells u.s. the fng.
ment OF diary kept while he a law student in Mr.
TORE ONCE that he then read Vatte through for the
third time Accordingly in after life there was no sub.
cct which ne discussed with greater pleasure aud NAV
add with greater than questions OF the law of ma
ions Inc revolution of Greece had from its outbreak
attracted much OF the attention Of the civilized
people whose ancestors had originally taught letters
and arts TO mankind, struggling regain place In the
great family OF independent States the convulive efforts
OF Christian people, the foundation Of whose churches
by the Apostles in person recorded in the New Tesla
ment, TO shake of the yoke of Mahommedan dcspotism
possessed strange interest for the friends of Christian
liberty throughout Europe and America. President Mon
had called the attention of Congress this most in
teresing struggle in December ls2S, and Mr. Webster
returning 10 congress after retirement OF eight
as the representative of Boston made the Greek royou
ton the subject of motion and speech In this speech
he treated what he called hc great question of the dy
the question between absolute and regulated govern
meutS lie engaged in searching criticism of the doc
trines OF the Holy Alliance" and maintained the duty
OF the United States great free power protest a
gainst them. That speech remains in my judgment to
this day the ablest and most effective
against the principles OF the allied military powers of con
,incntal Europe Mr.. jeremiah Mason pronounced il
the best sample of parliamentary coqucuee and stscs
m En min NNht. l...l.
indignant protest against the spirit of absoutism and his
words of sympathy with infant people struggling for
independence were borne the wings of the wind
throughout Christcndom. They read in Ian.
guage, at every court every cabinet in every reading
room, on every market paceby the Republicans of Mex
leo and Spanish South America by the reiormers of ta
y, the patriots of Poland the Tagus the Danube
well the head of the little armies OF revolution
AIRY Greece. The practical impression which they made
on the American mind was seen in the lberalty with
which cargoes OF food and clothing, two after
wards dispatched to the rcliei OF the C;rccks No
Legislative or executive adopted at that time
ia consequence OF Mr. Websters motion aud speech
probably none anticipated by him but no one who
considers how much the march of in such
Is influenced by the moral sentiments will doubt that
great word like this, spoken in the American Congress
must have had slight effect cheering the heart of
Hreece to perSevere in her unequal but finally
ful struggle.
1t by these mastery parliamentary efforts that Mr.
Webster lett his mark the in which he lived His
fidelity TO his convictions kept him for greater part
of his life in minority position which he regarded
not as prescription but post of honor and DUTY
lie felt that in free governn and in normal state of
parties opposition il political necessity and that
has its duties not less responsible than those which attach
TO Office. Before the importance of Mr. Websters polit
ical services is dsparged for Of positive results
which can only he brought about by those who cloth
ed with power, it must be shown that TO raise persua
sve and convincing voice in the vndcatiou of truth and
right TO uphold and assert the principles OF the gov
ernment under which We live aud bring them home to
the hearts OF the pcOpe-to do this from sense of nat
rouc duty and without hope of the honors and emou-
ments OF office TO do it instruct the public con-
science aud warm the public heart is less meitorous
service TO society than touch with ful hand the
springs of party politics, and hold together the often
dIscordant elements of ill-cOmpacted maiorities
The greatest parliamentary efforts made by Mr. Web
ster was IN his second speech Foo resolution the
question at issue being nothing less than this l. the
Constitution of the United States COMPACT without
common umpire between conicdcratcd soVereiguties or
is il government of the People of the United states So
veregn within the sphere of IT. delegated powers but
reseryu great of unieegatcd rights to the ssua
rate State Governments and the People With those
VINO embrace the opinions which Mr.. Webster cOmhated
IN this speech, this Is the time the place to ell
gage in argument but those who believe that he main
tanned the true principles OF the Constitution viii probably
agree, that since that instrument communicated to
the Continental Congress- seyenty-two wears ago this
day by George Washington President of the Federal
Convention, no greater service has been rendered them
than in the delivery of this speech Well do recoect
called the battle of Waterloo conflict of giants
passed hour and half with Mr. Webster at his re-
quest TIE evening before this great effort and
ne went over 10 me, from very concise brief
the main topics of the speech which he had
prepared for the following dsy So calm and unr.
ptss!On5d the memorandum so entirely was he At
ease himself, that / was tempted TO think. alb
surdy enough that he sufficiently aware of the
magnitude OF the occasion. But perceived tina,
his clmness the epose OF conscious power lie was
not only at ease, ba spOrve and full of auccdOtc aud
a he told the Senate pay;ully the next dlv he slept
soundy that ght the formidable assault of his gallant
and accomplished adversary. so the great Conde slept
I 81 81 1usVI
the Of the battle Of Arbea and so they awokc 10
deeds Of immortal fame. As saw him in the evening
t may borrow illustration from his ftvorite amrse.
Inentl he unconcerned aud as free of spirit A.
some here have often him. while floating in his fish.
ing boat along hay SHORE gently rocking on the tran
quil tide, dropping his line here and there with the vary
lug fortune OF the sport The ncSt morning he like
some mighty Admiral dark aud terrible casting the long
shadow of his frOwuug tiers the sea that seem
ed 20 sink beneath him his broad pcunaut streaming at
the MAN, the stars and stripes at the fore the mzzen and
the peak, and bearing down like tempest upon his an
tagOnis with all his strained the wind and AL
his thunders roaring from his brolisides.
Mr.. Web-ters career was not less brilliant urs
than statesman In fact he possessed in an eminent
! degree Judicial mind. While performing an amount
Of Congressional and official labor sufficient to I'LL the bu
sie~t day and TO task the strongest powers he yet
tanned with giants strength the hercuean toi- of hi
profession At the very commencement Of his legal stu
dies resisting the fascination Of liberal course
reading he laid his foundations deep in the common IA
grappled well he might with the weary subtlete
ed and translated volumes OF reports from the Norman
French and Latin. few years Of practice follow in th
Courts Of New Hampshire interrupted by hs service il
Congress for two political terms aud find him at th
bar Of the Supreme Court of the United States al Wah
ngton, inauguratng in the Dartmouth College case wha
may be called a new school Of constitutional jurspru
| dence
IL wOnd be waste Of time to speak of at great
of Mr.. WebsteTs connection with it, II i too frcsb
remembered in tribunals So novel NJ that time wcr
the principles involved in it that member of the Court
after cursOry inspection Ofthe record Of the case OK
pressed the opinion that tc importance could be urp
I'd in behalf of the plaintiff Ia error but firm the a
sis which in that and subsequent cases Of a smila
character those principle established that the
form Of the best setled they one OF the mo.
important, portions Of the constitutional law Of III
Union.
Not less important and at the time, not less move
the principles involved in the celebrated case
Gibbons aud Ogden. This grew out Of a grant l.
the State Of New York 10 the asignees Of Fulton Of Oh
exclusive right to navigate by steam the river. harbo
and bays Of the Empire State. Twenty-Five years afte
wards SIR. Justice Wayne gave 90 Mr. Webster the cre
IL Of having laid down the broad constitutional groun
which the uavigabe waters Of the United States ne
cry creek aud river and lake and bay and haror IN ii
country, forever rescued from the grasp Of Sta
monopoly. So failed the intention of the Legislature
New FORK 10 secure rich pecuniary reward the gre
p"riector Of steam navigation; must have failed af