The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-01-24

for the third time, he retired from public life
in 1916, to repair his fortunes, which had been
swept away by the great fire 6f Portsmouth,
lie removed to Boston; and for several year:
devoted himself to his profession with the
greatestssucccss: In 1918, his argument fol
Dartrp outb college in the Snpremc Court al
Washington, placed him in the front rank o
American jurists,
lie could now have reposed securely on Iii:
fame: but more brilliant occasions than the
fortune of any other American orator has cycl
awarded, were waiting on his genius. In the
Convention o: Delegates to revise the Consti-
tuition of Massachusetts,, over whose delibera.
tions the venerable John Adams presided
Webster was the controlling spirit.
A greater occasion was at hand. The last
hour Of the second century from the landing
81 the Forcfa:hers was sounding and the Pass
over of the Pilgrims was come. From the
consecrated rock, by whose everlasting base
the weary Mayhowef first swung to her new
world moorings he pronounced an Grafton
which was stereotyped on the heart Of Amcri-
ca, and in the literature of the world. Once
more this representative of whatsoever is great
in the character of Plymouth mon, was called
to interpret the heart of New England. Fifty
years after the smoke of battle r)led from
Bunker Hill, the cornerstone of an obrlisi
which now "mects the sun in lis coming
was to be laid A vast multitude stood on the
holy ground, with. the heavens over their heads,
and beneath their feet the bones of their faith
crs. That oration will be part of the birth
right of every child born in New England -
Again, July 4, 1926. our greatest festival, just
half century after the Declaration of indie
pcndcncc, two patriarclls OF freedom left their
blessing on the nation, and died almost at the
same hour. The day was now halIowed by a
holicr conservation and Webster commem0r-
ated the services OF the assembled patriots.
Finally, on the 22d February, 1882, which
completed the century of Washington, he por-
trayed the character of that great delivcrer.--
With these august names and occasions, the
genius of Webster is linked forever He re-
turned to Congress in 1928, and remained in
the lower house till 1928, when lie was raised
to the Senate. In that high position he con-
tinued his ilusrious services till his death, with
an'interval of two years while lie filled the
office of Secretary of State, and negotiated the
Treaty of Washington, under Tyler, and ano-
ther period while he held the State Depart
msnt under Fillmore. We have not space to
record even the dates of his achievements in
the tribune; much less to trace their history.
lis reply, to Hague was triumph Of genius !;
his later speeches on the Union were triumphs
of patriotism and craftsmanship. He was call
ed the eSpounder Of the Constitution during
his ifetimc he will be known hereafter as its
chief defender. lie has been to it during the
second period ot tile Republic, What Washing
ton was to its liberties in the first. Vast as
are the powers he has displayed, even those
who heard his reply to uayne, in which he
the models ofantiquity, felt that there
were hidden fountains of elemental fire vet I'M
stirred. The majesty of his person, the un-
depths and varied intonations of his
voice. his manner always just as excited as his
soul, the Doric Substantially of his miud and
the nnwas'ing resources q hjs IEsEaing AND
of america. His great s6nI passed r Sc
herois,n of tic nation, like the mcmSnNoj/ of
the men Of the Revolution. We re&E his
image when we think of the Maytiow& rock
ing in Massachusetts, Bay or speak of War
rc,i, 'thc first great martyr in our great cause"
We remember his early history whcn'we look
on the satchelcd boy sturdily bcating his own
snow-path to the district sclool-housc of New
England. When We arc told the Union is
and the Constitution is in danger,
we Involuntary turn our eye to that illustr-
ous tomb at Mar<hfeld Whenever q day Of
trial has come on the nation, we have felt the
steadying control Of his gigantic arm. Above
all do we think of linn when we stand 10y thr
.omb of Washington, for over his memory
such words have never been uttered. as Web
ster has spoken. He has wrought himself SO
entirely into all that is holy and grand in ma
tional feeling and history, tLat he stirs in our
minds the same emotions of vcneration and
sublimity, as do the fathers Of the Republic
who have been long dead.
NcW York Conservative.