Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-10-15
Mistellanp.
WEBSTER.

My last letter-closed abruptly
left me sitting on Burying Hill at
Plymouth, in distant view of Marsh
field, the home and resting-place of
Daniel Webster. | there met with
Mr.. Grecley's brief criticism on Ameri-
can eloquence in the last INDEPENDENT !;
and while heartily accepting much of
his estimate Of Mr.. Webster, | beg
leave modestly to dispute his denial
Of a place to Webster among the half
dozen greatest American orators.
My thoughts ran back at once to
the 25th of January, 1880, the most
memorable day in the forensic annals
of the Republic. From an early hour
of that January morning, the great
avenue was lined by steady process
sion moving up to the Capitol. Be-
fore twelve o'clock the chamber was
overflowing into the rotunda, and men
were Offering bribes for a few inches
of breathing room within the charmed
inclosure.
The place was worthy of the hour
and of the combatants. 1t was the
old Senate chamber-the battle-arcna
Of the giants-the same hall which
once resounded to the polished elo-
quence of Rufus King, and which lad
echoed back the murmur of applause
that greeted the farewell address Of
Henry Clay. On that memorable
morning the chamber was thronged
with large portion of the eminent
men whom any one thinks OF when he
thinks of American oratory. From
the Presidents chair lowered the por-
tentous eye and cast-iron brow of John
q. Calhoun. Before him sat Van Bu-
rem and Forsyth and Woodbury. the
eloquent Hayne, and the strong.mind-
ed Clayton the omniverous Benton,
who aimed to know everything, and
the indefatigable John Quincy Adams,
who actually succeeded. In the seeth.
ing crowd that day was the guant
skeleton of Randolph of Roanoke-the
eccentric who once closed four days
speech by saying, "Mr. Speaker,
am sorry to take my seat, for l am
just approaching the Threshold of my
subject" The imperial figure of Clay
and the thoughtful face of Silas
Wright, were alone wanting to have
made it the most brilliant assembling,
of civilians since the era Of the Revo
luton.
In the midst Of that breathless
chamber-wherc the echoes of Colone
Haynes silvery eloquence were still
lingering on the ait-Daniel Webster
arose His friends remarked that IN
Difference to the great occasion he had
arrayed himself in the old Whig cos
tune of Burke and Fox-the Z" bufl
and blue" Anaustere beauty clothed
his swarthy countenance. Within the
cavernous eyes the furnace fires were
slowly kindlng. The signal-gun OF
that memorable speech was in the well
known words which nearly every
school boy has rehearsed on the plat
form. We need not quote them. MOI
need we review all the points Of thai
colossal effort, nor tell how the con
stitutional cannonade rolled its three
hours of unbroken thunder until The
last miserable shred of nullification
was shot in ribbons from the wreck
Nor need we tell how, in his Olympic
wrath, the orator turned suddenly up
on the Senator from New Hampshire
with the terrific sneer, employ nc
scavengers," and the Senator duckec
his bald head as if lodging an actua
bomb shell. Nor need we remind oul
readers that when Mr.. Webster pro
nounced the magic words, There IL
Massac achusetts behold her for your
selves there is her history, the work
knows it by heart; there are Concor'
and Lexington and Bunker Hill. an'
there they will remain forever" tn
sons of the old Bay State bowed thei
heads and wept right out like children