New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-25
THE WEBsTER VASE.

In the wear 1873 Mr.. Webster was probably at the
hight of his popularity, moral and material prosperity
and rational political hopes. If he ever had any
chance of the Presidency which is doubtful it was
then and next, perhaps, to Mr. Clay-all considera-
tons of expedency out of the questionable had right
to the nomination by the Wing party. He had fought
notification, and he had fought Gen. Jackson, the
great foe of notification; he the idol of the CAPT
talis,s of w-Engand and of New-York; he was
termed "godlike" by his admirers; and in Massachu-
sets he nearly omnipotent as Mr.. Calhoun in
South Carolina or Mr.. 0'Connell, at one time, in
Ireland But his darkest days were to come. He
was to lose his hold upon the affections of more than
a very small class of his immediate fellow-citizens;
he was to undergo the ignOminy OF his connection
with Mr. Tyler's Government; and he was to throw
away name and fame by his support of the Compromise
measures. 1t will not do perhaps, to say that he died
of broken heart, for he was an old man when he de-
parted; but it is matter of history that he did die
bitterly disappointed, poor, greatly in debt without
much political influence and with his popularity at
home so seriously diminished that he probably could
not have been sure of majority of votes for any Office
whatever. All ways to use the words in their common
Specification, he was unfortunate Mr.. Burke, in re-
citing the sorrows of his old age dwet with peculiar
pa,hos upon the death of his son. which would pre-
cude him from becoming the founder of aiamily. Mr..
Webster lost not only the wife of his youth, to whom
he had given the first affections of his great heart, but
children who were dear to him. Since his death, his
only surviving child has persisted in battle and we are
now told that the direct descendants of the lustrous
dead are passing away after the other" This Is
the American fate. We gather fame and fortune. but
these found no families. Here and there, meet
with a man who is proud of his great-great-grand-
father; but much oitener we encounter respectable
persons who do not know who their great-great-
grandfathers were. We have no law of entail nor Of
primogenure, andarge wealth israrey kept in alump
for more than two or three generations. Capacity for
Adams family has been distinguished for talent and
ability through three generations but no similar in
stance at present occurs to us.
There are many of our readers who will remember
that Mr.. Webster was, the 18th of October, 1875
presented by the citizens of Boston with silver vase
II was given to him as 1.-THE Defender of the Con
stituton." Three thousand persons Aocked to the
Odeon TO witness the ceremony. Mr.. Francis c.
GRAY made the presentation speech-Mr. Webster "a
happy and characteristic reply" We may be sure
that 1.-THE Webster Vase >" was very much talked of
about that time. 1t a curious fact that of the
gentlemen who originally subscribed for this costly
token should now be found uniting with Others in
buying back the piece of plate from Mr.. Websters
heirs How much they paid for it, in the second