The Placer herald., 1866-10-27
Defunct Jupiters,

Frazer's London) Magazine for Septeu-
berlin gossipy article on the city of Washing.
ton and its celebrities, gives the following
concerning Daniel Webster, which sounds
very Munchausenish:
Notwithstanding the fact that from 6rst to
last the rich men of Boston gave him several
fortunes, he was always poor, and never
thought Of paying debt. In New England,
1t IS said, ne sometimes wanted the dinners to
which he was invited daily, as much as bis
inyiters wanted his company, and he was Of
ten mmaterially assisted BY the immunilies
extended to him by railway companies
Ills efforts to oil tain similar advantages in
other parts of the country, by reason Of his
greatness, were sometimes attended with
amusing results. On one occasion, when
travelling on The great railway between New
York and Washington, the conductor came
into the car, in which nearly hundred per-
sons were seated, collecting the tickets.
When he came TO Mr.. Webster's seat, the
great Senator looked ponderously at the con-
ductor, and said, soleaanly II am Mr.. Web.
ster' y" =
II asked for your ticket" said the conductor.
Webster who had'no ticket, aud little
money, said, more weightily, IL am Daniel
Webster"
II don't care" cried the conductor, getting
veSed, "lfyou are Daniel from the lions den,
you've got to show me your ticket"
Webster gravely presented his card to the
man, and said:"l will sea the president of this
company on the subject at some future time"
The poor conductor looked around helpless
" TO the surrounding passengers, among
whom the scene bad excited much merrment
uttered tremendous oath, and abandoned
as hopeless the task Of eating either ticket
or money.
AT the political dinners which Webster was
rather fond Of, he almost invariably became
tipfy before his speechtime arrived and
some ofhs most admired after. dinner speecb.
es were the composition of Friendly reporters.
On one occasion he had to be prompted by a
friend, who sat just behind him, and gave
him successfully phrases and topics. The
speech proceeded somewhat after this fashion:
Prompter: Tariff" Webster: 1.-The tariff.
gentlemen, is subject requiring the pro-
found attention Of the statesman. American
industry, gentlemen, must be-"(nods little)
Irompte': National Debt" Webster: sand
gentlemen, there's the National debit
should be paid (oud cheers which rouse the
spea aker) yes, gentlemen it should be paid,
(cheers) and ID if it shant be; Oakiug out
bis pocket-book)-I'Il pay it myself How
much Is lts" This last question was asked Of
gentleman near him with drunken serious.
ness, and, coupled with the recollection of
the well known impecuniosity of Webster's
pocket-book, excited roars oil daughter, amidst
which the orator sunk into his seat and wao
soon asleep. A''
AT great dinner given at Rochester, New
York. which is built near the Gennessse Falls,
Webster made speech, Of which, like that
quoted above, no report or account has hith-
erto appeared in print. 1t is curious that.
while wine affected his thought, it did not al
ter bis voice nor weaken his knees. On tho
occasion at Rochester, his speech, delivered
before large auditory, was very brief, and
ran thus: "Men Of Rochester, am glad to
see you, and am glad to see your noble city.
Gentlemen, ! saw your falls, which am told
are SO feet high. That is very interesting
iact. Gentlemen, Rene had her Caesar, her
Scipio, her Brutus; but Rome in her proudest
day had never waterfall 15O feet high!
Gentlemen, Greece bad her Pericles, her De-
mosthenes, and her Socrates; but Greece in
her paimlest days never had waterfall $50
feet high. Men of Rochester, 90 on! No
people ever lost their liberties who had
waterfall $50 feet high"
The following from the same article is loo
good 10 be lost:
On one occasion, during speech by Mr..
Baldwin Of Connecticut Senator Foote OF
Mississippi, fell asleep, and when he walked
up, Senator from Florida took him into the
lobby and repeated to him an imaginary 10.
vective which be declared Baldwin had
against him. Foote returned to
the Senate in rage, and began violent
personal attack upon Baldwin. 81 will teach
the Senator lesson" he cried "when he
calls me arch-repudiator and robberchief.,':
The astonished Baldwin protested that he
had made no illusion to Foote whatever.
"What!" cried Foote, "does the Senator dare
deny the fact, when heard him with these
ears!" Amid roars of laughter the Missis-
sippian perceived that he had been made the
subject of practical joke. That ia said 70
have been the last nap taken in Congress.