New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
cTTRTISs LIFE OF WEBSTER.

Tarevrand one Of the acutest Observers OF human
nature and perhaps the greatest politician OF his ago
and country, apprehending the judgment oil his Co
temporaues. committed his reputation, WIN ms
memoirs to the next generation, but IT ~ dOuplul
tbe ruse will avoid single censure. To the same
tribunal in the same spirit of hOpefnlheSs "ops'o'
dissatisfied with the verdict pronounced against MN
nm his own time appealed, and, with SIMILAR Caution
tank care IN secure an advocate and n hearing
The life of Daniel Webster before MS comes WIN
the prestige of authority; 1t was lnstga'eu anu
beforehand sanctioned by him; 1t may be sa'd 10 oe
his own plea Excuse palliation, ana defense ousht
naturally and Justly TO be found III H. not
x,ithstandiuV the disclaimer of lts author
Whatever can be said in praise or eXtenuatOn ought
"a be said here Mr. Curtis is one OF the four literary
sxecutors to whom we're conided the great trust of
rescuing from condemnation and preserving unfair
uished Websters fame. To facilitate the execution
of the trust all the letters, papers and manuscripts
f the deceased relating TO his personal history ana
professional and public life placedin hs hands
The auhor has had access also to those other sources
of information the recollection OF ultimate irchaS,
and has enjoyed the aid of such men rs Edward
Everett and President FELTON,, by suggestion, and
George TcknOr by more tangible services. WIN
sueh valuable counsel, such yariOus material and
Axtersive stOre-houscs of information, 1t IS I'M
possible that it should not have been IN MI
Curtiss power TO write biography contain
mo everything that Daniel Webster could himself
have said-clpar, complete, and authentic upon
every point. 1t is, therefore the natural eXpeca-
ton to find in these pages narration and analysis
of the great statesman's life, favorable 10 HIM
rs the truth criticised with candOT but unconscious
w. with hi"s also, will Justify. Nor is such an eN-
pectatiou disappointed.
Daniel Webster. at the zenith of his fame was not
only in the country, the foremost Wing, but ne was
the head the brains the eye. the voice, of the wing
marty ia Massachusetts; their political existence
was summed mp and eentered in him; their identity
merged into his personality. In the sense that LOUIS
XIV claimed 20 be the State so Webster was the
Wing party of Massachusetts. No idea could pass
current that had not been conedin his mint. His ut
terances formed the Mosaic law, and Mosaic indeed
they got 10 be. He was not only the chief. but he
was their idol also for of it be said with
less falschood that he was worshiped by bis
followers lie completely filled their minds
and hearts, for the time being, 10 the
exclusion of every other interest they dined him
and wined him, with ceremony and preparation re-
sembng holiday festival they jOyfully lent him
money knowing he would never pay 1t back 4;
when he appeared in the street, a procession fol
lowed him wherever he went; when he spoke, all
Boston. crowded TO hear and stood before hn while
he spoke, dumb, solemn, awe-struck. as before a
sacred presence his blue coat gttering with brass
buttons doubtless appeared like a tOlerably large
armament and from the profound behind 1t issued III
thunder tones the voice of the oracle; when be had
finished they went away, his Delphlan responses
still ringing in their ears. and his high-soundng,
sapient phrases trembling awkwardly poised, upon
their tongues, and the like had never been heard OF
seen before. OF course. no mortal man could be the
object of such an amount Of iatteTy and aduation.
and not be the victim Of it. His head was turned,
=. !. Ill L.. h,1 Yo1e calfi nd cold
Pomp became necessary to his existence and to enjoy
it he became willing TO barter principle for prefer
Inent and 10 believe that the greatest state Of the
statesman is Office. and that the greatest Office was
precisely that which, with all his magnificent
abilities, he was not great enough TO fill.
By-aud-by, when some of the Massachusetts Wings
began to think there were duties to conscience in
American politics well as Constitutional duties,
that the Government was indeed, system of checks
and balances. but that the progress of barbarism
was TO be checked, and not civilization; and when
they turned to Webster and asked him to explain
what appeared a divided duty, and enligbten
thoughtful and earnest men upon topics which
touched deeper range of feelings than tariffs or
legislative preTOgatives and balances; then il was
they received liberation for counsel cOnCihaIOn for
duty. and surrender for policy; his craftsmanship
in a crisis rose no higher The great eXpOunder of
the Constitution had expOunded it so much that he
expOunded it all away. In his legal rehnemcnts and
distractions he had lost sight of the great principles
which are fundamental TO all law. To his mind the
Constitution had got TO be simply code, to be adj
mnistered for the convenience Of all the parties con-
eerned, and a code which, as he was the only man
who understood il, he could administer better than
anybody else
An artist was once sketching from nature n
landscape and took a for the center of
perspective the COW changed her pasturing, and
the picture was a middle. When Daniel
Webster realizing that the Wing party Of Massachu-
setts could never elect him 10 the Presidency,
changed ms position for profitable herbage and
directing Edward Everett TO expunge from the new
edition of his speeches all the best things he had
said against Slavery, began to cultivate by
pliment, Southern leaders, and conciiate to himself
10y more persuasive arguments, their institutions
the champion of Northern ideas in notification days
trying 10 make his peace with the enemy-his doiec-
ton did, indeed. create confusion and disnay among
his old friends but they refused 10 be party TO his
truce and he ceased to be that center which, for
long period, had fixed the hopes and affections of
many men, and from which they bad calculated
the regularity Of their political faith. There
was, however, group who stood to
him somewhat in the relation of
disciples TO a teacher men. by long custom, habit
uated 10 hear attentiyely and believe implicitly
whatever fell from his lips and attached to him,
moreover, 10y the condolences Of intimate personal
intercourse these followed the chief and shared in
his apostacy and humiliation; they were men, too
Of great personal worth and various scholarly attain
ments, eminent in letters, and distinguished in pro-
fessions but toomuch hair-sptiing had oyer-refned
theirfacultes they could discuss politics learnedy
and chop logic with such marvellous dexterty that
with the utmost and grace they argued and
WINGED themselves. though no else. that there