Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-03-01

My Acquaintance with Daniel Webster uSs
begun i'm the courtroom, where We often met.
He was forty years old when he came % Boston
ty-fliree. just about this time the Spauish
Claims came up. But must Sl.fain thcm. Qua
merchants claimed 60 %, 0eeofs pain for lcsses
admitted their Clam so far asso iet us have the
fofidas and pay us also 90 o00, 0eo be sides The
sum OF money was 70 be divided among the
claimants. Three commissioners were - be
appointed, before whom the claimants were 20
be heard. Parsons was employed by the Boston
merchants to look after their claims-which
were Immense, In fact, the larger part Of the
whole sun-they desired Webster 81 be with
him, and he approached him on the suh6ect He
expressed willingness TO 60 TO Washington.
They arranged the fee AMI we put the agree
ment in writing. If the sum recovered was 50
much, he was to have five per cent; if 30 much
more, two and a half. We went on 10 Washing
ton. When We got 10 Philadelphia, he was APP
preached by the merchants there and asked 10
represent them. He asked me IL thought the
Boston merchants would object. i told him I
thought not, unless the interests conficted; il
so, they would. He desired me To ascertain. 4
did so. and found the matter as have stated.
Webster then bargained with them. He re-
ceived two Thousand dollars in hand as a re-
tainer. The next day he spent this two thou
sand dollars in buying a silver service: He was
in Washington three years in looking after
these interests. At the end of the time he got
possession of the money; called to see him.
He said, was there not something said about a
II
him, Yes, great deal was said about il, and
written, too. t$l0, 600 was the maximum fixed.l
Mr.: Parsons, said he, the calculations are long
and tedious. just let me give checks for ninety
five per cent. Of the whole amount. We can
arrange the calculations very well. We can
first put the accounts into the hands of an ac-
day and make it all plain. Well, the truth of
ii Is, Mr.. Parsons, have spent the $50 600 long
ago. Now You arrange it for me, write and
tell these men that they never expected to do
this well-that this is a brand snatched from the
fre-and get them 10 take ninety five per cent.
Ipromised to do 80 and did write to the leading
merchants who controlled about three-fesrths.
They said all very well, the less creditors dare
not say anything about il. You need not write
to them. In drawing his checks he did deduct
the five per cent. He got about 900 out of
house, but soon found himself hopelessly In debt
again. He did not seem to know that money
was money. His income was large, but his ex-
politics almost ali the remainder of his life. He
did not do much business, but he had large
income. He once told afrend that 1t averaged
e2o.oooa year. He grew to be amusingly indifer-
ney once practising in his Office said to him, Mr.
A. sent me to tell You that your note would fall
due in a. DAY ,y, or two. LeIywei sir said Web.
paid. Well, sir, you have done 90. But he
wishes me to say to You that 1t shall be paid
Well, sir, you have done as he told You. Tell
Mr.. A. when the note is paid he shall please let
''Hs win is phenomenon. 1t is drawn up in
mastery manner, and is just such will as he
should have made-if he possessed in addition
to his residence, half a million to support it.
OF his greatness there cannot be the slightest
doubt, but IL was the greatness of power and not
OF learning He would never study case unless
il interested him.
He was not asystematic, thoroughly read man.
He could read a book rapidly, and know more
of 1t than most persons who studied ito use
Coleridge's phrase, HE could read il with his
thnmb and fOrefnger.'
He fell into a great passion for quoting Latin
sentences in his speeches He did this in imita-
ton Of the members OF the English Parliament.
who never consider q speech finished unless
there is a Latin phrase put into it.
He knew very little about Latin. When We
travel were not then as now we had to 90 in
stage coaches-I put copy of Horace into nv
valise TO while away the hours as We journeyed
L was reading il one day, and he asked me what
IL was. told him. He said, sAh that is inst
the proper book to bring; LET me see it, handed
it to him, and he could translate no four con-
secutiye lines in it.
Professor FELTON, used to supply him with an
Of his Greek quotations.
He had all the elements of real greatness, but
some follies also. He only seems TO illustrate
the great maxim, which will not give, for two
reasons: first. you might not be able to translate
It. and second, would not be able to render IL
in Greek, so L will give you the translation
There never wac yet very great man without
some very great folly annexed to him.
This Is true of all the men have ever known.
except Chief Justice Marshall, and will close
with him as began, by saying that he was one
of the greatest and kindest men who ever
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. q Judge 7hecpailus Par