The New York herald., 1876-11-25
dwelling or the Webster Statue

dwelling OF the Webster Statue.
The interesting ceremonies appointed to
take place in Central Park at two o'clock
to-day will naturally attract large con-
course of auditors and spectators. Thomas
Balls colossal bronze statue of Daniel
Webster, a noble gift to the city by Mr..
Gordon w. Burnham, will be unveiled,
formally presented by the donor and ac-
cepted by the Mayor. The speeches of pre-
sentation and acceptance will be brief, but
addresses of greater length will be made by
Mr.. Evarts and Mr. Robert G. Winthrop, Of
Boston, two Of the most interesting speakers
we have in the present state Of American
eloquence and the two most capable inter-
prefers to this generation of the celebrated
lawyer, statesman and orator of the last.
Mr. Evarts is especially qualified to speak
Of Webster as foremost member of the pro-
fcssion which he himself adorns. Mr..
Winthrop has peculiar qualifications in
another direction Funded on long per-
sonal acquaintance and political associa-
tion with Mr.. Webster; both have sympa-
thetic appreciation of Mr.. Websters elo-
quence, patriotism and largeness of view.
These two addresses will probably give us
the mature and enlightened estimate of Mr..
Webster's genius and services which has
been formed, not merely by their authors,
but by the most competent judges on both
sides of the Atlantic; for these gentlemen
have large European acquaintance and
must often have heard his character dis
cussed in circles of the highest intelligence
abroad, as we'll as at home.
As appropriate to this occasion we print
an interesting descriptive letter from cor
respondent sent to Marshfield to gather
facts relating to the history of Mr.. Webster's
family since his death, the ownership and
present condition of his homestead by the
seaside, the family vault and its silent
tenants, the relics and mementoes which
still exist as he left them in the rooms which
used to be frightened by his presence. and
various other particulars which will be
read with interest at this time. It will
be noted that the Marshfeld homestead is
occupied by Mrs. Fletcher Webster, the
daughter-in-law of the great statesman, and
descends to her children, the laws Of Massa-
chusetts not permitting property to be en-
tailed beyond the second generation.
1t may seem paradoxical to say that the
country is more indebted to Mr. Webster
than any other individual, living or dead,
for the preservation Of the Union, but we
believe this to be an easily demonstrated
fact. In the great conflict of opinion which
preceded the conflict of arms Mr.. Webster
was the most important figure. The contest
was waged in the arena OF debate before it
passed to the field of battle, and in that
arena Mr.. Webster was the victorious cham
pion OF the Union. match for Mr.. Calhoun
in logic and argument, more than his match
in eloquence, he impregnated the North
with his constitutional doctrines, as Calhoun
had impregnated the South with his. Web
ster did not invent his views of the federal
bond; they were to be found in the
judicial opinions of Chief Justice Marshall,
and even in the later writings of Madison /;
but it was reserved for Webster to clothe
them in such forms of expression as gave
them universal currency in the non-slave-
holding States The power and splendor of
his greater passages put them into all our
school books among the finest specimens of
oratory for forming the taste Of students
There was no seminary of learning in which
extracts from his speeches were not de-
claimed by youth Of the best gifts, whose
opinions they fixed while moulding their
minds to a just taste in eloquence. The
consequence was that when the great storm
came it struck generation whose minds had
become imbued with Mr.. Webster's glowing
sentiments respecting the Union, and all our
Younger men were of one mind as to the
duty and nobleness of fighting for its de-
fence, as the young men Of the South
were, by admiration of Mr.. Calhoun,
as to the duty of fighting in de-
fence Of State rights. Had Mr.. Webster
never lived or had he not been gifted be.
yond all other Americans with the kind OF
eloquence which makes sound ideas admired
and popular, the North would not have been
sufficiently united at the outbreak of the
war to cope with the situation. If the whole
North glowed like furnace it was because
Mr.. webster's eloquence had kindled th'