New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-21


soon he arose. and made speech in winch hc ret-
Grated his respect for and confidence in General
TAYLOR bat which was thus concluded: q" Having
said this much win not so Tar forfeit my sci-re-
spect as 70 say that think tins man fitted for inns
high trust lie is not fitted for it, lie lays claim
to 40 high qualifications himself. No intelligent
u.n lays any such clam for him. Ito" NJ
Abbott Lawrence received this denial of ms lhie-
hgeucca is not stated; but great shouting and
some misses followed"
Some of the most interesting chapters of this book
relate TO the home lite upon Mr. Wrhsters farms at
Mansfield. Mass, and Franklin, y. II. The former
place NJ Webster bought that he might have quar-
tcrs when upon his shooting and fishing excursions
The lend was poor. The buildings were dilaWda'eh'
and Mr.. Webster spent much more money than he
could afford in repairing and soIling. His farming
was ALWAYS on a LARGE scale he dislIkcd 'sual
fields and scrimpcd patches" he did not like II
hear auv one speak of his grounds" lie would
e9v: Il have no grounds mine is a farm TIE
was liberal farmer. spending freely and probably
not seldom without any propcruonatc return Hut
lie could not bear to poor farming anywhere, ana
was ALWAYS lending TO ms ucghboIs anything Which
could he useful 10 them and lcctuIiug, in inns way,
10 them upon agriculture. His letters 10 John lay
Tor, mis- farmer nj Franklin, Of which Mr. Harvey
gives some specimens full OF details and drec-
tons. There IS q story OF q Hungarian bull winch
had been presented to Mr.. Webster NV MIR. Colt, of
New-Jcr,cy. This bull, being sent up to Franklin,
proved remarkably vicious and finally knocked
John Taylor down, and began to gore hlm When
Mr.. Webster arrived, he found John couvalesoent,
aud finally after talking over the matter asked him
what they should do with the bull for il you
can't manage him." he said. eve shall have to Kill
him" Johns reply was very droil. have no feel
ing of enmity" j., said, against the bull III tell
YOU what il is squire, have not a very good opin-
ion of hungarian bulls THIS one is a dangerous
creature bur hes not much more dangerous than
thai other Hungarian, koSsuth who is going round
the country making speeches
An Interesting chapter ina this volume is devoted
to Mr. WcbstcI's religious character. That he
thought often and deeply upon religious subjects, is
wei known 20 all who know anything ot hun. He
was fond cf talking abont theology and upon kin
drod topics; and hc became member Of q Congre-
gatioual church when he WAS about twenty years
old. st Mar-hfed he always attended church, and
frequently joined in the singing with ga deep
bass voice. When the text was announced, he
would look il out in pocket Bible He replied
once at dinner perry when asked very foolishly)
by somebody what "was the most important
thought that ever occupied ms mlnd.' that it was
that Of his individual responsibility to Cod
After which be talked for twenty minutes on he
subject i'm a highly impressive way. He liked the
society Of clcrgymen, and knew a great many Of
them. lie was somewhat liberal i'm his views; at
Mar,hf,ld Lc attended the Orthodox church in
Boston tlc Brattl, street Unitarian Church. lie
was always fond Of the devotional songs of Or.
Watts which he had learned ia his hoybood. His
good physician. Dr. Jcfircys, when he could do no
more for his BODY comf1rtcd the soul Of th" dying
man by reading 70 him the hymn, There is foun-
tain filled with blood" II the end of which Nr.
Webster exclaimed n a clear, strong voice, amen,
amen, amen"
Mir. Webster nowhere appears 10 greater adyan-
tagc than IN his domestic relations. Mr Harvey gives
some beautiful letters written 10 him by his first
wife Grace. which afford charming dinpses OF home
and Of the little NcbstcIs. so far back as 1924
When he was in WashH -ton she wrote 10 him almost
dally. Each letter says Mr. Harvey, reported
the feelings and condition OF each child was com
plete photograph Of the household, and showed III
every lire her stcadfa>t interest the idol Of her
heart" His devotion to hcrm her Illness which soon
proved fatal, was entire and uncca.ing. When they
were staying at the house OF "a friend, Or. Cyrus
Perkins iu Ncw-Y0rk. she expressed a wish for AN
od-flshoucd wood fire. Without stopping to con
slider that the house was not his own, Mr.. Webster
forthwith sent for mason, removed the coal-grate,
and had fire OF wood buiit in the fireplace. The
manner in which he became engaged TO marry her,
is as pretty as All idyi.
He saw her nrst whom be was q Young lawyer at
Port .uout. aud she Miss Grace Fletcher. a one
Of lis visit, le had. piobabl with view utility aud
cuovu-ut been holding skcius Of SAX thread for her
when suddenly ho stopucd a,i1 Grace. We nov. noou
engaged uutylug knots let us sec h We can tie knot
which viii not unite for lifetime" He then took
piece Of tapc and alter beginning Knot of peculiar
kind, il 10 ber 30 complete This the ceremony
and ratification % Their engagement Aud IN The ltur
box luarhcthi mn" Precious Documents, coht'lnnEtAe
letters 0t his early tSIp, tAIs unique memorial
fOund-thc Knot never uItIod
Upon the whole, we are inclined to believe that
this volume will leave upon the mind Of the reader
much more favorable impression Of MIR. WebsteI's
character than more elaborate euogies aud bI0gsa-
plies, of which there have been 80 many. He must
have been of a strongly anectionatc nature He was
a good husband aud father, and his friendships in
the main, were uninterrupted to the last. Nh Har-
vey does not touch except in here and there an au
sion, upon the fault which made Nh Websters whole
life Unhappy-hIs careeSSnesS regard to pecuniary
affairs. Occasionally in this book We find Mr.. Web
ster warmly wishing that he was out Of debt, and
hoping for great rctainerS which would enable him TO
discharge every obligation of financial sort but
the fact remains that he died nearly if not entirely
insolveut after receiving from lis profession great
sums Of money. If be could have huabanded his
earnings especially in middle lifc we think he would
have acquired an independence which would have
entirely changed his political career.
POEMS ~ Louise CHASbLER MoUITOS. l2mo pp
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The author Of this volume needs no introduction
70 readers a writer Of gay aud brilliant prose.
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agiuatiou. Her poems bear the stamp Of deep cX-