Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-11-29
Daniel Webster's Visit To Richmond
[BY JAMES LYONs]

[BY JAMES LYoNsl
In your paper, writes correspondent tt
a Richmond journal. you alluded to MI
Webster's great speech on the 9Th of Octo
Der, 1910, "under the October sum-" as he
expressed it, and I beg leave to furnish
you with an anecdote of that occasion
which in my opinion, reflects credit upon
the feelings and opinions of Webster. and
upon his memory. was the president Of the
T1ppecanoe and Tyler Too Club. and being
happily also upon very cordial terms with
Mr.. Webster, who was nlan of large
heart as well as head, in prepalir. for the
convention which was to assemble, per.
formed my duty and gratifed my feelings
by inviting Mr.. Webster to come and adj
dress it.
The Fredericksburg train at that time
arrived at the Broad street depot about Il
o'clock in the day. On that day it was a
long way behind time. I rem aimed there
waiting for Mr.. Webster. as did the i'm
mense crowd, which filled the street, until
after two O'Clock, when stepped across to
my home on Marshall street to get little
refreshments Before L refunded the cars
arrived. Mr.. Webster remained in the
car until came. When we met he told
me he had not gone out, because he was a
total stranger, and he did not think it
proper, moreover, to present himself until
[ came. The club had expressly required
me to carry him to public house as the
guest of the club and not to my own house.
When brought him out of the Cal to car
Iy him to the Powhatan House, then re
best IN the city, he refused to be put in d
hack, but took my arm and walked down
through the shouting throng to the hotel.
Trembling with excitement he said to
me: 'Lyons you have brought me here,
and you know the danger of bringing
Black Dam to the south of the Potomac"
I replied, "I'll take all the consequences
on my part if BLACK Dam will only do his
part" When we arrived at the hotel, as
we went up stairs, he said: II had no idea
of this, supposed that nobody but Mr..
Clay could bring out such crowd here"
1 answered, ~ always told you that our
people were just and patriotic as well as
hospitable, and would receive you as cor
daily as they would Mr.. Clay" We went
into the parlor of the hotel, and the crowd
which filled the streets was still shouting
and calling for Mr.. Webster.
He asked me what he should do-if he
should make speech. told him not to
make speech; our people never heard po-
litical speeches on Sunday, but he must
go out and speak to the people and let
them see him, and speak the next day.
Well, he said: ''Come along" and we
went out on the piazza in front of the no.
tel, and after making bow he said: 81
can not speak to you this evening. Vir.
ginians are not in the habit of listening to
political speeches on Sunday; but I have
come down here to see you and talk to
you, and hereafter I will speak to you
whenever and wherever you please.'' 1t
was my duty as president of the club to
deliver Mr.. Webster at the Capitol to the
Committee of Arrangements. of which my
friend. the late VIM. III. Mcfarland, was
chairman.
Accordingly on Monday. at the proper
hour, drove down to the Powhatan House
to take Mr.. Webster over. He sent for
me up to his chamber. When I knocked
at his chamber door the reply was, ''come
in,'' and entered. I found Mr.. Webster
in his shirt sleeves preparing to put on his
cravat. After the usual salutation, Mr..
Webster. shook out his cravat. three-cor-
nered white one, and then playfully said:
swell, Lyons, now you've got me down
here, tell me what am to talk about p,
replied, sit is rather ludicrous, Mr..
Webster, to ask me or ANYBODY else, to
tell you what you are to talk about; but
as you have opened the door, will enter.
1 want you to tell these people what are
your opinions about the troublesome ques-
ton of abolition"
AS he folded his cravat upon his knee,
he replied: II have no new opinions upon
that subject; my opinions are the same
now as they have been for thirty years.
and may be found in my public speeches.
said, ''That is all true, but although you
have thousands of the elite Of the Young
men and middle aged men of Virginia in
this crowd, there are, of course, vast
number wAo have never read, nor ever
will read, your speeches, and T want them
to be able to go home and say to their
friends and neighbors that they heard Mr..
Webster, with their own ears, assert and
defend the constitutional rights of the
South.' "Well," said he, s'They shall do
it. will speak to them so that they shall
hear with their own ears, and tell their
countrymen that do maintain and de-
fend the constitutional rights of the south |
as of all other parts of the country.''
He tied on his cravat and 1 carried him
over to the south porch of the Capitol and
presented him to the committee, and he |
made there his famous speech without a
note Of any kind to that sssea up-turned |
faces" as he styled them, which SO de-
lighted and electrified them that when he
had concluded the passage to which / have
alluded, with one voice they cried out.
Again, again." and he repeated it. flow
unfortunate for the peace of the country
and constitutional liberty that the words
If this great man were not needed. The
speech, Ihelieve mainly contributed to run
Up the Wing vote in Virginia, for the first
line in her history to within thirteen hun
lred OF majority.
pnuRT is. in its very nature, agony to
arnest souls, and the higher the theme
he more terrible the agony; faith only is
est. 1t is strange delusion that leads
nen to doubt as in itself emancpating.
ourage-inspiring, satisfying. The free
ono info which IT. dalivorc ;s tbot "a ~,