The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-24
The Daddy Of Democracy.

All our Democratic readers should
read what Dan" Webster says of
Tom Jefferson:
He looked To me very different
from any ideal that / had formed IF
him. lie was "A tall. gaunt, hight
haired, light-complexIoned man, and
not a person of impressive aspect.
Among his strong characteristics was
a great dislike for Patrick Henry. lie
c~onverscd freely about Horny. and
spoke Of him rs being n very IlIitcTate
man. He pretended To DC "a lawyer.
but he was a lncre ~pcttifogger, a man
of talent, n great declaimer. "a splendid
orator, but not profound. For such a
state of things a. existed at the break
ing out of the Revolution, he was the
sort of person who would make n sue
cessful denunciatory speaker but, If
he had lived III a quiet time, lie would
have passed along without being OBJ
served by anybody, because he was
ignorant and uncducated. coarse. and
very lazy. He had 40 habits of INDUS
try. Mr.. jefferson told me that heidi
not think that Henry yer read three
law books in hIs life, and vet on Jury
trials he was quite a famous man.
Some DAYS before my visit Wirt's Life
VI ll1bA iA1 HlINh'N - So b&'h
out long enough to have been read
and somewhat discussed. | spoke OF
the book, and Jefferson smiled and
said As you see. | 50 arrange my
library as 10 have In one department
history. in another biography. in an
other poetry. and so forth and one
department | reserve for works Of fic-
ton. have not yet placed this book
of Wirt's, and | nave not decided
whether TO put il in the department If
biographies or IN that of fiction ]
rather think, however, il l. best suited
for the latter.
Mr.. Webster profes~ed to have liked
Mr.. Jefferson better upon making his
personal acquaintance. His great sim
plicity he found impressive. The au-
thor OF the Declaration had a. intense
dislike for the forms and trappings Of
government, and when he became
President he discarded many Of the
pomps which Washington had con-
sid<red a. fitting the dignity Of the
office. Mr.. Webster thought it fortu-
nate that Mr.. Jefferson IDEAS pre-
vailed. OF Mr.. Clay, Hr. Webster said
frankly that he did not like hum. The
Kentuckian had q great deal Of native
talent and a little snatterIng Of law
less than that possessed By mere Office
boys in some large Offices He added
In the course Of my professional
life it has happened many times that
/ found myself retained in the same
cause " ith Mr.. Clay. He was my
senior by several years, in the profess
sion and in age. That fact gave him
the right to speak first in all such cases.
Often, before beginning my argument,
| have had 10 do away with the effect
and impression Of his. Some Of the
most laborious acts of my professional
life have consisted IN getting matters
back 10 the starting point after clay
had spoken. The al Is, he was no
lawyer. He was q statesman, a poll
tician, an orator. but no reasoner."
Mr.. Webster somewhat modified this
opinion after Nr. Clay's speech On the
Compromise Measures, and said He
is a very great man there - no mis-
take about that he i a wonderful
man" Mr.. eb5ter considered Mr..
Calhoun the greatest man he had
met in the senate, or with whom he
had come in contact III public life"