The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-05-02
Mebster,s Disappointment.

Editors Easy Chair, in Harper's Magazinef for May
Mr.. Webster is reported to have said
to a friend that although he knew that
he had a public reputation to leave to
posterity, yet if he were to live his life
over again, he would, upon no consider
alton whatever, permit himself to enter
public life. The public;rhe said, are
u~ngrateful, and the man who serves them
most faithfully receives no adequate re-
ward. Do your duty, he added, as a
private. citizen, but let politics alone.
1t is probable that he said this sub
stantially as it is reported, for there was
never a more bitterly disappointed pub
lie man. Toward the end of his life
there was almost a gloomy melancholy
in his aspect. At the completion of the
Erie Railroad, in 1851, as Secretary of
State he accompanied President Fill
more and a very distinguished party of
public men on an excursion along the
road from New York to Dunkirk, and
upon reaching Dunkirk he spoke from a
platform in the street. During the
speech the Easy Chair, who was a spec
tator, observed that the SUN was setting
lust behind Mr.. Webster as he stood
erect, his gray hair lifted by the breeze,
his great head and somber, m~ournful
face drawn against the illuminated
west. 1t was a significant and pathetic
spectacle. A little later the National
Convention of his party passed him by
and nominated another candidate for
the Presidency. Still a little later he
died, as was generally felt, a broken
hearted man, not only, it was believed,
because he had failed to receive the
+" adequate reward" but because of
some things he had been willing to do
to obtain it. On the evening of the
9th of March 1850, the orator at Ply
mouth Rock in 1921 said to a friend and
member of Congress, who told the Easy
Chair, "To-morrow 1 am going to an
initiate you-you a~bolitionists."
The remarks that we have quoted are
familiar, and are but a modern form of
Wolsey's piteous words to Cromwell in
Shakspeare's Henry VII. They are
true also in this sense, that the man
who serves the public for the hope OF
adequate official reward from the pub.
lie will probably be disappointed. But
the truth is as old as history, and nc
man who is able to fill a great public
place adequately car be ignorant of it.
The blindness of personal ambition is
well illustrated by the reported words Of
Mr.. Webster. He says, in effect, that
he had served the public faithfully, and
had been not only inadequately re.
warded, but had been most severely cen.
sured for his least selfish actions. But
what is adequate reward Of great public
service? For forty years Mr.. Webster
was almost continuously in public life,
as Representative in Congress, Senator
and Secretary of State. His command.
ing abilities, at once recognized, placed
him in general estimation at the head Of
the bar, and secured him an unequaled
influence in politics. By common con
sent he was the chief of living American
orators, and his mere presence as speaker
gave greatness to the greatest occasions
Upon points of constitutional law he
was the highest authority, so that hii
word alone could challenge a long-set
tied Interpretation, not only without
absurdity, but with a force that was sc
respected as to raise a doubt. As 8
diplomatist he was unrivaled among
his fellow-statesmen. And, above all
there was the greatness of his reputa
tion-a historic fame that began Will,
he was yet living-which made him thu
most conspicuous of American citizens
and which might well have satisfied tn,
most inordinate ambition of applaus,
and personal consideration. No posi-
BILE official position could have added t.
his renown, nor to his opportunity O.
great service. If his fame and his un
questionable power, the immense admir-
alton which was universally conceded t.
him, and his vast authority in publ,
affairs were not an adequate reward, It'll
not easy to see what would have been.