The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-10
The Seventh of March Speech.

liver his 7th of March speech, lie invited
me to come on to Washington to hear
it. He intended to make it great eff
fort, the browning address of his latter
public life; and, as he knew beforehand
that his action and motives would be
misconstrued, and that the speech would
bring down upon him condemnation
from many quarters, he was resolved
that he would make use of all his pow
ers To render it worthy of his really
high motives and his fame. Early on
the morning of the 9Th | was sittin g
with him in his house, when the SER
geant at arms of the Senate came in.
BE told Mr.. Webster that already not
only the Senate chamber itself, but all
approaches to it, were crowded by an
eager multitude. A great speech from
Mr.. Webster was a national event Mr..
Webster looked at me, and. in a sad
voice, spoke of this as being one of the
last times that he should ever address
listening masses on the floor IF the Sen
ate, and of the rapidly approaching close
of his public life. Recovering his spirits
again in moment, he turned to the
sergeant at arms and said
However crowded the Senate cham
Der is, want you to be surs and save
two good seats; one for Mrs. Webster;
and the other for my old friend Harvey
here, who has come all the way from
Boston to hear my speech"
The sergeant at arms promised that
he would do so. On going to the Sem
ate chamber at the proper time, found
an excellent seat reserved for me near
and little in front of the spot where
Mr.. Webster would stand when he made
his speech. While he was speaking,
an affecting incident occurred, which
illustrated the warmth of feeling be
tween Mr.. Calhoun and himself. Il ap-
peared that, several days before, Mr..
Webster had paid "a visit to Mr.. Cal
houn in his SICK room at the Old Cap
toll Building The venerable South Car
Olina Senator was very i'll, and it WAS
thought that he would never be able TO
appear in his seat again. The CONVEX
satlon turning upon the speech that Mr..
Webster was about to make, the sick
statesman expressed an earnest wish to
hear it. Mr.. Webster replied that he;
hoped he would be able to get to the
Senate, as he himself was anxious that
Mr.. Calhoun should be present. Mr..
Calhoun shook his head sadly, and said
that he feared he was on his death bed
and Mr.. Webster parted from him fully
with the belief that the ven
cradle invalid must soon pass away.
Mr.. Webster had not been speaking
long, on this occasion, when | saw a
tall, gaunt figure, wrapped in a long
black cloak, with deep, cavernous eyes
and thick mass of snOw-white hair
brushed back from the large brow and
falling to the shoulders, advance with
slow and feeble steps through the lobby
behind the Vice Presidents chair, and
then aided by one of the senators, APP
proach and sink into chair on the OPP
posite side of the chamber. | looked
1T Mr.. Webster; and observed that as he
spoke his face was turned the other
way, so that he had not seen the almost
yhostly figure come in. He went on
speaking in his deep and sonorous tones;
and at last came TO passage wherein
ne alluded to something Mr.. Calhoun
had once said in debate, AS "the utter |
,nce of the distinguished and venerable |
senator from South Carolina, who,
ieeply regret, is prevented by serious
llnesss from icing IN his seat to- day"
At this | glanced toward the tall gaunt
igure across the chamber He was
moving restlessly in his chair, his head
I'D hnl,, han no,rarIx- Commenced
md he made an effort as if trying to
Use and interrupt the orator. But the
,ffort seemed TO be too much for him,
or he sank back in his chair, evidently
Exhausted The noble rent of Web
terian eloquenco flowed majesticaly
IN, all unconscious of tho intended inter
upton. Presently the speaker once
more had occasion to refer to some state.
nent of Mr.. Calhoun; and again he al
uded to him as "the eminent senator
rom South Carolina, whom We all re.
ret so much to miss, from such n cause,
rom his seat to-day"
The figure again grew restless; the
lands nervously grasped both arms of
lis char; the black eyes glared and
hume in their eagerness; and now, half
Using from his seat, and unable any
onger to bear the thought that Mr..
Webster should remain unconscious of
lis presence, he exclaimed in q feeble
nd hollow voice, which yet was heard
the chamber
"The senator from South Carolina is
Z his seat"
Mr.. Webster turned towards him with
omething like a start, and when he .
aw that his friend had actually risen
rom the bed of death, and had indeed
ared death itself TO creep to the capitol
nd hear his speech, he tor a moment
etrayed visible signs of deep emotion.
hen, acknowledging this touching com :
liment by bow and smile of pro- {
ound satisfaction, he went on with his
peech.
a few days more, and Calhoun lay q
cad, in state, within those very walls.
ONE Sweet Savings dangling Out OF Tune
The ear of charity is as deaf as an :
oder at work on long column OF fig-
res. The grinders should cease, because
ley are few, and hand organ music isn't ,
cry popular justat present, anyhow. Old :