Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-10-23
Daniel Webster.


readers several interesting paragraphs
from Edwin p. Whipple's Essay Oh web
ster as a Master Of English Style" which
will be published rs preface to Webster's
Great Speeches, Sept. l5:
"The mature style OF Webster is perfect
OF its kind, being in words the express
image of his mind and character,-pain,
terse, clear, forcible; and rising from the
level OF lucid statement and argument into
passages of superlatiye eloquence only
when his whole nature is stirred by some
grand sentiment of freedom, patriotism,
justice, humanity, or religion, which abso
lutely lifts him, By its own Inherent force
and inspiration, to a region above that In
which his mind habitually lives and moves. |
At the same time 1t will be observed that
these thrilling passages, which the boys
OF two generations have ever been de-
lighted TO declaim. are strictly Illustrative
OF the main purpose OF the speech 10 which
they appear. They are not mere purple
patches of rhetoric, loosely stitched on the
homespun gray of the reasoning, bnt they
seem TO be inwoven with it and to be a
vital pait of ii. Indeed we can hardly de-
eide in reading these magnificent bursts OF
eloquence in connection with what pre-
cedes aud follows them, whether the effect
Is due TO the logic of the orator becoming
suddenly morally impassioned, or TO his
moral passion becoming suddenly logical. |
What gave Webster his immense influence
over the opinions of the people OF New
England was, first, his power OF so put
ting things that everybody could under |
stand his statements; secondly, his power
OF so framing his arguments that all the
steps, from one point to another. in logi-
cal series. could be clearly apprehended by
every intelligent farmer or mechanic who
had thoughtful interest in the affairs OF
the country; and thirdly, his power OF in
flaming the sentiment OF patriotism in all
honest and well-intentioned men by over
whelming appeals to that sentiment, so
that. alter convincing their understand
ings. he clinched the matter by sweeping
away their Wills"
at may be said that Webster's argument
in the celebrated yarmouth College Case,
before the Supreme Court of the United
States, placed him. at the age OF thirty
| six, In the foremost rank OF the conStitu
/ tioual lawyers of the country. For the
| main points OF the reasoning, and for the
| exhaustive citation of authorities by which
| the reasoning was sustained, he was prob
! ably indebted to Mason, who had previous
| Is argued the case before the Superior
/ Court OF New Hampshire; but his superb
! orty To Mason was shown In the eloquence.
I ,t,. !, =, =, ,,al.o ~. ,t,lI..t cirt,,for nr
I,aI a,,,t,ri,, 81, ~, ,b,, ,,,irJs hn "a.
! dressed"
| There Is one incident connected with
! This snecch which proves what immense
! force + viyen to simple words when 4 great
/ man-great in his emotional nature as
well as great in logical power-is behind
the words. IL is. sir. as | have said. a
| small college And vet there are those
/ who love IT, At this point the orators
I lips quivered, his voice checked, his eye,
| filled with tears, all the memories of sac
! rlHce, endured by his father and mother,
! his brothers aud sisters, in order that he
| might enjoy its rather scantv advantages
OF "A liberal education, and by means OF
| which he was there TO plead its cause be-
| fore the suureme tribunal Of the nation
| rushed suddenly upon his mind in All over
/ whelminy food The justices OF the Su-
preme Court-great lawysrs, tried and
toushened by experience into a certain OBJ
duratc sense OF justice. and insensible to
any common appeal TO their heartS-mclted
into unwonted tenderness, as, in broken
words, the advocate proceeded to state
his own indebtedness to the small college,
whose rights anu privileges he was there
to defend. Chief Justice Marshall eyes
/
| other justices we're suifu,ed with moist
ure similar To that which afflicted the eyes
OF the Chief
! "Msculay. in another article, makes a
( noip, AGAINST th,. leaders of party them
/ selves. His definition OF Parliamentary
/ government il government by speaking;'
and he declares that the most effective
| speakers are commonly n!-informed. shall
/ low In thought, devoid OF large ideas Of
| LEGISLATION. haZardiug the loosest specula-
tions With the utmost Intellectual lmpu-
| dence. and depending tor success on volu-
blity of speech. rather than on accuracy
| OF knowledge or penetration of intelligence.
The tendency OF institutions like those OF
England he adds, is to encourage rcadi-
ness in public men at the expense both OF
| fuluess and OF exactness. The keenest
| and most vigorous minds OF every genera
tiOn minds often admirably fitted tor the
| Investigation of truth, are habitually EN-
! ployed in producing arguments such as no
man of sense would ever nut into a treatise
Intended for publication. arguments which
| are inst good enough to be used once
when aided by fluent delivery and poin'rd
language" And he despairingly clu-
| with the remark. that he would soou,r
expect a great original work on political
science. such work. for example, as the
| Wealth OF Nations. from an apothecary in
| a country town, or from minister in the
| Hebrides. than from a statesman who, ever
since he was oue-aud-twenty, had been a
distinguished deoater in the House OF Com
mons
Vow It Is plain that neither Of these
cohtemptuous Judgments applies TO Web
ster. lie was great lawyer but as a leg
islator the precedents of the lawyer did not
control the action or supersede the prlnci-
pies of the statesmen. He was one OF The
most formidable debateTs that ever appear
ed IN legislative assembly; and yet those
who most re,olutely grappled with him in
tue duel Of debate would be the last TO i'm
pute to him inaccuracy OF knowledge or
shallowness OF thought. He carried into the
Senate OF the United States "a trained
'und. disciplined by the sternest culture of
hi, faculties. disdainng any plaudits which
were not the honest reward OF robust