Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-11-06

had always Kept the Wing party suDSer-
Went to his personal ambition, and SEEM
ed still disposed to do so. Mr.. Webster
talked in this strain for some time, and
with great freedom and earnestness.
He asked if l had heard Attorney
General Clifford in reply to his Rhode
Island argument. told him only part.
He said that Mr.. Mr.. Clifford remarked
that Mr. Webster's premises were uhde-
niable, and he could not see any flaw in
his logic; but there must be some fallacv
in it, because it led to conclusions which
he could not admit This, Mr.. Webster
said, was like jefferson. who told him
once that in very early life he resolved
&c have nothing to say to John Mar
shall, for he would always get him to
ldmit certain positions (Which he could
not question: and then he would lead
him to conclusions which he tcouid
not believe,and which he could not avoid. +.
This, he said, was characteristic of JEFF
rerson, who had no reasoning faculty,
but who knew exactly how to touch the
popular feeling, and was entirely unscru
pulous in exercising that skill.
"Mr. Webster talked very freely for
an hour, and said he intended to speak
in the Senate on the war question, and
desired that should report it. He said
he should not speak upon the question
until the close of the debate. l said he
seemed not to share the fears which 9TH
er Senators had expressed, that if they
could not speak soon the subject would
be exhausted You know, said Mr..
Webster, we farmers have fashion of
going over field for the gleanings after
The harvest. Yes, said /, and some could
lind more there than the others could at
first. Mr. Webster said he did not wish
to speak if the rumors of treaty then
current should prove to be well founded.
He had no idea of having it thus upset.
l asked him if he did not look forward
with apprehension to the issue of the
war, and the absorption of all Mexico.
He said he did,-that the future was en-
tirely overcast, and it was very difficult
to see any way Of safety. But, he add
ed, he was not disposed to sit down in
perfect despair as Mr.. Calhoun had done,
and say that he could see no future for
his country. Even if annexation of all
Mexico should take place, and disso-
luton of our Union should be the re-
suit, still, said he, we Of the North are
on the safe side. We have the wealth,
the numbers, the commerce, the enter
prise. All the best elements of national
power are OH our side; we are the
strongest portion, and in the event of
dissolution we must still constitute The
great nation of the continent. We had,
therefore, less to fear from this than the
other portions of the country. | said
that few public men were willing to
look the matter thus boldly in the face.
He said he never alluded to it publicly,
but these were the views he took of it
in his private reflections upon the sub
ject.
I'm course of the conversation con-
corning the notions prevalent in regard
to popular liberty, l said that the time
seemed distant when men in this coun-
try should be governed by cool reason
and judgment instead of prejudice and
passion. He said yes-that the prospect
was discouraging, because events were
constantly occurring to turn the tide
even when it seemed to be setting we'll
Under Mr.. Adams things went on pref
ty well. Then came JacksOnism, which
threw the whole country into the boil
ing caldrOn of passion and excitement.
Then under Mr.. Van Buren the tone of
public feeling, especially the spirit that
prevailed at Washington, greatly i'm
proved, and continued to do so until Mr..
Clay, by his acrimonious course toward
Mr.. Tyler, again threw everything into
confusion, and now we were in condi-
tion certainly unpromising enough.
my interview with Mr. Webster last
ed an hour or more, and he talked very
freely,-with great dignity and delibera-
tion, yet as socially and easily as if with
an old friend. There was about him
nothing Of the hauteur usually ascribed
to him; yet he never forgot, though he
did seem to remember, his character and
fame.I