Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-28
A Wonderful Argument.
The Effect of yVebster's Celebrated Reply
 fn EBa

The Effect of Webster's Celebrated Reply
 to Hayne.
 [Henry Cabot Lodge in February Atlanticl
 Out of the tariff came the resistance of South Carolina to the laws of the United States, and the doctrine of nullifcation for mulated by Mir. Calhoun. This theory of disintegration and disunion for the first time found open expression and bold advocacy in debate arising unexpectedly upon harm less resolution concerning the public lands. It's exponent was MT. Hayne who has gained an enduring if unenviable fame from having been crushed on this occasion by Mir. Web ster. Hayne was, nevertheless, man of much ability, young, fluent and filled with the ideas of the Atlas of the slave world, who sat by and watched the conflict from the chair of the Vice President. His first speech went beyond the limits of the resolution, touching severely on New England, and hint ing strongly at State resistance. To this MT. Webster replied, and Hayne then responded at length, denouncing New England with in- creased vehemence, and boldly advocating the notification doctrine. The next day, before a crowded audience, MT. Webster answered him in 8 speech which stands un- equalled in the annals of American debate, and is one of the masterpieces of English oratory. This great speech offers no loop hole for criticism. In elevation of tone, in fitness to the imperial theme, in range of thought, patriotism, imagination and style, it is all that the most exacting taste could demand It has all the qualities of Mir. Web sters occasional speeches, together with those other attributes which are required by debate. MT. Webster made many other great speeches i'll Congress, but no one can doubt that he would be content to have his stand ing as parliamentary orator determined by the reply to Hayne That speech was deliv- cred when he was in the prime of manhood, and in the full vigor of his strength. His personal appearance, his voice and manner then as always greatly enhanced the effect of everything he said. The slender boy, unfit for the labor of the farm, had developed into a man of large and commanding presence. MT. Webster was less than six feet in height, yet every artist has portrayed him as of gi- gantic mould. A Liverpool navvy is said to have pointed at him in the street, and called out, There goes a king'' and Carlyle is reported to have said that he looked like Ca walking cathedral" His head was very large, of fine shape and with most noble brow, beneath which great eyes looked out full of dusky light when in rspose, and glowing like fires when he was excited. His massive features, black hair and swarthy complexion, together with manner extreme Iy grand and solemn, all contributed to ren- der him impressive to an extraordinary de- gree. His voice was one of great richness and compass, in its highest pitch never shrill, but penetrating to the remotest cor ner of hall or Senate chamber, and in the open air to the very outskirts of vast crowd When he rose to reply to Hayne he must have had, like Lord Thurlow when he answered the Duke of Grafton, and in 8 still greater degree, "the look of Jove when he grasped the thunder"
 The effect. of this speech at the moment was overwhelming, and it's results were hard Iy less so It crushed the nullifcation theo- ry in Congress, and forced the southern leaders back upon the more difficult and less ground of secession. So far as could go, circulated as it was in that speech by tens of thousands of copies, i it fixed public opinion throughout the North i at least in unalterable opposition to the South | Carolina doctrines, and prepared the whole | country for the support of the Administra-