The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-18
THE INIELLIGENCER.



January the greatest man in many respects
that this country ever produced was born
in the town Of Salisbury, New Hampshire.
We refer 10 Daniel Webster-the man who
in his own day was not only designated by
the public voice as the "Great Expounder"
Of the Constitution, but characterized by
admiring inultitudcs who had seen him
face to face as the "god.like" Webster
Nature had indeed put seal on him
that give the world assurance off man. In
his remarkable physique, in his massive
face and head, in his wonderfully large and
deep set eyes, in his 0lympian dome Of
thought, he was rs marked as in all the
characteristics Of his great mind. He tower.
ed not only like Saul among tho people
but like a Saul among the leaders Of the
people.
( This being the hundredth anniversary Of
this great mans birth, 1t will be quite ex-
tensiyely commemorated throughout the
country to-day, especially in New England,
and more particularly in the place where
he was born, at the college where he was
educated, and in the great city where he
rose to full orbed splendor. Such tributes
as will be paid to-day by the very few
survivors among his contemporaries who are
qualified to speak Of him will doubtless
find their way into print and be furnished
TO the country, 1t should be and doubt
less will be labor Of love to all who knew
Webster to participate in these tributes to
his meRory. Itishould also be matter OF
gratitude from all the American people to
do honor not only this year but in all the
years to come to this man, who did more
TO inculcate q union loving and union
saving sentiment in our land than all the
men who have risen to fame in our annals.
Some OF them have done well in this re-
spect, but Webster excelled them all. Il
was his great series Of speeches in the
zenith Of his power in the troubled times
OF 1902 that gave to the American
school book literature OF later day those
eloquent and lucid periods OF logic and
oratory that swelled tho heart OF the ris-
ing generation with new born patriotism.
Had it not been for Daniel Webster
the secession movement would have
eliminated before it did, and had it
not been for his speeches the country
would not have been prepared for it.
While men like Calhoun and Hayne were
sowing the seeds Of sectionalism and seces.
sion in the Southern mind fifty years ago,
Webster was interpreting the nature Of our
Government and kindling love for it
among the masses OF the people every.
where. He stood like great rock in the
United States Senate, against which the
waves Of secession beat in vain. He has
been dead almost thirty years, but his
speeches are alive to-day and were never
more alive than during the late war. And
they will live when oil the pigmies Of con-
temporary debate arc forgotten. AS ex-
positions Of the theory and scope of our
Government they are judicial and immor.
ftal The fame Of Webster is secure for all
the ages to come.
The prophetic genius Of this great states
man touching the suicidal folly Of seces.
sion can not be better illustrated to West
ytrginians, and to all who dwell along this
Ohio river border, than by reference to one
Of his last memorable speeches, made on
the 4th OF July, 1851, at the laying Of the
cornerstoneof the addition to the Capitol
at Washington. 1t was Just at the close OF
the great cru of conspiracy for the dismem-
berment Of the Union, led by JEFF Davis
and James NJ. Mason, III which, for the
sake Of peace, the North had reluctantly
assented to the passage of the Fugitive
Slave law, made as odious rs possible by
these two men. With an eye upon the
home Of Mason in the Valley Of Virginia,
and perhaps upon the conspirator himself,
Webster, full Of years, aud on the very
verge OF his grave, said:
"Ye men beyond the Blue Ridge, many
thousands OF whom are nearer to this Cap.
itol than to the seat Of government OF your
own State, what do you think OF breaking
this great association into fragments Of
States and Of people? And We men
otWestern Virginia, who occupy the great
a1nta fam kha TON ~ kbn Alfnrbo,.:., A..
Ohio and Kentucky, what benefit do you
propose to yourselves by division? If you
'secSte," what do you "seccde' from, and
what do you Gccede TOT Do you look for
the current OF the Ohio to change,
and TO bring you and your commerce 10
the tide-wates Of Eastern riversP What
man in his sensss can suppose that you rould
remain part and parcel Of Virginia month
after EFginiG StVuli haze ceaSeti 10 be part and
parcel Of NE United StatES I"
II this was not an inspired prophetic
warning We may well doubt whether the
mouth of a prophet was ever opened
among men. Was there ever prophecy
in sacred or profane history that was more
literally fulfilled. AS West Virginians We
may Of all people well teach our children to
read and weigh the great speeches and
reverence the great name Of Webster.
We regret that the brief space TO which
we are limited prevents us from saying
very much that we would like to say as
our anniversary tribute to this man to
whom the American people owe 50 much.
Wewould like to publish liberal extracts
from his reply to Hayne-supposed by
many to have been his greatest speech,
and conceded by all to have been the
strongest and sublimest argument ever
made for the supremacy and superiority
Of tho general government over SO.
called States rights, AS a specimen Of
logic 1t may well serve asa model for the
American youth. Hayne had laid down
three propositions, which were summar-
lied by Webster as follows;
That the constitution is q compact
between the States.
Second-That compact between two,