Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-25
Webster's Reply to Hayne.

Out of the tariff came the resistance of
South Carolina to the laws of the United
States, and the doctrine of notification for
INFLATED by Mr.. Calhoun. This theory of
disintegration and disunion for the first
time found open expression and bold advo-
cacy in debate arising unexpectedly upon
harmless resolution concerning the public
lands. Its exponent was Mr.. Hayne, who
has gained an enduring if unenviable fame
from having been crushed on this occasion
by Mr. Webster. Hayne was, nevertheless,
a man of much ability, young, fluent, and
filed 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 limiting strongly at state re-
sistance. To this Mr.. Webster replied, and
Hayne then responded at length, denouncing
New England with increased vehemence,
and boldly advocated the notification doc
trine. The next day, before a crowded au-
dience, Mr.. Webster answered him in a
speech which stands unequaled in the an
nails of American debate, aud 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
agination and style, il is all that the most
exacting taste could demand. 1t has all
the qualities of Mr.. Webster's occasional
speeches, together with those other attri-
butes which are required by debate. Mr..
Webster made many other great speeches in
congress, but no one can doubt that he would
be content to have his standing as a parlia-
mentary orator determined by the reply to
Hayne. That speech was delivered when
he was in the prime of manhood and in the
full vigor Of his strength. His personal ap-
pearance, his voice and manner, then as al
ways greatly enhanced the effect of every
thing he said. The slender boy, unfit for
the labor of the farm, had developed into
man of large and commanding presence.
Mr.. Webster was less than six feet in height,
yet every artist has portrayed him as Of al
most heroic stature. The fact was that he
impressed those who saw and heard him as
of gigantic mould. A Liverpool navy is said
to have pointed at him in the street, and
called out, there goes king !" and Car
lyle is reported to have said that he looked
like 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 repose, and
glowing like fire when he was excited. His
massive features, black hair, and swarthy
complexion, together with manner ex-
tremely grand and solemn, all contributed
to render him impressive to an extraordin-
airy degree. His voice was one of great
richness and compass, in its highest pitch
never shrill, but penetrating to the remotest
corner of hall or senate chamber, and in the
open air to the very outskirts of vast
crowd. The effect Of this speech at the
moment was overwhelming, and its results
were hardly less so. 1t crushed the nullifi-
cation theory in congress, and forced the
southern leaders back upon the difficult and
less acceptable ground of secession. So far
as argument could go, circulated as it was
in that speech by tens of thousands of copies,
it fixed public opinion throughout the north
at least in unalterable opposition to the
South Carolina doctrines, and prepared the
whole country for the support of the admin
istration in the crisis which was close at
hand.-Henry Cabot Lodge, in February At
ldntic,