New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08
LODGES LIFE OF DANIEL WEBSTER.


DANIEL WEBSTER BY Henry CABor LODGE p p
372 American statesmen Series. Boston dougn-
ton. Mifiin Co.
In The atlantic Monthly for February. 1882,
paper appeared Daniel Webster by Mr.. Lodge.
The present volume is application and elabora-
ton OF that paper. Not much new material mas
been available for the work. Whoever writes or
Daniel Webster must still depend MAINLY upon the
exhaustive biography of that statesman by Mr..
George TicKnOr Curtis. The tendency OF recent
criticism however is less apologize and therefore
on the whole more Trustworthy than that which
governs Mr.. Curtis. 1t las evidently been the ann
of Mr. Lodge TO nothing rXteBuate" while It can
not be SAID that he has aughi set down IN malice"
Ard he has succeeded In bringing out some points
in light; as for instance the curious TACT that
In the Dartmouth College case Webster was very
far from perceiving the Importance OF the con'tlu-
fional argument relative to Impairng the obllga-
tions of contracts. The case went ND TO the SUI
preme Court Of the United States that point but
Webster regretted the fact, and did not consider II
the vital one The gradual expansion OF wcbsters
intellect in very skilfully shown and the remarks
mon his forensic abilities are for the most part
malicious and appreciative. There can he no
donbt that at the beginning of his public career
Wsbster was inclined 10 ford and gsudy rhetoric.
and that his observ alton toe style and tactics of
his rrest LEGAL rival jeremiah Mason, had most
wholesome effect upon him. His own taste was
naturally pure ana his perceptions rehued. and not
being too proud to learn. be quickly chastencd and
improved his oratory until he had acquired style
equally remark able for Its force clearness and sim
plicity Mr. Lodges estimate OF WeestsTs rank
as an orator is very high indeed. and we think
iustlv go But il is somewhat odd that 1t has not
occurred &C him to compare the style Of the Amer
lean statesman with that OF the one living English
orator with whose modes OF speech il has perhaps
most in conmop-namely, John Brignts. For la
the speeches of the latter are found the same re-
freshlpg simplicity the same restrained force the
same lucdity, and the same occasional passion
and fire which characterize the best specimens OF
webstsI's oratory; while both their speeches are
alike free from tho redundant and verbose habIt
which mars tho host speeches OF the eighteenth
century, not excepting those OF Burke and sheri-
dan.
Mr. Lodge very Justly insists upon Websters
| repIy 10 Havne as constituting tho zenith OF his
career For in That speech he not only made the
| country realize what the Union had grown to DO
undsr the Constitution. but he then and there set
| forth ana embodied that broad and sagncious view
| of both Uu,s aud Constitution which is now
| primary assumption with every schoolboy,
though at that time it was only dimly grasped by
| the best minds. Had he possessed the sngle-mnd
edues ana courage necessary to the support Of the
| tostions he laid down In 50 masterly way, 1t IL
unite possible that no might have Drsciptated the
| unayo idable issue with the South and under cir
cumstance, which would have facilitated ITS
| prompt settlement. Blu. though he believed NULL
fcaton and secession to I've treason his political am
| bltion debaucsed his conscience and he ended by
persuadng himself that compromise was n justih-
abe policy. Mr.. Lodge devOtes many pages to a
reyiew of the 9TH of March speech. We agree with
hlm in holding that the recent attempts TO vindi-
cate Webster 10 that regard nave been conspicuous
failures Tie evidence proves that he was recnsant
TO his own better beliefs that OCCASION and that
| the condemnation which he suffered at the time
| was deserve cd. Ifs occupied the place OF Brown
pes Lost Leader tbenceforth, and no more mel
| ancholy end 10 a splendid career can DO imagined.
/ That ambition which has been fatal to SO many
| American statesmen proved the ruin OF Daniel
webster It blinded him to the real dangers of
the situation. II led him to juggle with the most
burning question of the time. Yet when we re-
| member how the greatest ablest and noblest Of
our public men. sathors even our ministers, at
that time condoned the dreadful wrong OF slavery.
and how even jealous reformers sfrauk from deny
ing the right Of saveholdipg. We shall do well to
Judge Daniel Webster as lenisntly ~ possible. and
above all to judge him. not by the present ethical
( standard. but by shat of his own generation. Mr..
Lodge has no apologies or delonces for the 7th OF
March speech yet he thinks that Webstors sudden
change of mind the tariff question was altogether
jnstifable. He says that tho question was merely
one of expedency." but that Is precisely the ex-
cuse which Webster always gave for the 18th of
March speech. Nor does IL at all signify whether,
in exchanging free trade for protectionIst views.
he went from wrong 10 right or from right to
wrong. For II expedency is a sufficient apology
for such somersaults. 1t is plain that principle and
COW iction can play but subordinate parts in
statesmanship and that for the active ard ambi
tious politician there can never DO any settled
foundations. We should rather in Webster'a
change of base ON tho tariff the nsidious progress