The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-08-09
vestigatiOn, if not an Impeachment, Of

vestigation, if not an impeachment, Of
MIR. Webster.
Mr.. Ashmun declared on the floor OF
the House, by the authority of Mr.. Web
ster, that the statement of Mr.. Allen
was 'sfalse in all its length and breadth,
and i'll all its details,n but there was
doubtless foundation for the state
ment. The friends of Mr.. Webster adj
mitted that a voluntary contribution
had been rendered him as compensa-
ton for the sacrifices he had made in
abandoning his profession to accept the
Office of Secretary of State, and they
justified his acceptance OF the money
on the ground that after having devoted
the labors of long life to his profess
sion, and attained it in high rank,
which brought large fees, he should not
be asked to relinquish those profess
sional emoluments without, in justice
to his obligations to his family, accept
ing an equivalent. Without indorsing
this State-street view of the case, it is
TO be regretted that the charges were
made. to trouble Mr.. Webster's spirit
and sour his heart
Mr.. Webster often sought consolation
in his troubles from the grand old
poetry of the Hebrew Bible, which
ava <ened peaceful echoes in his own
poetic soul. His chosen ''crony' in his
latter years, though much younger
than Mr.. Webster, was Charles March,
New Hampshire man Well-edu-
Gated, polished by travel and free from
pecuniary hamper, March was most
delightful companion; and his wit, keen
as Salad MS cimeter, never wounded.
Fletcher Webster was also great IA
vorite with his father, for he possessed
what Charles Lever called 1.-THE lost art
of convers at on" Sometimes when
Mr.. Webster path had been crossed,
and he was as black as night, March
and Fletcher would, by humorous
repar,ees and witticisms, drive the
clouds away, and gradually force
him into a conversation, which would
soon become enlivened by ''the iney-
tinguishable laughter of the gods.
One of the most memorable instances OF
his Imagination and his resigna ion was
afforded by his parting words to the
crowd of Washington politicians, when,
on the night of the nomination OF Cen
eral Scott, they disturbed his slumbers
by their call upon him to re dice them
1u bliC pEUStIdblOn vi HIS lIclNnU nOpCS.
Rising superior to the ofiice-holding
crowd and to the occasion, the noble
soul of the "Expounder of the Constr
tuition sought consolation in his own
high thoughts, while scornfully looking
down ON the little man be ore him. "a.
will sleep sound this night" sa d he.
''and If | wake will know the hour by
the constellation, for it is a glorious
night. -
That Mr.. Webster felt keenly the at
tacks upon him is undeniable, and
atonement can not now be made by
eulogizing him. 1t has ben well said
that if charity is to be the veil to cover
multitude OF sins in the dead as well
as in the living, cant should not lift
that veil to swear that those sins were
virtues. Mr.. Webster was sorely
troubled by the attitude taken by many
massachusetts, men, some of whom now
seek to loudly eulogise him. He lost
flesh, the color faded from his cheeks,
the lids of his dark eyes were lived, and
he was evidently deblitatcd and in
firm. At times he would be apparently
unconscious of those around him; then
he would rally, and would display his
wonderful conversat onal qualities. Yet
it was evident to those who knew him
best that he was a broken-hearted man,
who went stumbling down." as Car.
lyle said of Mirabeau, ''like mighty
heather and Titan to his rest. ben
Fertey Poore.