Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-28
Inghouse Of Mrs. Hewitt on Pennsylvania

inghouse Of Mrs. Hewitt on Pennsylvania
avenue, near Second street, where he was
when he resigned his SeDatorshfp to ae-
cept the position of Secretary of state
from President Harrison. Mr.. Webster
is remembered by those who were his
fellow-boarders as having given very lit
tie trouble and as rarely complaining. He
always secured the attention OF servants
by liberal fees, and he was generous In
passing the wine which he used to bring
with him from his room when he came to
dinner. He was an early riser, and In
the winter used to build his own wood
IRE and do q good deal OF writing before
breakfast. He was very particular
about his personal appearance, and on
one occasion intimated to fellow
boarder that 1t was not proper for gen.
tleman to come to the breakfast-table
wearing dressing gown. Whenever he
expected to address the Senate or the Su-
preme Court he always arrayed himself
with great care, In and the later years of
his life he wore the old Wing cOlors-blue
coat, with buff vest and black trousers.
He was not tall or large man, but his
superb head, firmly set on broad pair Of
shoulders, gave him majestic appear
anee. Mr.. Webster was very familiar
with the British poets, from Spencer to
sheridan, inclusive, and often quoted
from them In the Senate and in con-
versation. On one occasion, when Mr..
Buchanan had made speech In the Sem
ate, mputing dishOnorable conduct to
England Gas II the British government
was still expressing us under a colonial
bondage) he quoted humorous epitaph,
which had been proposed, he said, for the
tombstone Of man named Wraxail, as
follows:
Mistaking. misdating,
Misciting, miswriting,
Mtsspelling, mistelling,
1l-sorting, distorting,
Confusing, abusing,
Wordsrspeeches, letters and facts all;
Here lies the bones of Nathaniel wraxall.
Once Mr.. Ewing Of Ohio, the father of
Mrs. Gen. Sherman, said. in a speech,
that il the bill under discussion was
enacted ''our lakes would be barren
wastes ofwater and our canals solitudes."
After that he was called at the Capitol
Solitude Ewing" One evening he gave
large party, and Mr.. Webster arrived
crowd he exclaimed, as he reached his
host:
oh, solitude, where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face.
1t elioited roar of laughter In which
Mr.. Ewing joined. Mr.. Webster also
had h ~reat fund of anecdote, and loved
to describe the leading members OF the
New Hampshire and Massachusetts bars,
when he first entered upon the practice of
the law. Occasionally he would indulge
in reminisoeuce OF his own life, and his
narrative of his experience as the pres
fdent Of a lumber company, organized
during the speculative days In Maine,
was very amusing, especially his account
of a visit which he received at Boston
from garrulou5 old dame of Milesian
birth, who was the possessor of an en-
graved certificate of stock, and who had
come to demand her ''davy-diud." Mr..
Webster had another unfortunate expe-
rfence in specializing In Illinois lands at
Rock Island City, q town on paper, but
far distant from the present city of Rock
Island. Mr.. Webster liked to refer to
his speech on the Goodrich trial, and he
claimed th at he was an Essex county man
by descent and distantly connected with
the poet Whittier. They were both de-
sceDdsd from Christopher Hussey OF
Hampton, n. g., who married daughter
OF the Rev. Stephen Datchelder, viva
cious old nonoonformfst, who made q
good deal of trouble In his day. Mr..
Webster inherited from the Batchelders,
who afterwards settled in Salisbury. his
swarthy complexion. which, as Gen.
Stark said, when speaking of Col. Ebene.
ger Webster, "burnt powder would not
chance" BE was famiharly alluded to
as "Black Dan" in conversation, but l
never heard Of any one who dared to
can him by that familiar appeIlation