The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-18
THE IMMORTAL FIVE.

Mr.. Chauncey Depew gives five men liv-
ing in the first century Of American national
history place in the histories in use in the
thousaudth year. To quote his own Ian
guage:
10 our thousandth year as a nation the only
statesmen or soldiers Of our first hundred years
whose names Will decorate Tie celebration VIII
be Washington aud Hamilton for the beginning,
Webster for the middle period and Lincoln and
Grant for the close.
While a great many people will admit
that MI Depew is not lar wrong as TO the
number who will 90 down to history. but
few comparatively will accept the five he
has named. There viii he general dispO-
sition TO put jefferson in Hamilion's place.
The historian of the distant future will be
governed in his choice of subjects to present
as the most worthy Of cOnmemoratiOn by
tie influence they exercised upon the peO-
pie OF their time. WashingtOn's place will
never lie questioned. He was the General
Of the army which wen independence and
the first President after the Union was
formed. His example in returning the
Presidential Cffice to the people at the eX-
piTatiCn Of a second term was law for the
succeeding hundred years. But why HAM
iltOn and not Jefferson? The student Of
history who asks this question will have no
difficulty in CCmpIehendiug why Webster is
given the place Of honor in preference to
Clay or Calhoun. Webster more than any
other man Interpreted the Constitution that
tie statesmen of the first period framed.
There were differences among them which
were bridged over by silence or ambig-
Uous phrases. In the second period
mind arose which interpreted their
work in the only way it could be
Interpreted and live. The services Web
ster performed in impressing his COM
pTehensiYe idea Of what the Constitution
must be, whether so intended or not, was
only second to that Of the wonderful man
who held the reins of government all
through the cOuntry's most trying period.
Without Webster the public idea of the real
meaning and purpose of the compromises of
the Constitution would have lacked the
force and positiyeness that animated the
people when The Government was attacked.
Lincoln's place will no more be contested
than that assigned TO Washington. Lincoln
is che of the rare figures that grow distinct
with distance. The patient genius with
which he guided the Government in its days
of peril is more highly appreciated now
than when death relieved him of his task.
Ii but two names Of the first century should
be remembered in the thOusandth year,
Lincoln's will be one of them. The name
of the General-in-C Chief of the armies of the
United States when the war closed will
also be transmitted to permanent history.
What rank among military chieftains will
be accorded General Grant will depend
largely III on those who will come after him.
A great many names now held in high
esteem will lapse into oblivion in much less
than one thousand years Seward has been
so completely overshadowed by Lincoln
that history may give him less prominent
place than his work entities him to- The
mere party leaders readily drop out Of sight.
The magnet c quality cannot be preserved.
The words of great orators lives, not the
manner Of their speech. This is one Of the
reasons why Webster will ouilive Clay. As
for Calhoun, name linked with a theory
Of constitutional construction that made no
provision for the Government to preserve
its own life must, with little regard to intel
eeual ability, 90 with the cause it adYo-
Gated