The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-27
WEBSTER'S ORATORY.
HOW IT IMPRESSED A MAN WHO
HEARD BIN SPEAR.

6lQ 1OAo OPOAAOO0L0 Ne
Magnetic Power of His Appearance
and Bis Remarkable Eyes-Ris Great
Reply to Hayne. --..
From the Washington Star.
ss"Did you ever hear Mr.. Webster speak?n
asked young man who was not born when
Daniel Webster died. Tell me how he
looked and what impression he made upon
you; what was the most striking thing
about him; what impressed you most, :" he
continued, multiplying his interrogations
until l stopped him by saying: eyes,
l saw Mr.. Webster many times but
I heard him speak only once on q formal
occasion-that is. on an occasion only that
seemed to call forth his powers of orstory
and intellect. It was in Albany, n. Y, in
the fail preceding tho presidential nomina-
tiua in Baltimore, when Mr.. Webster was
beaten for the nomination by Gen. Scott.
He made no disguise of his aspiration to the
presidency, and on the occasion Of which l
speak he was at the state capital Of New
York on the invitation of his whie friends,
who wished to promote bis nomination and
who invited him to a banquet, at which he
spoke in his usual eloquent aud impressive
manner.
AN OPEN AIR SPEECH.
After the invitation TO the banquet, which
wss TO be a select affair, had been given and
accepted another invitation by a number of
cI5lzens who would not be likely to be at the
banquet was sent Mr.. Webster to make
them an address 10 the open air on
any subject he might select. The in
vi alton was so cordial aud such a gath
eriug as was promised accorded so ex-
Rctly with his wish for an opportunity to
reach the people that Mr.. Webster lost no
time In accepting it. and he named the day
following that of the banquet for making
the address. The hour was an early one in
the afternoon and a great crowd was as
sembled promptly at the time named
The weather and all else was propitious
1t was in some respects
peculiarly representative gathering. For
some time the people waited for Mr. Web
ster to make his appearance The banquet
Il the night before had lasted until toward the
morning hour. 1t was a great success, and
Mr.. Webster's speech then had already been
read in the Albany argus. The delay in
making his appearance caused the sugges-
ton to gosaround In whispers that perhaps
Mr.. Webster might disappoint his outside
friends, an idea which we'll nigh grew into
conviction as that wait was protracted
A platform had-b been put up on the front of
the Congress Hall hotel, facing the capitol
park, which ran back to the piazza Open>
ing on the piazza was a window through
which one could step upon the stage At
the precise moment, when the wait had be-
come little less than suspense, this window
few uD and Mr.. Webster appeared through
1t and stepped upon the platform.
HOW HR LOOKED.
To describe him as he appeared 10 me
then and as in my mind / can see him
at the present moment would be impossible.
He was faultlessly dressed, and as no man
but Webster that ever saw or heard of
ever did dress. His coat was, of course,
the Websterian, with metal buttons His
vest was buff, which also had metal but
tons. His trousers were also blue. His shirt
collar was ample, almost flowing, and tied
with 10 less ample white neckerchief, pc
cuiar to those days. All these were strik-
ing enough, but what rveted my attention
IN st were Mr.. WebSter's eyes, which
were cavernoUs and suggestive of Mars
as we see that planet at the present time
-suggeSttve also, perhaps, OF the ban
quet the night before. Pausin9 for an in
slant as the assembled mass applauded
true welcome, bowling as he advanced
toward the front OF the pla form, and in a
voice quite as striking as his appearance,
he began: "What an American President
should be-" Then pausing and raising both
hands in posture that seemed to speak not
less than his words, he repeated with
studied emphasis, what an American
President should be! That's the theme!
That's the themeln Then he proceeded Tor
more than an hour and q half In q manner
In which it might be supposed Mr. Webster
would speak on a topic that lay near to his
heart.
HIS GREAT SPEECH.
But that which has gone into history as
Webster's greatest forensic effort is his re-
ply to Senator Hayne on proposition
"hich WAS construed TO assail the integrity
Of the union. knowledge of that debate
aud the attending circumstances has grad
ually faded from the minds OF men with the
lapse OF time. 1t was as far back as 1920
For years after there was hardly a school
boy in the land, at least Ia the nnrth, who
had not acclaimed some part OF Wehster's
speech 1t had a place in all books of
trstory and for reading in the schools and
Is still found In such as aim to combin
patriotic literature with some of the finest
specimens of oratory to be found in the Lam
guage,
wEBsTER's ANTAGONIST.
Senator Hayne Of South Carolina was
selected to lead 10 the attack which was
pslned with elaboration. AS an orator he
was already not little famed, quite as
much so. it is probable, as Webster was
Then He was rapid, fiery and of such re-
markable quickness aud facility of speech,
we are told by one writing at the time, "that
neseemed to run all round slow adversary
before he had time to think. By the time
an opponent could get himself to under |
stand what had been last said, and when he |
began to see through the force Of it. the |
sprlghtly genius would be off quick as
hght on some other topic, pouring out a |
VOlley OF words which seemed to dazzle all |
u dld not convince. Such was his rapidity |
OF utterance that when most excited he |
seemed to stand almost TRANSPORTED, with |
eyes lips, hands. feet all on fire with sort |
OF harmless animation. In his peculiar way |
ne was eloquent, or, rather, he was an
adjustment" ia
such. briefly, was the antagonist Mr.. |
WEBSTER was to meet. At the time Of the |
debate Mr.. Webster was daily occupied in |
lne supreme court. but so great was the |
gravity of the question which Hayne had |
introduced, and 30 solicitous were the men |
OF New England, that he gave his atten- |
tion TO ire debate. He made no prsperaS |
tlon, while his opponents were acting with |
generalization and were fully prepared. |
tAe Diminishing lasted nearly two days. |
.or. Webster showed no disposition to evade |
Ine contest; on the contrary, his manner |
vas quite the reverse. When Haynes |
friends proposed 20 give Mr. Webster time |
70 prepare he promptly replied: Let tho |
discussion proceed. am ready to receive |
we genteman's fire now"
HAYNE OCCUPIED TWO DAYS