The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-23
DANIEL WEBSTER IN CONGRESS.

PATRIOTS m. or broader and more mastery
intellectual grasp. The Congress OF the
United States did well. therefore, on re-
ceiving New Hampshire's gift OF his
statue to the nation last week. to make
il a notable occasion. We find in the
speeches made at the time by Senators
Morrill, and Hoar good deal OF delsht-
ful reading. parts of which we know our
readers will thank us for reproducing
The venerable Senator Morrill,, OF YER
mont, said:
on one of these early Washington VISITS
/ was present at an all-nlSht session VI
the Senate ip the Ola senate 1udiiiD "a
As the hours grew late al got tred' ana
Mr. Webster bent his read over ms deSh'
with his face pillOwed on ms hahds' "hIte
another senator IN ramDhhs spceCn'
and suddenly enthused WIN Iaptulou
admiration for Mr.. WEBSTER, prohouhCeu
him the statesman! the historian me
philosopher. the poot!-when Mr.. WEB
Ster halfway raising ms heaI' III d ~ VI -,
voice, calculated: Enough! thousHi
Senator Butler Of South Carolina, evil
IDENTIFY thought so, too; Out had SOM
difficulty i'm persuadinS the Jubllanl iheIh-
Der TO take his seat. 1900.
4 day or two i'm advance of the meet
ing of the Wing national convention In
Baltimore in 1872, to when ! was
delegate, to nominate presidehual can
diddtc | visited Washington, ana was
invited. with others by Mr.. webster lhon
Secretary of State, TO dinner As II
was not my intention TO support MI
Webster in the convention, the INVITA-
tion was rather regretted, but being told
10y a friend that such an invitation mere
from the President or the secretary oil
State was never TO be declined, II Wda
accepted. There were about dozen al
the table, Mrs. Webster being the ohly
lady Mr. Webster appeared In his blue
r.tIt hut
low shoes and white silk half hose, ana
led tha conversation most happily, Wheth-
or grave or gay. Upon leaving the am
ing-room the gentlemen al returned 10
the drawing-room, and there Mr.. Web
ster was so gracious and attractive IN
general and special conversation as 10
quickly place every one AT MS ease es-
pecially as he did not even allude 10
the coming convention. BY way OF IN
quiry as TO the preparation OF his speech
eS | Vcntured to say that ! had heard
il stated that among the passages often
quoted one had been conceived by nm
many years prior to utterance, ana re
ferred to his picturesque description OF
the power Of England, whose morning
drumbeat, following the sun, and Keeping
company with the hours, circles the earth
with the continuous and unbroken strain
of the martial airs of England
He promptly replied AS mere iact' II
is true that while visiting quebec seN-
eral years before the speech of 1884, one
morning | arost. early. as was my wont.
and walked out upon the ramparts OF
the city. when / soon heard the morning
drumbeat. 1t then occurred to me that
this a little later, would be repeated at
Montreal, then at Toronto, again IN
Columbia and so on around the world.
Adding, ooh, l never pretended TO be
one of the inspired genluses. bring
forth nothing without labor. If not pre-
cisely at the time, il has cost labor at
some time.
When / left his residence. then on ID
L. A..I.. ~. ,taI In
have grown greater to me, ana, unlike
some so-called great men. who, as you
get nearer TO them. become slender, If
not mediocre. he appeared more like
Doric temple. to loom mp more grdndly
the nearer approached.
The next day. however ] did not vote
i'm his favor at the convention. the speech
of March 7, 1850 being insurmountable,
but | ever felt glad, proud that Daniel
Webster was born, lived and died an
American.
Surely that is a most charming picture
of Mr. Webster. in his blue coat and
brass buttons. buff vest, tan shoes and
white silk stockings, as late as 1852. SEN
ator Hoars Grafton was one Of the most
POLISHED and scholarly ever delivered in
this country. lie thus describes Web
stcr's style:
/ do not think that Mr. Webster's style
tx maintained at its highest excellence
throughout ms speeches, rs they come
down to MS in print. me thousht Is
never tame or mean. ou never DOUBT
that "A great mind is at work. Bul II
often seems To be working slusbishly. me
expression sometimes seems lhal OF d
man half asleep. ms may nt ldib
masterpieces of English are Few pas
saets where his faculties seem To nave been
at "a white heat. II is common mistake
to speak of Mr.. WebSter'S as a nervous
"A Toy o
the characteristic of Mi. Webster style
is somewhat ponderouS laUnlty.
There Is more OF pr. johnson thdn
OF Shakespeare in 1t. think that
in the choice of vehicle Tor ms
thoughts for which the resources of that
part OF our language which Is OF saxon
origin would often nave been Inadequate.
The Saxon is tough, sinewy. racN. II
is the fitteSt speech for common life. 1t
is not without resources for the utterance
of lofty emotion, as witness many pas
s4ppS from the Bible which we know by
heart But stil there is something lack
ipg i'm It, When the intellect would
EXPRESS It's protoundcSt meaning, or
clothc itself nm state or splendor IL seeks
nm tho Latin what II does not find else
where If we were 10 cndON the animals
with the gift of speech. We should give
the saxon TO the otter. To the ferret. to
the bulldog. and even 20 the eagle. But
I think we would need something else for
Inc lion Indeed. in CampbelrS match
less couplet, even in describing the eagle
mght. with what q fine instinct me touch
es both chords The Saxon will do for
the swift flight, like a ballet to its mark
But the lofty. unapproachd6le solitude
must be described in the majestic Latin:
10! the deathshot of focmen outspeed-
ing he rode,
Communicates, bearing destruction
abroad.
THE saxon Is a safe tongue for persons
who are In danger OF spelling their Eng
lish style by the use of little composites.
The attempt to gave dignity TO a mean
or common thought, or q a thought which
should be uttered simply, directly ana
plainly. by clothing II in a certain affect
ed statelnesS Of phrase. is the ruin of
many writers. and of more speakers. The
Saxon IS not likely TO be used by writer
who has not thought at all.
But on every occasion he knew how To
convey his Heighty meaning TO any tri-
bunal he had To address. whether court
or senate. alike to the understanding OF
the people. and the apprehension OF any
antagonist. The grandeur of Mr.. Web
ster's speech was always mingled with
moral tenderness and beauty. But his
passion is restrained and contained pas
sion. He belonged 10 race, be spake
TO auditors OF race. not in the habit
OF uncovering the springs OF emotion 10
every observer. The few incidents where
he gave way and seemed To have lost
command OF himself In deep personal feel
ing. as in mis- Dartmouth College argu-
rnent. are handed down 10 us by tradition
oIriy He did not prepare them before
hand and he has left no record OF them
himself. There is in all Mr.. Webster's
speeches the appearance of reserved pow
er. of avoidance OF extremes, which adds
so much 10 their imprcssiveness.
'iian his strength he nut not forth"