The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-12-27
IN STATUARY HALL.

The old hall Of the House Of Repre-.
sentatives, nearly in the center of the pres
ent stately Capitol building, was con-
verted into Statuary Hall, where each
State has placed, or is to place, statues OF
two of her most distinguished sons. The
selection of the subjects, and the artistic
execution of the statues have produced
no end Of just criticism. For example,
one OF Ohio's contributions to represent
a State which produced Grant, Sherman,
| Sheridan, Stanton, Chase, Ewing, Cor
win. Hayes, Garfield, Rosecrans, and
others, is that Of William Allen, a man
Of very mediocre abilities, and prin-
cipally distinguished for his success in
getting Office and a stentorian voice,
which gained for him the nickname of
Foghorn Allen" New Hampshire
placed her contribution In the hall last
week, with appropriate ceremonies, and
really fine speeches by Senators Cal
linger and Proctor on Gen. Stark, and
by Senator Hoar on Daniel Webster.
The selection of Gen. Stark as a repre-
sentative New Hampshire man was en-
tirely proper. His father was Scotch
Puritan, and one Of the first settlers
John Stark was born in the State, and
with his three brothers distinguished
himself in the wars with the French and
Indians. He was one Of the very first
to respond to the call to arms in the
Revolution; raised a brigade of volun-
teers, which he commanded with bril-
liant valor in the operations around
Boston. He commanded Washington's
right wing at Trenton, and gained new
laurels, but feeling that Congress had in
suited him, resigned. The great dan
ger to the cause by Burgoyne's invasion
drew him from his retirement. He
raised a regiment of New Hampshire
militia, and with keener military eye
than his superiors, saw his oppor-
tunity in an attack upon Baum's
forces advancing upon Bennington.
He and bis men acted with the great
est gallantry, and unframed militia
though they were, defeated and de-
stroyed a superior force Of weli-disci-
plined regular troops. This had the
greatest influence in forcing Burgoyne's
ultimate surrender at Saratoga. He
continued in the army until the close of
the war, and always rendered good sery-
ice, There is little surprise that New
Hampshire should have assumed, and
Massachusetts, permitted, the selection of
Daniel Webster. Webster was born and
reared in New Hampshire. His father
was native Of the State. and had made
much reputation as a Captain in the
French and Indian wars, and that of the
Revolution. He was educated at Dart
mouth College, and began the practice
Of law in Boston. He returned to New
Hampshire for two terms in Congress,
after which he went back to Boston.
Thenceforward his long and brilliant
career belongs to Massachusetts,, where
he became idolized as no American ever
was, until three years before bis death he
made the fatal mistake Of allying him
self with the slave power.
His was undoubtedly the greatest in
tellect this country has ever produced.
In life he had no equal as masterful
reasoner and logician, and he furnished
the larger part of the intellectual weap-
ons with which the battle for the Union
was fought from 1861 to 1865. He
simply crushed under the weight of over
whelming logic the specious arguments
Of Calhoun and his school that the
United States were bound by loosely
fastened tie, which any State could slip
off at pleasure. Webster served two
terms in Congress from New Hampshire,
and after an interval two terms from
Massachusetts,, when he was elected to
the Senate and served there IA years,
until called to be Secretary of State
under President Harrison. In 1914 he
refused the Wing nomination for Presi-
dent; was returned to the Senate, and
remand there until called into Presi-
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