The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-01
EZEKIEL WEBSTER.
4 MAN OF NOBLE MORALS AND DIS
TlNculsHED ABILITY.

Upon His Counsel and wisdom His Bro
ther Daniel Placed Complete ReIiancs.
How the Father Estimated His Two
sons--startlingiy Sudden Death.
Ezekiel Webster, like his brother Daniel
was lawyer, portion Of his preparatory
legal studies having been pursued in this
city in the Office of GoVsnor James Sulli-
van. In 1907 Daniel Webster removed
| from Boscawen to Portsmouth, and Eze-
kiel commenced practice at Boscawen, sue
ceeding to his brothers. business Ezekiel
was, by many persons who had an oppor-
tunity to judge his qualities, thought the
equal of his more celebrated brother in in
tellectual endowments. In his younger
| years he was inclined TO be timid, while
Daniel was as bold as lion, and their fa-
ther was wont to say that Ezekiel could
tell half he knew, but Daniel could
tell more than he knew. In spite Of his
natural timidity, however, his talents soon
won for him an exalted standing as ju-
rist, and at the time of his death he was
regarded as one Of the ablest lawyers Of
New Hampshire.
He was not only lawyer of distinguish
ed ability, but man of noble morals and
sterling uprightness. His bearing at the
bar won the respect and confidence of both
judge and jury, and he was esteemed and
honored for his courtesy, talents and in
tegrity. He was elected to the legislature
12 times-once as senator and IL times
as representative-and at the election in
March, 1929, the month before he died, he
was candidate ian unsuccessful one) for
q seat In the lower house of congress He
was model lawyer, as he was a model
man. In debate he was dignified and cour-
teous, his weapons being sound arguments,
clothed in simple but elegant language
He was man Of imposing presence, hav-
ing a magnificent form, crowned with
princely head His manners were kind and
courteous his heart warm and affection
ate, his countenance of rare and striking
beauty.
"My brother Ezekiel, " said Daniel Web
ster In 1846, appeared to me, and so does
he now seem to me, the very finest human
form that ever laid eyes on.
Daniel Webster had for his brother Eze-
kiel not only the most devoted affection,
but the most exalted respect. In his early
years he looked as anxiously for Ezekiel's
approval OF all his acts as Coriolanus did
for that Of his mother. His confidence in
his elder brothers. Judgment was un-
bounded; his reliance upon his counsel and
wisdom was without limit. When, nine
months after Ezekiel's death, he had
brought the whole nation to pay homage
at his feet for the splendor of his triumph
over the southern champion, Robert Y
Hayne, he had one keen regret. "How
wish, y he sorrowfully exclaimed, "that my
poor brother had lived till after this speech,
for know that he would have been graft
fled by itr' In their younger days the two
brothers Spared the meager contents of
common purse until they had fully estab-
lished themselves in their profession.
On one occasion, while Daniel was teach
ing the academy at Freyburg, Me-, and at
the same time eking out his income by act
ing as deputy register of deeds, he returned
home by way of Hanover, where Ezekiel
was at college The first thing Daniel did
was to find out whether his brother was in
want of money, and, although his salary
as teacher was scarcely more than the
wages Of day laborer, being at the rate of
$3.50 year, he was ready to help Ezeki i
II he was In need. The result of this wiz it
OF Daniels to Ezekiel may be told in
Daniels own words: "We walked and
talked during long evening, and, finally,
seated upon an old log, not far from the
college gave to Ezekiel $100-the result
Of my labors in teaching and in recording
deeds, after paying my own debts-leaving
to myself but 50 to get home with"
With all the assistance, however, which
Ezekiel got from his brother and from his
father, he was still unable to pursue his
college course without interruption. In
the spring of his senior year, finding his
longer residence in college impossible on
account of lack of funds, he purchased the
good will Of private school in this city,
and he also took upon himself, in addition
to this school, the teaching of an evening
school for sailors At this private school
which he taught here it Is interesting to
know that George Ticknor and Edward
Everett were among his pupils.
Mr.. Ezekiel Webster's death was very
sudden and utterly without premonition.
While addressing jury in the court of
common pleas at Concord he suddenly fell
to the floor corpse He was apparently in
perfect health and had been speaking about
half an hour, showing no diminution of
his accustomed, physical strength or intel
lectual power. He had closed one branch
| OF his argument, uttering the concluding
sentence and the final word distinctly and
with his natural cadence, his form erect
his eye clear and bright, when the hand of
death suddenly arrested his earthly course
| Physicians were summoned, but no human
aid was of any avail 1t was thought that
life was extinct before he reached the floor
In his fall. At the time of his death his
wife happened to be In the city, at the
house of Daniel Webster, on Summer street.
where, at about 2 o'clock on the morning
Of the following day, messenger announc-
ed the sad intelligence of Ezekiel's death.
Boston Transcript.
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