Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-06-21
EZEKIEL WEBSTER.
A MAN OF NOBLE MORALS AND DIS
TlNGUISHEO ABILITY.

How the Father Estimated His Two
Sons-StartIingly 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 Governor James Sulli-
van. In 1907 Daniel Webster removed
from Boscawen to Portsmouth, and Eze-
kicl commenced practice ut 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 us bold as a lion, and their IA
thcr 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 us iu-
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
hOnorcd for his courtesy, talents and in
tcgrity. He was elected to the legislature
IL times-once rs senator and II times
rs a rcpresentative-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 model
man. In debate he was dignifcd and cour-
teous, his weapons being sound arguments,
clothed in simple but elegant language
He was man Of imposing presence, hay
ing magnificent FORM crowned with a
princcly head. His manners were kind and
courteous, his heart warm and affection
ate, his cOuntenancc of rare and striking
beauty.
my brother Ezekiel" said Daniel Web
ster in 1916, appeared to me, and so does
he now seem to me, the very finest human
form that ever l laid eyes on"
Daniel Webster had for his brother Eze-
kiol not only the most devoted affection.
but the most exalted respect In his early
years he looked as anxiously for Ezckicrs
approval Of all his acts us Coriolanus did
for that of his mother. His confidence in
his elder brothers Judgment was I'M
bounded; his reliance upon his counsel and
wisdom was without limit. When, nine
months after. Ezckicl's death, he had
brought the whole nation to pay homage
ut his feet for the splcndOr of his triumph
over the southern champion, Robert Z
Hayne, he had one keen regret. Glow I
wish, " he sorrowfully exclaimed. "that my
poor brother had lived tin after this speech,
for l know chat he would have been graft
fled byi In their younger days the two
brothers shared the mcagcr contents of
common purse until they had fully estab-
lishcd themselves in their profession
On one occasion, while Daniel was teach
ing the academy at Frcyburg, Ne. and at
the same time ckng 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 labOrcr being at the rate Of
$3.50 a year, he was ready to help Ezekiel
if he was in need. The result of this visit
of Daniels to Ezekiel may be told in
Daniels own words: eve walked and
talked during n long evening, and, finally,
seated upon an old log, not far from the
college, I gave to Ezekiel $lOO-thr result
Of my lahors in teaching and in recording
deeds after paying my own dcbts-lcaying
to myself but 50 to get homo WITH"
With all the assistance, however which
Ezekiel got from his brother and from his
iathcr lie 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 viii Of a private school in this city.
aud he also took upon himself in addition
to this school, the teaching Of an evening
school for sailors. At this private school
which lac taught here it is interesting to
know that George Ticllnor and Edward
Everett were among his pupils
Mr.. Ezekiel Wcbstcr's death was very
sudden and utterly without prcmonition.
While addressing II jury in the court Of
common pleas ut Concord he suddenly fell
to the floor a corpse. Hcwas apparrntlyin
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, uttcring 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
were summoned, but mo- human
aid was Of any avail 1t was thought that
life was extinct before he reached the floor
in his fall. AT tho timr of his death his
wife happened To DE i'm the city. at the
huu-rut Daniel Wcb-tcron Summvrstrrct.
where no about O'Clock ou he morning