The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-31

vid. eloquent, and terse but too long. Be
fore he was half through with it the crowd
grew impatient and was crying. Web
eager to hear, calm as on the eve of his re-
ply TO Hayne, sat in a large chair, his legs
crossed, and right arm resting on the chair
arm, and now and then. to aliay the camor
OF fmpatience he would, without lifting his
arm, gracefully wave his right hand, as
hint to his panegyrist to face the sea OF
upturned faces rather than the humble
servant But no sooner would he take the
hint and face the sea, than he would turn
again to face what to him was so much
more commanding. and then there would be
louder cries of ''Webster." Webster"
However, the panegyric came to an end,
and the subject Of IL arose. Slowly he arose,
as If worn and weary. but once upon his
feet he was erectness itself. and the sight
of him in the majesty of his bearing and
pose set the multitude wild with cheering,
while the old Wings on the platform nearly
Mathews SAYS. in R his bearing there was
granduer that took the imagination by
storm"
HIS WONDERFUL POWER.
These were his opening words: Mr..
Stevenson and Fellow Citizens: This honor
which you confer upon me as much exceeds
my expectations as l feel it exceeds my
merits followed by cries of mol" MOI"
Then the matchless orator went on in a
speech which, literally reported in the Bos-
ton Bee of the day, filed some two columns.
Here and there were illustrations of his
oratorical gifts-of his power of putting a
volume into sentence, as when he ex
claimed: Massachusetts never drew a
breath that was not a national breath!"-
of his outreaching thought and beauty OF
phrase, as when, in extolling the old Bay
State Of the Revolution, he Strengthened up,
and. looking off to the Atlantic and with out
stretched arms, he declared: "She did not
brook the power of England for strip OF
w haf
and New Hampshire; she did not do it even
to protect this glorious bay spread out
before US, so beautiful and studded and
gemmed with so many islands and islets.
No, no, no! Massachusetts struck for the
liberty of continent-of his inimtable
Adams, he pictured the father of American
independence voting in the old South
church for the constitutional think l be-
hold him now in his half Quaker dress, with
his broad-brimrned hat, his gold-headed
cane, not less than five feet long, and, after
ing out, "Aye!" and the whole assembly
re-echoing the shout of rejocing-and, final
ly of his ill-concealed contempt for the
Baltimore convention and his assertion of
high personal endeavor when he closed his
| speech, with facial expression that so en-
| phasiZed the last words he ever spoke to a
public audence-"You all know, gentlemen,
it is not my fortune to be, or to have been,
successful military .chieftain laughter
| ing. hardworkng. drudging civilian la
voice: You are Daniel Webster''l giving
| my lie ana nedltn ana my SlTenBIn 10 the
| maintenance of the constitution and the
upholding according to the best of my abil-
| ity of the liberties of my country"
1t was near sunset when he closed. Then
| there was great handshaking on the plat
| form. and the looker-on saw Webster in his
| favorite mode of salutation. his uplifted
| hand coming down with a heavy slap on the
| shoulders of him he was glad to see.
This scene over, the great eXpounder was
| driven to his accustomed hotel, the Revere
| House. There the people again gathered in
| a swarm and cried Webster" web
| ster" But he appeared on the balcony only
| to make the bow which he alone could
| make.
| 1t is remembered that at the Jenny Lind
| concert in Washington Mr.. Webster was
present and in front seat. In response to
| an encore, the magical songstress reap
| peared and sang Home. Sweet Home" As
| she was retiring from the stage. Webster
arose, and made a profound bow. In any
| one else the act would have been ridiculous;
with him it was all in time and place, and,
| as it were. main part of the performance.
| Tt is said the wonderwful warbler high
| ly pleased with the mark of notice from the
| greatest living man then of Washington, as
| also of the country.