The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-19
FRIDAY. JANUARY 10. 1900.
The Webster statue.

Fifty years after the close of his ACTIVE
public laburs. a monument has been erect
ed to the memory of Daniel Webster il
one of the beautiful public reservations o
the city in which he spent nearly thu
whole of his official life, in every wai
worthy of his fame. His was majestic
figure ar imperial presence-and these
the statue fifty represents. To have cast
his effigy in anything less than heroic
size would have been a physical as well
as an artistic solecism. Whatever we can
imagine of port and dignity in a Roman
Senator. in Romc's greatest days. is APP
plicable to Webster. Much of the effect
of his eloquence may be attributable to his
imposing physical appearance. But how
ever great that was. his intellect was not
inferior TO it. 1t was great mind grandly
housed
His birthplace was on the frontier OF
our most northern colony. His oppor-
tunities for education were not worthy to
be named His parents were poor. Their
land was poor stubborn, and unyielding,
and for the little they wrested from its
stony surface there was slight compensa-
ton. There were no schools or colleges
endowed as are those of the present day.
A boy of that era who had determined to
obtain knowledge to fit himself for one
of the liberal avocations had already
achieved a triumph ip the very arrogance
OF his ambition. Rigid self-denial, an alb
negation OF nearly all the pleasures Of
life as it is now lived. courage and per-
sistency which would not so much as con-
template abatement-all were essentials
to success.
For thirty years Webster toiled, delved,
and studied, but gave no sign Of the in
tellectual wealth he was amassing. For
the succeeding forty years every draft made
upon his intellect or memory was promptly
honored His was not what might be
called a stabilized education. He was
neither forced nor pampered. What he
wanted to know he had to search for, and
when acquired it was not only priced. but
retained He did not live to see the War
OF Secession. He feared its coming and
strove by concession and compromise Of
non-essentials to prevent it. But he did
more than the chiefest of those actually
engaged in it to secure success. The issues
upon which ii was waged had been settled
in debate under his leadership. The soli-
darity Of the North was due more to Web
ster than to all other agencies. II was his
resistless logic his burning patriotism that
conquered. II will never be asked by any
person intellectually worth answering why
Webster has the statue that was yester-
day unveiled but tens Of thousands have
wondered why it has been long delayed
Such a tribute TO such statesman should
never have been left TO private iiberality
and appreciation The nation should have
erected it. gladly welcoming the opportu-
nifty There have been few websters vouch-
safed to it. Heroes are often accidents
Many die unknown. unrecognized. Great
leaders are the outcome Of every fierce po-
litical contention-they rise, flourish are
set aside, and are forgotten. But men like
jefferson and Webster are to be assigned
to no party and to no age-they belong to
the nation and to history.
A great statue was webster's by divine
right; no less is one due to jefferson, and
the nation should straightway erect it.