The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21
WEBSTER'S LAST ADDRESS
A Brief Greeting to Serenaders at
His Washington Home.

A Reference to the baltimore Con-
vention and His Cnndidac, --sercn-
-ity Equal to the summer stars.
j. Ormond Wilson, Of this city, re-
Gently recalled the fact that the last
public address of Daniel Webster was
delivered In Washington from the portico
of his home TO a group OF serenaders.
Mr. Webster was at the time living in
an unpretentious brick house. two stories
and a basement. with a plain wooden
porch in front of the entrance, on the
north side of d Street northwest adj
joining the Unitarian Church. which sep
arated 1t from Sixth Street The church
is now the Police Court. and the house.
with the portico removed, does service as
the Webster Building. affordlng Office
room to several attorneys
The occasion was a stariit night June
p. 1852, Immediately after the adjourn
ment OF the National Wing Convention.
which nominated Gen. Winfield Scott for
President, in Baltimore. Mr. Webster
was then Secretary of State in President
Fillmore's Cabinet, and was the logical
candidate for the nomination. which.
after fifty-three ballots, was given TO
party's choice. and the result was un-
questionably great disappointment to
him and to his friends.
On the evening named a crowd of eth
zens. accompanied by a band Of music
and by some of the delegates and other
attendants upon the convention, went TO
Mr.. Webster's home for the purpose Of
giving expression to their political en-
thusiasm in the form OF a serenade to
great leader Of the Wing party. The
band played several patriotic airs, and at
length Mr.. Webster. wearing long dress
ing gown, appeared on the porch and
spoke briefly to the crowd. He had been
in feeble health for some time, and the
weary, sad expression on his face was a
sight never to be forgotten by those pres
ent. He looked like a lion at bay, fully
conscious of a mortal wound, butt main
tanning his native majesty to the last.
Mr.. Wilson was present and has fur
nished for The Times copy OF the adj
dress. as follows:
Il thank you, fellow-citizens, for this
friendly and respectful call. I am very
glad to see you. Some of you have been
engaged in an arduous public duty at
BaItimore-the object of your meeting be-
Ing the selection of fit person to be
supported for the office of President of
the United States. Others of you take an
interest in the result of the deliberations
of that assembly of Wings. 1t so hap
pened that my name. among others. was
presented on the occasion; another can
didate, however. was preferred.
Il have only to say. gentlemen, that the
convention did, 1 doubt not. what it
thought best. and exercised is discretion
The result has caused me no personal
feeling whatever, nor any change Of con-
duct or purpose. What have been am.
in principle and character. and what am
hope to continue to be. Circumstances
or opponents may triumph over my for
tunes but they will not triumph over my
temper or my self-respect
Gentlemen, this is a serene and beauti-
full night. Ten thousand thousand of the
lights of heaven illuminate the armament
They rule the night. A few hours hence
their glory will be extinguished
Ye stars that glitter in the skies
And gayly dance before nv eyes.
What are ye when the sun shall rise?
Gentlemen. there is not one among
you who Will sleep better tonight than l
shall. If wake, | shall learn the hour
from the consultations and | shall rise in
the morning, God willing, with the lark;
and, though the lark is a better song
ster than | am, yet he will not leave the
dew and the daisies and spring, upward
TO greet the purpling East with more
blithe and jocund spirit than | shall pos
sess
Gentlemen. again repeat my thanks
for this mark of your respect, and COM
mend you to the enjoyment of a quiet and
satisfactory repose. May God bless you
all.
The gloom of disappointment which sad
dened the heart of Daniel Webster is not
concealed in the address delivered that
night to his friends and followers. Just
how much it may have FASTENED his
death cannot be known. but after this
the great orator and statesman appeared
to lose his grip upon public affairs. De-
serted by his political associates he wilt
messed the fall of the leaders around him
On March 81 John C. Calhoun had died
and while Webster spoke to the serenad-
ers before his home. Henry Clay lay upon
his death bed in the National Hotel A
week later Clay died, and the nation
mourned his loss.
Mr. Webster left Washington shortly
a1terward. and returned to his home at
Marshtield, Mass. where he died October
a. 49,. in the seVenty-first year of hfsa
age. uttering as his last words, II still
live
The Wing party did not long survive
its illustrious ieader. Internal strife over
the Compromise Act, of 1850 almost dis
rupted the Baltimore convention In it's
platform. II adopted Clay's Omnibus bill.
though -three-fourths of the delegates at
heart opposed it The Free Soil party
entered the field, with its candidates and
the Wings were hopelessly beaten in the
November election. From the political
grave which Fillmore and his friend had
dug for their party, arose Know-NOthing-
ism, and the Free Sellers, which, with
party that elected Abraham Lincoln eight
Years later