The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-06-26

V1mI young man ~ years OF age
IN Il and principal of the old and
MN famous academy of Frye
W burg. Me-. he delivered an
Independence day grafton
in the old church (Which stood until
1s49), that the great orator referred
to in his autobiography, as yet unpub-
lished. Prof. J. C. Pickard, formerly
principal of the same old academy and
for many years in the chair of litera-
ture in the University of Illinois, was
fortunate enough to come across a
copy of the original manuscript of this
grafton. John Shea, of Boston, saved
the priceless Grafton from junk heap
that was found in shop at 252 Fed
eral street, Boston, and on the occa-,
sion of the memorial gathering of
great minds that had been graduated
from the Fryeburg academy, that was
held in 1882, some enterprising friend
of Fryeburg included the Grafton in
little pamphlet: This had a very linn
tied circulation, and as the Grafton is
not included in any work on Daniel
Webster the claim that it has never
been published, substantially is correct.
Profound as was the impression the
delivery of this masterpiece made
upon his hearers, it is like hearing
from the dead to listen to the veteran
educators of Fryeburg tell over the
tales they had from the lips
of those who were in the old-fash-
toned, crowded church the bright July
afternoon that the young principal
Numbered out his peroration. One en-
thusiastic New England farmer who
listened intently until the last word
was spoken, ventured the opinion that
some day ''Danl might be gov'nor of
the state"
Mr.. Webster passed over the usual
subjects of independence day orators
-recapitulations of war, speculations
on the causes of the revolution, ETC.,
and naively Informed his audience that
it was his ambition to present such a
view of the constitution and the union
as would convince them that they had
nothing to hope for in change. Inno-
walton, the orator said, was the idol of
the times, and changes resulting from
the bursting of the ancient limits in
the human mind, made the earth seem
like tickle lover.
"The experience of all ages will bear
us out in saying, that alterations of po-
litical systems are always attended
with greater or less degree of danger"
continued Mr.. Webster. ''They ought,
therefore, never to be undertaken, I'M
less the evil complained of be really
felt and the prospect of remedy
clearly seen. The politician that un-
dertakes to improve a constitution
with as little thought as farmer sets
about mending his pillow, is no master
of his trade. If the constitution be a
systematic one, if it be free one, it's
parts are so necessarily connected that
an alteration in one will work an al
teration in all; and this cobbler, how
ever pure and honest his intentions,
| will, in the end, find that what came to
his hands fair and lovely fabric goes
from them miserable piece of patch
| work.
"Nor are great and striking altera-
tons alone to be Stunned. A succes-
sion of small changes, a perpetual
tampering with minute parts. steal
away the breath though they leave the
body; for it is true that government
may lose all of its real character. its
genius, and its temper, WITHOUT losing
| its appearance. You may have a des-
potism under the name of republic. I.
.sThe first thing to be said in favor;
of our system Of governments that it
is truly and genuinely free, and a man
has base and slavish heart that will
call any government good that IS not
free. : Rebellions are despot-
isms;; factions are tisms; loose