Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-30
EULOGY ON DANIEL WEBSTER
the Vermont House Of Representatives
In October, 1852.

IN OCtopers 1907.
1.-THE address is here given as copied from
the Burlington Free Press of oct 80,
1852. 1t was a notable eulogy, spoken
on n notable occasion, and deserves q
place among our best Vermont literature
OF this kind. Having been spoken by
distinguished son of Windham county,
1t seems fitting that 1t should be re-
produced in the columns Of The Phoenix.
The journal of the Vermont House of 1852
shows that mt the morning session of Mon
day, Oct. %, Governor Erastus Fairbanks
sent the following communication, addressed
to the Speaker, Thomas Il. Powers Of Wood
stock:
"sir: A despatch received early yesterday
morning communicates the melancholy in
'telligence of the death of Honorable Daniel
webster. The affective event occurred at
This late mansion in Marshheld tMass.l,
"a little before 3 o'clock yesterday tSabbath)
morning"
Immediately after this message had been
read the House adjourned until Tuesday
morning. The official record says that at
the session of Tuesday morning, Immediate
after the reading of the Journal which en-
bodied the communication of Governor
Fairbanks, mr.. Bradley, the venerable
member from Westminster rose and deliv-
erred a most truthful and glowing sketch OF
1.-THE life, character and public career of the
Industrious deceased"
Mr. Bradley was then in his 10th year. He
had served three terms in Congress- the last
in lS24-25, and during his public career had
formed intimate associations with the great
political leaders OF his time-W Webster, Clay,
Adams, Calhoun, and oihersl
The Euioey.
Born In the same year and but nine
weeks from each other, and living in con-
tiguous states, IT was my good fortune
to become acquainted with Mr.. Web
ster in early life. We both entered to-
gether the twelfth Congress summoned
by Mr. Madison to provide for the ext
gencies of the war with Great Britain
Whatever may be said Of their predeces-
sors, no such Congress has ever sat since
II seemed as II each state, except per-
haps our own. had there collected the
elite of its talent and poured it into the
Capitol To say nothing of the giants
Of the Senate, the House OF Representa-
tives was filed with host OF able men,
at the head of whom on one side stood
Clay. Lowndes, Cheves. Calhoun. Grundy.
and Forsyth-they are named in the or
der In which they took rank In the
House-on the other side where Pickering,
Benson, Stockton CASTOR, Grosvenor, and
Hanson. These noble bands have wholly
owes his surviving to his early with
drawal from the exhaustng labors of
congressional life. although every way
qualified to hll and adorn any station.
1t was among these statesmen that Mr.
Webster appeared, and. although a new
member and but thirty years of age. i'm
| Sir. we may say what we please about
! phrenology and physiognomy. but it does
seem to me as II the Great Author of our
being was sometimes pleased to stamp
/ upon the countenance OF man made in
His image some portion OF His own di-
vinity: and 1 appeal to anyone who ever
was not struck at once by the indications
Of power contained in every look. He
spoke. II my memory serves me- but
seldom, at considerable intervals, and
although in his last public appearance he
was pleased. looking at his later and
mightier efforts, to treat his speeches
Of That day. which really laid the founda-
zion Of his fame. rather slightly, yet
those who heard them viii never lose the
Impression which they made He re-
uHr.l m.mHst untI the close Of Madi-
sons administration, when, pressed by
tHe necessity of providing for his grow
ing family. he returned to the practice
OF his profession In his native state; but
finding It to be incommensurate with the
exigencies of his situation he removed
to Boston. where n vacancy occurred on
the decease OF Samuel Dexter How well
he filed 1t, our books OF Jurisprudence
abundantly prove. While thus success
fully engaged a new state of things arose
During the war the foreign commerce
of the Union had been almost annihilated
our merchant ships were lying in the
docks. and to supply the wants of the
people. factories of some kind or other
had been established broadcast over the
land When peace came, the vessels
darted from every port; the commerce OF
the country spread with new vigor into
every CLINE, immense importations OF
merchandise took place, and the infant
manufactures were almost crushed. II
this way a complete antagonism was
created between the mercantile AM
manufacturing interests, and 1t was wei
understood that Webster was the cham
pion OF the former and Clay of the lat.
ter. Both were again returned, as wei
pardon the egotsm-as myself to the
House in the last Congress during Mon.
roes administration Those great mer
were there pitted against each other
and then broke out that rivalry which
was never really extinguished until lately
in the grave. Sir 1t was a sublime spec,
tacle to see those two commanding mind,
day after day and week after week con,
tending over the tariff bill of 1881, travel
ing over the whole science of politica
economy, and exhausting every art o