The New York herald., 1921-02-06
Webster's Rich After Career Has
Dimn1ed His Work in This Office

Daniel Webster was twice Secretary of
State. In his first period of service, under
President Tyler, he negotiated the Ashbur-
ton treaty by which the northeastern boun-
Diary was defined and England's so-called
right of search of American vessels was
abandoned, removing fo- good and all the
conditions which caused the war OF 1Sl2
Ten years afterward. in 1850, Webster be-
came President Fillmore's Secretary of
State. While acting as the organ Of the
Government in foreign affairs Webster
showed that his powers as a diplomatist
were scarcely inferior to his legal and ora
torical endowments, but it is as q Secretary
OF State that he Is least thought OF now.
His country proudly thinks of him as one
whose brain and voice did more to inspire
Americanism than any other man between
Washington and Lincoln: as the greatest
Federalst since Hamilton: as the finest ex-
ponent of the Constitution since Marshall
Long after the Ashburton treaty is for
gotten II will be remembered that Web
ster,s reply 10 Hayne the finest Grafton
since the day OF Demosthenes, will still ring
ing In Americas ears thirty years after II
was uttered and when the anxiety OF Web
ster for the preservation OF the Union was
shared by all the people of the North.
William l.. Marcy, Secretary OF State un-
der President Pierce. was big figure In
politics. first OF this state and later of the
nation. He was successfully State Comp
troller Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court, United States Senator and Governor
of New York for three terms. In bis fourth
campaign for Governor he was defeated by
William III. Seward. President Polk made
him Secretary OF War and he filled this
difficult place during the Mexican War.
william II. Seward ranks among the
great Secretaries of State by virtue not only
of his generally high qualities as a states
man, but of his accomplishments as Lin
coins official voice during the civil war.
Seward was big man when he entered the
Cabinet and bigger man when he left &C..
Not since the Revolution had our foreign
afairs called for such combination of
wisdom and firmness The North expected
Seward not only TO repel European inter
vention but 10 prevent European recogni-
ton of the Confederacy, and the Secretary
of State was able to do all that was asked
of him. The Trent affair and the French
Intervention i'm Mexico were among the
grave diplomatic problems which Seward
handled with tact and success His greatest
diplomatic triumph I'm peace was the pur-
chase of Alaska from Russia. Seward was
twice Governor of New York and twice
Senator In Congress from this State. and In
10th offices distinguished himself Tho state
Department for years after Stewards incum-
bency felt the results OF his work there. for
he reorganized department which had suf-
fered from the spoismen.
Like Webster James G.. Blaine was twice
Secretary OF state His first period in the
office was brief. being terminated by the
death OF President Garfield. Three years
later in 1884, he was the Republican nom
inee for the Presidency and was narrowly
beaten by Cleveland. when Benjamin Har-
rison entered the White House I'm 1889 he
nlnt,. aaH
perhaps the most popular man Of HIS party
to be his premier. Blaines three years in.
tho state Department produced a record
that measures up to his general public ac-
complishments. He made a good treaty
with Germany respecting the Samoan ISL
ands. He negotiated the Blaine Pauncefotc
Treaty OF 1892 relative to The Bcrine Soa