W„>f DANTELlWEBSTfiR J eye y\[(i Sine ii'"'' PRIVATE mo..m- LIBRARY. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM Mr. and Mrs."m.f'.ii'.'^tirley I*0y3 0j949 DECl 1 195u iO!?'*'' Cornell University Library E340.W37 B22 1875 Daniel Webster : olin 3 1924 032 757 845 The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032757845 LIVES OF FAMOUS AMERICANS. UNIFORML y BOUND IN izmo. EA CH VOL UME ILL USTRA TED ABRAHAM LINCOLN: His Life and Public Sekvices. By Phebb A. Hanaford. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.25. DANIEL WEBSTER: His Life and Chaeacteb. By Joseph Baknakd, D. D. 1 vol. 12 mo, f 1.50. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: His Struggles and Triumphs. By Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin. 1 vol. 12 rao, $1.50. HORACE GREELEY: His Life and Editorial Success. B/ William L. Cornell, D. D. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.25. CHARLES SUMNER. By J. and J. D. Chaplis. With Ikteo DUCTios by Hon. William Claflin. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.50. AMOS LAWRENCE: Extracts from his Diary and Corkesfon dence. By his Son, Williaji R. Lawrence, M. D. 1 vol- 12 mo, $1.50. ISRAEL PUTNAJI: Major-General in the Continental Army. By I. N. Taebox. With maps. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.50. BAYARD TAY'LOE: His Life, Travels and Literary Career. By Col. Russell H. Conwell. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.50. HENRY WILSON: His Life and Public Services. By Rev. Elia9 Nason. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.50. GEORGE PEABODY': His Life and Pi-.incely Benevolence. B:jI Phebe a. ILiXAFORD. 1 vol. 12 mo, $1.50. '^•Any of the above books will be sent post-paid on receipt of prica. D. LOTHROP and COMPANY, 30 & 32 Franklin St., Bostov. & ^^^^>S^-^^,;^,aL u^z.^ DANIEL WEBSTER HIS LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES BY REV. JOSEPH gANVARD. AtnUOE OF PLYMOUTH AND THE PILGRIMS, KOVELTIES OP THK NEW WORLD, ROMANCE OF AMERICAN HISTORY, ETC. BOSTON D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY ■J 2 FRANKLIN STREET () K !'^ ! i I - :i IV! Ki-ITY i':; f; A K Y V-si Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, Bt d. LOTHROP & CO., Ill the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. A^V7^ /^ YTM:n3V;iH|i PREFACE. The object of this Tolume is to present a sketcli of the most interesting and important events which occurred in the history of the distinguished statesman who has lately passed away. 'I'he author makes no pretensions to the discovery of new facts. He has availed himself chiefly of the published memoirs and reminis- cences of Mr. Webster, amongst which were Daniel Webster and his Contemporaries, by Charles W. March ; The Private Life of Daniel Webster, by Charles Lanman ; Personal Memo- rials of Daniel Webster ; Memoir of the Life of Daniel Webster, by Samuel L. Knapp ; Biograph- ical Memoir of the Life of Daniel Webster, by Edward Everett, prefixed to Mr. Webster's Works, and Life, and Memorials of Daniel Web- ster ; together with the numerous eulogies, 6 6 PREFACE. speeches, and sermons occasioned by his de- cease, selecting such facts and incidents from each as would suit his purpose, and deducing from them such lessons or principles of action as are worthy the contemplation of those for whom the book is specially designed. That the distinguished subject of this work had his faults, and that there is a difference of opinion as to the wisdom of some of the acts of his political life, no one presumes to deny. But it is of his commendable traits of character that the author here treats. These he would hold up for the admiration and imitation of American youth. He has endeavored to prepare a work which every American patriot would be pleased to have his children read. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. rxei rue two Eiders. — A pleasing Proposition. — Accepted. — A 3ito. — A Plunge. — A Trout caught. — UaDiel Webster. — His Birthplace.— Kearsage Mountain, —The tottling Boy. ~ The mysterious Well. -> Drinking from the moss-covered Ducket — Influence of Nature oa «-" Style — Webster's Love for the Grand in Nature."—- Worthy of Ini- tiation. — Pictures admired more than the original Landscapes.— Advice to the Young. — Influence of the Love of Nature on Char- acter .. 15 CHAPTER II. tf^ebcrter'B Father. — Webster's Health. — His Education desired. — Providential Arrangement — A School opened. — Teacher ChaM- '- Webster's early Struggles for an Education. — Unreasonable ConH plaints Contrasts. — Master Tappan. — Mutual Remembranres. — Vlvbstar'fl first Letter to Tappan. — Ula Donation. — Master Tap- 7 « CONTENTS. )Wi'> iMtimony- — Webster gets a Reward. — Tapiiaii's Enthuii- um. — Webster's second Letter to him. — His Giam|jie commend- ea. — N i)te. — Tappan's Deatll. — Teacher Hoyt. — His Character. — ^eiwter's Testimony concerning him. — Webster reads to the Teamstera. — Domestic Scenes 93 CHAPTER m. Social IJbraries. — Webster's Reading. — The Mill. — Daniel at the MiU. — His favorite Authors. — His Employment favorable for Read mf . — The Constitution on the Handkerchief. — The Books he chose. — His Amusements. — Freezes his Toes. — No Pleasure in being scolded. — Observance of the Sabbath. — Deacon True'e Boys. — The Influence of Habit. — Webster a quick Learner. - Concludes to become a Teacher. — Goes to an Academy. — Impoi tance of Education. — Webster and the Side Saddle. — His Exam- ination. — He can't declaim. — Is ridiculed. — His two Promo- tions 40 CHAPTEK IV. A Sleigh Ride — Affecting Incident. — Benefits of Knowledge Advice to Youth. — A Supposition. — Webster learnb rapidly. — His Mode ot Retaliation. — A Day for Pigeon shouting. — Industri- ous Boy. — His Habits broken. — Blistered Hands. — Goes a Berry- ing. —An amusing Incident — Poorly fitted for College. — Impor- tance of a good Preparation for College. — False Position. — Webster's Ride to Hanover. — Great FresheL — Appears before th» Faculty for Examination. — Blue Dan. — Passes ilie Uideal s&f»- ly. — Enters College at the Age of Fifteen CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Webster is classed low. — He soon rises. — His Industry in College. — Advice to Undergraduates. —College Temptations. — Tlieir Anti- dote. — Webster studies Oratory. — His personal Appearance. — De- livers a Fourth of July Oration. — Great Britain's Injustice in the French War. — English Oppressions. — Battle of Bunker Hill.— Declaration of Independence. — Webster's Address to the Revolu- tionary Fathers. — Remarks upon the Oration. — He delivers a fu- neral Eulogy. — Mortality a Principle of Action. — Prepare for the Future. — Religious Suggestions 71 CHAPTER VI. \ great Gathering. — Webster's Theme at Commencement. — How collegiate Honors are distributed. — United Fraternity. — Webster chosen Orator. — His Oration. — Tears up his Diploma. — Studies with Squire Thompson, — Becomes a School Teacher. — Advan- tages of keeping School. — Registry of Deeds. — Where there is a Will there is a Way. — Fingers ache. — Volumes of Deeds,— Vote of Thanks. — Academy burned. — Affection. — Reverence for Mr. Webster. — How manifested, — Continues to study Law. — Com- laits to Memory Orations CHAPTER VII. ^abater fond of Fishing. — Loveweirs Pond. — The great Fight — Im purtance of Relaxation. — Mr. Webster's Course. — Relin'4uishes his School — Providential Circiunstance. — Mr. WebsCer*H Pioereu in lO CONTENTS. Law. — His Attention to Business. — The wrong Course — KimbalPr Turnpike. — Webster's Determination. — Uis Success. — Rule to reg alate Subscriptions. — Mr. Webster studies with Hon. Air. Cure — Xj tdmitteil to the Bar. — Mr. Gore's Commendation and Prophecy lOi CHAPTEIl Vlll. H&a a ClerKsbip oflered bim — Declines it — His Father displeased. — Pays Ills Father's Debts. — His fltlal Attacliment — Some treat their Parents unkindly. — Mr. Webster's iirst Flea. ~ He astonishes everv body. — Controlling Witnesses. — The Detection — The Character at his Arguments. — Webster and Mason — "Import a young Earth qua^e " , 1 1? CHAPTER IX. A dreadM Deed. — General Alarm. — Attack ol two Footpadt — Hatch's Disclosure. — Grant's Letters. — Grant arrested — 'Ihe Knapps arrested. — The Confession. — The Plot explained, — Palmer unprlsoned.— Crowninshield's Signal. —Palmer's Fear. —The Tri- al. — Mr. Webster's Plea. — The Wicked insnare themaelvM. — Extiaordinary Things —Avoid bad Company U4 CnAPTER X, Mi. Webster in the House of Representatives —His first Speacta. — iU) Impreesion. — Waj succeaslui — .Not in liaMts lu debate. — txa CONTENTS. 11 QaaliUn as sn Orator. — An Attack on New England Webster and Bell. — A crowded Senate. — Ills Introduction. — Ills Allusion to (be Old Cay State. — Tlie thrilling ESect. — Meeting in the East Room. — Importance of the Speech. — Webster's transcendent Abil- ities — Seventh of March Speech. — Its Effect. — Different Opin- ion! concerning it 173 CHAPTER XI Ezokiel Webster. — A noble Mother. — An Affecting Night Scene. - Fraternal Attachment. — Touching Tribute of Affection A beau- tiful Letter. — Dedications. — Living Monuments. — The Profile. — Mother's Garden — Mr. Webster visits Ills Grave. — The Cem- etery. — His Remarks. — Monumental Inscriptions. — Mr. Webster'* Poetry, "The Memory of the Heart" 199 CHAPTER XII. Ur. Webster's Mirthfulness. — A playful Letter. — Mr. Choate's Pa- (Dos. — Webster's practical Joke. — Mr. Choate's poor Writing Effect oi the Joke. — Mr. Webster's Trout Law. — " That ain't the Worst of it." — Amusing Contrast. — The Senate mterrupted. — Webster and the Buckeyes. — "Old Webster" and the sportmg Snobs. — Appearances deceptive. — Webster's Wit — Amusing Re- ply —"Venerable" Trout. —Effect of Cheerfulness. — Webster's Spelling Uook SI7 12 CONTENTS. UHAPTEKXlil. air. Webster an early Riser. — UIb l.eHer on lie Muming. — Adarn'i Mornings. — What to observe in the Morning. — Dr. Doddrldgb cii early Rising. — Beauties of Marshfield. — Mr. Webster's Love ol Trees. — He protects Birds. — His Reward. — The auaili — He tames wild Geese. — His Interest in the natural Sciencea — Pre- sents Audubon with Birds. — The Wall-flower. — The Sound of the Sea. — Lessons of Nature. — Dignity of the Study of Nature.... 23(1 CHAPTER XIV. Mr. Webster's Candor. — Mr. Ketchum's Testimony — Direction to Mr. Everett. — His Magnanimity — Dr. Choules's Testimony. ~ Webster and Diclcenson — Webster's £ulogy on Calhoun. — Char acter of his Mind — H's impressive Manner. — He will be re- membered. — Webster and Hayne. --How to treat Opponents.— Charity i CHAPTJER XV. llie Human Family a Brotherhood. — Effect of little Kindnesses. — Webster and Miss Mitford. — Influence of a Friend's Death. — Do- nations of Garden Seeds. — Gives away a Cow. — Kindness to Ml Tappan. — Hungarian Bull. — Gores Mr. Taylor. — Kossuth. — Mr. Webster's Present. — Charles Brown's Use of Holiday Money.— Items in Mr. Wehstor'n Will. —A Rebuke and Fifty DoUara. — The old Lady on Webster's Farm. — Another Fifty Dollars. — W«^ CONTBim. 11 ■■ tnau * UUmt Monay. — A Umctiini 8inr)r ot ■ WkkrWa Pn* Mftr uxl Hi. WelMar'i B>ngTnlenc« K4 CHAPTER XYI. Mt Webater never out of Order. — Sings with an old Lady B*- n^imt Allusions. — Tiie Bible is " the Book."— Piety of bis Brothei e/ekiel. -An Evening Scene and Scripture Quotation. — Mk Web- sier >. (lemarks on Job. — He prefers John Constant in Attend- ance ou Public Worship. — His Opinion of Sermonizing. — His Opniiun of Prayer. — Mr. Kirk's Sermon. — Mr. Webster's Remarks u(Hin it — Believer in the Atonement. — Requests Prayer on boani a Steamboat — Influence of Prayer. — Arithmetic of Heaven. — liu Keligious Views. — Pleased with Dr. Watts's Hymns. — Mr. Aideii's Eulogy. ^ Recognition of Divine Providence. — Evidences o< Christianity. — Writes the Inscription for his own Monument — In tmportanea i 884 CHAPTER XVII. Mr W«nHter's Health fails. — He retires to Marshfleld. — His Strength jBcrea.ee. — Signs his Will. — Returns Thanks. — Encourages Dr. jptfries. — His Prediction. — It is fulfilled — Arranges for the Ei- ire-^. — Qives Instructions respecting his Aflkirs — His last Inter- new with his Family. — Peter Harvey. — 24th of October. — Gray's eiegy. — CiUs in his Servants. —The Valley. — His Death.— entaj S20 14 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVIII. funeral of Mr. WebBter at Marshfield. — Appearance of hia R»- maina. — He is borne to the Grave by his Neighbors. — Boston in Mourning. — Iropressive Arrangements. — Business suspended. — Appropriate Mottoes. — Funeral Obsequies in Boston on the 30th of November. — Address of Mr. Hillard. — Closing Quotation 32S fist at lllttstratinns. I. PoKTEAiT OF Dakhx Webstek . . Frontispiece. PAGE. n. BntTHPLACE OF Dakiel Weestee . . .17 in. Webstek leavixg Home fok Exetek Academy 52 rv. YouKG Webster on nis Wat to Boscawen. 60 v. Webster's Oratiou 92 YI. Webster's Eeplt to Hatsi: ei the Usited States Sexate 185 VU. Webster akd tiie Bitcketes .... 223 VIU. Webster at liL\.RsnFiELD 242 IX. The Webster Tomb 334 THE AMERICAN STATESMAN. CHAPTER I. Ttw two Riders. — A pleasing Proposition. — Accepted. — ,A Bite. — A Plunge. — A Trout caught. — Daniel Webster.— His Birthplace. — Kearsage Mountain. — The totliing Boy. — The mysterious Well. — Drinking from the moss-covered Bucket. — Influence of Nature on Style. — Webster's Love for the Grand in Nolurc. — Worthy of Imitation. — Pictures ad mired more thaif the original Landscapes. — Advice to the Young. — Influence of the Love of Nature on Character. About sixty-five years ago, a man of stalwart form, broad shoulders, and swarthy complexion, was riding through Salisbury, in New Hiiinpsliire, on horseback, carrying with him a ptiny little boy, with dark features, sparkling black eyes, a round, projecting forehead, and dressed in coarse, home- spun clothes, with two little, shoeless feet projecting from beneath. The man had been indulging in juvenile conversation, adapted to the comprehension of his young charge, for some time, in which the little fellow had taken part, with an occasional child- like remark or question. As they approached a brook, whose clear, cool waters flowed, sometimes murmuringly, at other times silently, through the woods and fields, marking their course by a vigor- ous fertility, the gentleman suddenly exclaimed, " Dan, how would you like to catch a trout 1 " (16) 16 THE TWO RIDERS. The little boy, who perhaps had never used hook and line before, immediately signified his pleasure at the proposition. The horse was checked ; both riders dismounted, and began to prepare for the sport. The tall form and long arms of the gentle- man were specially favorable in aiding him to cut from a neighboring tree a rod. It would seem as if he were accustomed to these extemporaneous fishing excursions, and always went prepared for them ; for, thrusting liis hand into his pock(!t, he drew out a string and hook ; then turning over a stone or two, he found a worm, which he soon ad- justed as bait. After fastening the line to the rod, he gave it to the little boy, saying, " Now, Dan, creep carefully upon that rock, and throw the bait upon the farther side of the pool." The little fish- erman did as he was ordered. His bait was soon n the water, and his eye intently watching it. It was not long before some indiscreet fish, thoughtless . of consequences, darted from his concealment, seized .he bait, and disappeared like a flash of lightning This was just what the boy wanted. Being highly e.Kcited with his success, he gave a sudden jerk to the line ; but, instead of drawing the fish out of the water, he unfortunately lost his balance, and plunged headlong into the pool. The gentleman, seeing that the boy was more likely, from present appeal aucea, to die in the water, than the fish was to expire upoo Webster's birthplace 17 the land, lan to his rescue. He succeeded in reach- ing him and drawing him ashore, " with a pound trout traihng behind him." This lad was Daniel Webster, and the person who had him in charge was his own father. Not far from the place where this rather ludicrous incident occurred, stood, at that time, one of llic better class of farm houses ; although, at the prese.it period, and in other localities, it might be regarded as a very ordinary building. It was but one story high, with a door in the middle, and a window on each side, and three windows at either end. It con- tained four rooms on the ground floor, with, proba- bly, chambers in the attic. An addition in the rear answered the purpose of a kitchen. It had only one chimney, and this arose from the centre of the roof, furnishing, probably, three or four fireplaces, in as many different rooms. The framework was of heavy timber, the exterior cinpboarded, and the ends pointed, differing in this respect from the gam- brel roof. On the green in front of the house arose a large and graceful elm, extending its long and heavy branches over the mansion below, as if, in the exercise of an affectionate interest, it would protect it from harm. Many other trees of the same kind were scattered over the grounds, on which account the place received the appropriate name of " Elms Farm." Near one end of the house was a deep 18 HIS EARLY CHILDHOOD. well, with a long, old-fashioned well sweep, to one extremity of which was attached a bucket, by means of which the clear, cool water was drawn up for the use of the family. At a short distance, in front of the house, flowed a beautiful silver stream, over which was thrown a safe, though rough-looking bridge. Farther off was a high hill, crowned with & church, and beyond all, the lofty Kearsage moun- tain lifted itself, " head and shoulders " above the surrounding hills — a beautiful type of him, who, in intellectual greatness, rose far above his com- peers. In this iiouse, on the 18th day of January, 1782, Daniel Webster was born. Now that he has departed, after having lived to a good old nge, and after having acquired a world-wide fame, a.s a far-reaching statesman, a powerful orator, and a skilful diplomatist, it is interesting to look back, and contemplate the circumstances and events of his early life. At one time, we see him, a little, tottUng boy, in homespun frock, making his first essays to balance himself upon his shoe- less feet, as he advances from the doorstep to greet his father, who has just crossed the bridge, and is approaching, with outstretched hands am' rapid step, to meet him. Again we see him, amus- ing himself under the shadow of the friendly ehn, that stands by the door, like a huge grenadier, irOUTHFUL FANCIES. 19 glial ding tlie entrance to a fort. A feV years later, we behold him tripping over the fields, jumping across the brook, or wandering along its margin, with hook and line, ready to " try his luck " so soon as he shall have reached a place where the water is sufficiently still and deep to give promise of success. Again, wearied with his wanderings, or his labors, is he leaning over the well, gazing at an- other little boy that he sees far down in the bottom, and who is mysteriously looking up at him. It would not be strange, if at times he imagined it a hole cut through the earth, and that some little fel- low, on the other side, was, like himself, indulging liis curiosity by looking through. A pebble drop- ping in disturbs the surface of the water, breaks the mysterious picture into a thousand fragments, and dispels the illusion. Again, in evening twi- hght, we seem to see him sitting upon the door- sill ; and, as the noble Kearsage rises in the dis- tance, with its bold outline clearly defined against the gray-blue sky, he gives reins to his juvenile fancy ; and, as the ancient Hebrews " sucked honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock," so he drinks in inspiration from the sublimity of the ma- jestic mount before him. Who can tell to how great a degree he was indebted, for the simplicity, the directness, and the majesty of his thoughts, and of his style as an orator, to the noble simplicity and 20 HIS LJVE OF NATURE. grandeur of this mountain ? It was not decorated with beautiful, terraced, hanging gardens, nor with graceful, luxuriant vineyards. It arose almost naked from the plain, as though it spurned ornament — as though it needed nothing but its own majestic pro- portions to give it grandeur ; and thus, by its own silent, powerful, eloquent example, it may have aid- ed to impart those characteristics of thought and diction which give such a charm and force to the oratory of Mr. Webster. From early life Mr. Webster was fond of Nature. He loved sunlight and shadow, rolling hills, quiet lawns, turbulent streams, and placid lakes. Na- ture, in her milder, her gayer, or her sterner moods, was to him always pleasing. He weis specially interested in the great things of creation. He de- lighted to travel through the wildness of mountain scenery. Its projecting cliffs, its high precipices. Its deep chasms, its lightning-scarred rocks, its thun dering cataracts, and its leaning, gigantic trees, with roots half exposed, threatening every moment to fall, and ofttimes executing their threatenings, — all inspired him with pleasing emotions and instructive thoughts. He loved to wander by the ocean, and have its huge billows roll up and lay their bubbles at his feet. Its vast expanse, its ceaseless restless- ness, its emerald hue, and the music of its roar, were always grateful to him. He loved to gaze EXAMPLE FOR IMITATION. 2i into the unmeasured spaces above him, and cotileni- plate the stars, as immense globes swinging in their orbits, as if they were the mighty pendulums which controlled the cycles of ages, and regulated the mechanism of the universe. This love of Nature, Mr. Webster, as we have said, early developed. It strengthened with advan- cing years, and became a prominent feature in his character. In this respect, his example is worthy of imitation by the young. It seems surprising that, with so many objects of admiration around us, as are presented in the infinite variety of forms, colors, and combinations of natural objects, there are any who derive from their contemplation no enjoyment. Many individuals will gaze upon a picture — a land- scape for instance — with the greatest pleasure. Its rough rocks, vine-draped trees, or decaying, mis- shapen stumps, are pointed out as interesting fea- tures, equal almost to the more important combina- tions of hill and valley, land and water, on which the artist has bestowed his greatest skill. And yet these same persons would ride by the original of that picture, executed with the infinite skill of the Divine Artist, and give it no attention whatever. O, how many magnificent landscapes are every day passed by, without eliciting any praise, or awaken- ing any admiration in the beholder ! Let it not be so with you. On the contrary 22 INFLtTENCE OF NATURE. cultivate a taste for the beautiful objects of creation Notice the colors on the petal of a flower, the infi- nite diversity of forms in the leaves of trees, and the changing eifects of light and shade. Calmly contemplate the hues and shapes of the ever-shifling clouds, the features of the ocean, the lake, or tht river. Form a habit of observing the peculiarities of natural objects in your immediate vicinity, and you will find your heart warming towards them. The scenery with which you have always been fa- miliar will, to your fancy, put on a new dress, and invest itself with more pleasing charms. This is not all ; for the love of Nature has an elevating and purifying influence. It fills the mind with en- nobling thoughts ; it calms the passions ; it reminds us of the wisdom, the power, the goodness, and the omnipresence of the Creator, and makes us more sensible of our own weakness, "and of our entire dependence upon Him without whom we can do aothing CHAPTER II. Webster's Father. — Web.Uer's Health.— His Education do- sired. — Providential Arrangement. — A School opened. — Teacher Chase. — Webster's early Struggles for an Educa- tion. — Unreasonable Complaints. — Contrasts. — Master Tap- pan. — Mutual Remembrances. — Webster's first Letter to Tappan. — His Donation. — Master Tappan's Testimony. — Webster gets a Reward. — Tappan's Enthusiasm. — Web- ster's second Letter lo him. — His Example commended. — Note. — Tappan's Death. — Teacher Hoyt. — His Charac- ter. — Webster's Testimony concerning him. — Webster reafTRASr. 37 sisted of specimens of reading by the young orator. The teamsters were accustomed, as they checked tlieir horses at the door of the inn, to say, " Come, let's go in, and hear a psahn from Dan Webster." The identical house in which this tavern was kept is still standing. Says Mr. Lanman, in his Private ,Iiife of Mr. Webster, with reference to this build- ing, " It was only a few months ago when Mr. Web- ster, bending under the weight of years and a pain- ful illness, sat with the writer upon its little porch, and descanted with streaming eyes upon the various events associated with his boyhood's home." How interesting the contrast between little Dan " Webster reading a psalm in the tavern, for the amusement of his rustic auditors, and the same Webster, more than sixty years after, sitting upon the porch of the same tavern, after astonishing the world with his eloquence, visiting foreign courts — a sovereign among kings ; settling, through the skil- fulness of his diplomacy, some of the most difficult questions of international government, and, after attaining to an eminence immeasurably higher than any official distinctions in the gift of the people ! Who, at that early period, under the influence even of the wildest flights of fancy, would have ventured to predict that the little, puny, tavern Bible reader would become the renowned jurist and statesman, and fill the world with his fame ? What a beauti 30 HOME READING. fill illustration does this fiirnish of the influence of free institutions ! They not only give to genius room for growth, but assist its development, and then furnish a large field for its exercise, with the promise of abundant reward. The practice adopted by the elder Webster, of reading aloud from standard authors, has a highly beneficial effect. A father, who is a good reader, can do more to make his children such, than any teacher can, with the time usually devoted to that branch of education. Children are wonderfiiUy im- itative. From their observation of others, they learn how to walk, speak, and act. If they fre- quently listen to good reading, they become good readers by mere imitation. They catch the tones, the cadences, the emphases, and the general man- ner of him to whom they listen. It was fortunate for young Webster that his father excelled in this difficult art. But this is not the only benefit which results from such practice. It assists in the cultivation of the taste of the children. It develops before them the excellences of whatever is read. It awakens an attachment to such authors, and, in addition to their intrinsic merits, it surrounds them with the ever- pleasing associations of home. It also serves to make home attractive, and the family circle a uphere of imprcjvement. BEAUTIFUL SCENl!,. '3t) A father surrounded by his children, and reading io them from the Bible, or from some standard au- thor, whilst the mother is engaged with her knit- ting or sewing, presents a beautiful domestic scene. Such scenes were often witnessed at Elms Farm- CHAPTER ITT. Social Libranes. — Webster's Reading. — The Mill. — Uaniel at ihe Mill. — His favorite Authors. — His Employment favorable for Reading. — The Constitution on the Handlierchief. — The Books he chose. — His Amusements. — Freezes his Toes. — No Pleasure in being scolded. — Observance of the Sabbath. — Deacon True's Boys. — The Influence of Habit. — Webster a quick Learner. — Concludes to become a Teacher. — Goes to an Academy. — Importance of Education. — Webster and the Side Saddle. — His Examination. — He can't declaim. — Is ridiculed. — His two Promotions. We have said that Webster had other sources of lustruction besides his teachers. Amongst these were the books to which he had access in his father's iiouse, and, after these were exhausted, was the vil- lage library. Tlie establishment of these social libraries had been urged upon the attention of the people by Dr. Belknap, who, in his History of New Hampshire, says, the establishment of social libra- ries " is the easiest, the cheapest, and the most eftect- ual mode of difiiising knowledge among the people. For the sum of six or eight dollars at once, and a small annual payment besides, a man may be sup- plied with the means of literary improvement during his life, and his children may inherit the blessing." This hint commended itself to Mr. Webster, and 40 THE SAW MILL. V Other gentJemen of Salisbury, among whom were the clergyman and the lawyer of the place, \i'ho, at n suitable time, acted upon the suggestion, and es- tablished a small library. Here young Webster was able to obtain the means of gratifying his love of reading. Among the books which he perused witli interest were the Spectator, Pope's works, and va rious biographies and travels. Near the residence of Mr. Webster was a deep, dark dell, covered on either side with lofty trees ana overhanging bushes, at the bottom of which flowed a rapid, noisy stream, which was christened with the rather unpoetic name of Punch Brook. In this secluded place the father of Daniel erected a saw- mill. As lumber of different sizes was wanted for building and various other purposes, Mr. Webster's mill was in great demand, and proved to him a source of considerable income. Colonel Webster, as Daniel's father was called, was anxious to form in his children habits of industry. Although he did not prohibit play, he enjoined work. He often took Daniel, when a small boy, to the mill with him. Being quick to learn, and willing to practise what he knew, the little fellow was soon able to render himself quite useful to his father in the capacil)" of mill boy. He understood how to set the large saw, how to raise the gate, set the machinery in motion, and then, how to attend to the operation 42 DANIEL, A MILL BOS. until the long log was sawed through its whole length. The sawing of a log once through occupied about fifteen minutes. It then had to be readjusted for the next operation. Whilst the saw was pass- ing through the timber, the little mill boy was not occupied with knife and stick, whittling away his time ; neither did he stand in listless indolence, looking on to observe how slowly or how rapidly the saw made progress ; but, with book in hand, he was poring over " the best thoughts of the best au thors." He was cultivating his taste, and gathering instruction and intellectual stimulus from the pages of such men as Steele, Addison, Pope, Shakspeare, or other valuable writers. " Tliere, in that old saw mill, surrounded by forests, in the midst of gr^at noise, which such a mill makes, and this, too, with- out materially neglecting his task, he made himself familiar with the most remarkable events recorded by the pen of history, and with the lives and char- acters of the most celebrated persons who had lived in the tides of time. He has never forgotten what he read there. So tenacious is his memory, that he can recite long passages from the old books which he read there, and has scarcely looked at since. The solitude of the scene, the absence of every thing to divert his attention, the simplicity of his occupation, the taciturn and thoughtful manner of his father, all favored the process of transplanting THE FAMOUS POCKET HANDK KFICH lEF. *< every idea found in those books to his fresh, fruit- ful, and vigorous mind. I have not made a visit to any of the scenes of Mr. Webster's boyhood more interesting than to this old mill." * It will be appropriate to relate, in this connection, another fact, for vchich we have the authority of Mr. Webster himself. In his conversation respecting his teacher Hoyt, a part of which is given on a preced- ing page, he said, " Hoyt also kept a little shop, for the sale of various commodities, in the house exactly over the way from this. I do not know how old I was," but I remember having gone into his shop one day, and bought a small, cotton pocket handkerchief, with the Constitution of the United States printed on its two sides. From this I first learned either that there was a Constitution or that there were United States. I remember to have read it, and have known more or less of it ever since. William Hoyt and his wife lie buried in the grave- yard under our eye, on my farm, near the graves of my own family. He left no children. I sup- pose that this little handkerchief was purchased about the time that I was eight years old, as I re- member listening to the conversation of my father and Mr. Thompson upon political events which happened in the year 1790." Another account * Life and Memoria'' of Daniel Webgter 14 Webster's reading states that lie paid for that handkerchief all the money he had in his pocket, which amounted to twenty-five cents, and that the evening of that day was wholly employed in the careful perusal and study of that novel document, while seated by the fireside in company with his father and mother. What an interesting memento that handkerchief would now be, if it could any where be found ! In the character of the reading which this yOung lad selected, we see the direction of his mind ; and, as we review his subsequent career, we may discover something of the effects which his early reading produced upon his mental habits and tastes. It may, perhaps, have been a fortunate circumstance for him that, at that time, there was no "juvenile literature." He was therefore obliged, if he read at all, to peruse works of a higher character, by means of which his mer^tal powers were tasked and greatly strengthened. He was one of the very few who, at an early age, are capable of being interest ed in the master spirits of literature. Many lads, if placed in his condition, would have spent their time in idleness. They have not the mental calibre for understanding, and perusing with interest, those works which gave him delight. For such children juvenile works furnish the appropriate nutriment. They can endure nothing stronger than intellectual milk at an age when Web.ster was digesting strong HIS WINTER SPORTS. 4b oieat. Care should be exercised lest they continue tlie use of such milk too long. So numerous, di- versified, and attractive are the juvenile books which are constantly falling from the press, that some indi- viduals make them their exclusive reading, who ought to have advanced far beyond them, and made themselves acquainted with the most eminent au- thors. Let such be rebuked by the example of the little mill boy of Elms Farm. Let it not, however, be supposed that Webster, m this early period of his life, was a recluse. Far from it. He loved healthy, out-door sports, as well as other children. In nutting, squirrel hunting, fishing, and, when old enough, in gunning, he took as much pleasure as others. In his early years. New Hampshire was distin- guished for deep snows and long winters. These gave opportunity to Daniel to indulge in sports of another character — skating on the ponds, coasting down hill, or rolling balls, and making snow men and snow houses. Sometimes, so great would be the quantity of snow as to cover up all the rocks and fences, and make a smooth incUned plane from the top of the hill to the shore of the Merrirnac, in the vicinity, down which he would coast with the swiftness of the wind, and be carried by his accel- erated force nearly across the frozen river. On the •oldest days, our little hero might be seen wading 4G OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. through the deep drifts, and crossing the frd^ei brooks, dragging after him his sled, that with neigh- boring boys he might engage in the heahliful excite ment of this invigorating sport. On one occasion, so interested had he become in this amusement, and so unmindful of the severity of the cold, that he froze the toes of both his feet, and, as a penalty for his indiscretion, was confined to his house several days, until his chilblains were healed. Like other boys, he would sometimes yield to the temptations of this sport, until it made him late at school, when he was sure to be reprimanded by his father. This led him to say, " there was great fun in sliding down hill, but there was not much fun in hearing his father scold, when he staid out of school to enjoy it." The young should regard it as a settled fact, that there can be no true enjoy- ment in going contrary to a parent's wishes. The effect of these out-door, exhilarating exercises was to increase the robustness and strength of the puny boy. As the parents of Webster were religious people, they taught their children to observe the Sabbath. All toys and sports were laid aside, and the day reverently spent in a manner that harmonized with the object of its appointment. Although the meet- ing house was four miles from their residence, yet Mr. Webster insisted upon his children's attendance. uiiACON true's boys 47 To this Daniel demurredi because he was obliged lo walk the whole distance. There was on the road a family by the name of True, who lived at an equal distance (of about two miles) from the Webster^ and the church, and in which there were some boys, playfellows of Daniel, with whom he had inany a " good time." When, therefore, Dan complained that he was compelled to walk so far to meeting, his father replied, — " I see Deacon True's boys there- every Sunday regularly, and have never heard of their complain- ing." Daniel at once saw that the cases were not par allel, and immediately said, — " Ah, yes ! the deacon's boys live half way there, and of course have only half as far to walk." " Well," rejoined his father, " you may get up in the morning, dress yourself, and run up to Dea- con True's, and go with them ; then you will have no farther to walk than they do." This reply, in which there was a vein of kindness and good humor, was to the lad perfectly satisfac- tory. It required no self-denial to run up to Dea- con True's and meet his playfellows, and with their company, the walk to the church could tiot be oth- erwise tlian pleasant. After this, therefore, on every Sabbath when the weatlier would permit, Daniel was found in his place at church, notwithstanding 4 48 WEBSTER EDUCATED FOR A TEACHER. the four long miles. His father's wisdom, in ren daring: his way easy, assisted him in forming the habit of constant attendance upon public worship. Tt has. been said that " man is a bundle of habits." It cannot be denied that a large part of our con- duct is nothing more than a repetition of acts pre- viously performed. By 'this repetition habits are formed. Many individuals regularly absent them- selves from the house of God, and others as regu- larly attend, from mere habit. When either of these habits is formed, a -departure from it is attended with difficulty. We sensitively shrink from the violation of our established customs. This is the reason why individuals, who seldom attend public worship, find it so irksome to go, and so uninterest- ing when there. This fact furnishes a strong in- ducement for the formation of a habit of constant attendance upon the services of the sanctuary ; for, when formed, it will become to us a kind of second nature, which will prevent our absence from public worship except from necessity. In consequence of the constitutional weakness of young Webster, it appeared impossible for him to gain a livelihood by hard labor. His father, there- fore, resolved to qualify him for the important, but less arduous, duty of school teacher. This had been suggested to him by Mr. Thompson, a lawyer who boarded in Mr. Webster's family, and who had GOES TO PHILLIPS ACADEMY. 49 given Daniel some lessons in the Latin Grammar. The ease with which he committed these lessons to memory, and his general quickness of apprehension, induced Mr. Thompson to advise his father to send him to an academy, for the purpose of quaUfying him as a schoolmaster. The mother was pleased with the suggestion, and urged its adoption. His brother Joseph, who was then of age, also favored it. He jocosely assigned as a reason, that, " as Dan had not such bright natural talents as his brothers and sisters, a little education would perhaps make up the deficiency." The father consented. He supposed that, according to the customs of the times, his son would teach school in the winter, and work on the farm, if his health allowed, in the summer. As this course had been found profitable by some of the families in town, he inferred that it would result in no loss to his own. He therefore gave consent, little dreaming of the important results which were destined to flow from his decision. At that time np academical institution stood higher in New England than Phillips Academy, in Exeter. It had been handsomely endowed by John Phillips, LL. D., after whom it was named, whose donations and bequests to it amounted to » hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This large sum made it independent of the income which might be received for tuition from the pupils. To this insti- 50 PATRIOTIC BENEFICENCE. tution Colonel Webster determined to send Daniel, [t was a most fortunate circumstance for the rising republic of tlie United States, that, immediately after the war for independence, the attention of the peo- ple was directed, in different parts of the country, with more than usual interest, to educational affairs Such was the genius of the new institutions to which that independence gave rise, and so great was the controlling power of the people in political affairs, through the elective franchise, that it was apparent to all reflecting persons, that general intelligence among the masses of the people was essential to the healthful working and the perpetuity of the new forms of government. Not only, therefore, did state legislatures, and the municipal officers of the various towns, give special consideration to educational mat- ters, but wealthy gentlemen, under the influence of patriotism, contributed freely of their own private funds for the endowment of schools and colleges. As, in many respects, the system of government in the United States was unlike any other that then existed, or had ever been known to exist, — as it was an experiment, on a magnificent scale, of the capa- bilities of a nation for self-government, under pecu- liar laws, — it was essential for the success of the experiment that a class of men should be raised up who would be able to take correct and comprehen- sive views of all parts of the complicated machinery, AN IMPORTANT DAT. 6 1 who should understand all the relations and inter ests of the country as a whole, and of the individual states of which it was composed, and then be able clearly to unfold them to others. For this purpose schools of an elevated character were required, in order to discover those who possessed the natural talents for this work, and then, by appropriate cul- ture, to fit them for the exercise of their talents, in those departments of influence, whether at tiie bar, on the bench, or in halls of legislation, where they would render the greatest amount of service to their country. Such an institution was Exeter Academy. It has had the honor of assisting in the education of many who have risen to high distinction in the various professions, and who have wielded a vast in- fluence over the destinies of their country. Dr. Phillips, by its endowment, rendered essential ser- vice to the interests of the new republic. To this school young Webster was sent. The 24th of May, 1796, was an important, day at Elms Farm. There had been more than usual bus- tle in the house ; clothes were collected, bundles tied ; children were running to and fro, asking ques- tions and making all kinds of remarks — the reason of which was, Daniel was getting ready to leave for the academy. As Mr. Webster had no chaise, or otlier light carriage adapted to the journey, it was to be made on horseback. It so happened that one 554 A PARTING SCENE. of the neighbors was desirous of sending a horse and side saddle to the very town where the acaJem}' was situated, for some female friend there, to ride back to Salisbury. It was agreed that this horse should be used by the young student. When the time of departure arrived, the two horses were brought to the door, and Daniel, who was dressed in a new suit of homespun materials, was lifted upon the one intended for him. Imagine the scene ! The affectionate mother, who has all along had a presentiment of Daniel's greatness, stands at the door, with mingled expressions of solicitude and joy depicted upon her countenance : she has given abun- dant good advice, and sealed it with not a few burn- ing kisses. Around are the other children and members of the family, some holding the horses, others adjusting tiie bundles, and all abandoning their mirthfuluess, and becoming more serious as the moment of departure arrives. The last shake of the hand and farewell kiss are given, and the two travellers set out on their journey, — little Dan being perched upon tlie lady's side saddle, where he was destined to become, before night, more fatigued than he had ever been before. After a romantic, but tiresome ride, along the banks of rivers, through valleys, and amid lofty hills and mountains, on the third day they arrived at Exeter. A boarding place was obtained for Daniel in the family of Mr. Clif- WKBSTKK LEAVING HOME FOR EXKTRR ACADKMY. - Sh» u. WEBSTER BEFORE DR. ABBOTT. 5S ford, with whom his father had some acquaintance. The day after their arrival he was taken to the academy Benjamin Abbott, LL. D., was the prin- cipal. He was a gentleman of the old school, and felt it important to maintain great dignity and a regard to form, in the administration of the school. All official duties were performed with pompous cer- emony. When Colonel Webster stated the object of his visit to the doctor, who was seated in a large hall connected with the academy, that important personage placed upon his head a cocked hat, in order to make a suitable impression upon the lad, and then said, — " Weil, sir, let the young gentleman be presented for examination." The slendei'-looking boy modestly came forward, and, though every thing was new and strange, he submitted to his examination with great self-pos- session. " What is your age ? " asked the venerable teacher. " Fourteen,"- was the reply. " Take this Bible, my lad, and read the twenty- second chapter of Luke," at the same time pointing it out to him. This chapter contains an account of the institu- tion of the Lord's supper, Christ's sufferings in Gethsemane, the betrayal, the seizure, and the ex- 64 H13 DIFFHjENCE amination of Clirist. Its different parts required a different style of reading. None but a good reader could do the chapter justice. Daniel took the book and read with so much distinctness of enunciation, correctness of emphasis, and skill in the modula- tions of his voice, as to bring out the true sense ' of the passage, — the doctor had no occasion to interrupt him. It was a beautiful specimen of read- ing. ' After he had finished the chapter, the doctor, without asking any questions whatever, said, — " Young man, you are qualified to enter this in- stitution." The new student remained at this academy nine months. His diligence, and his capacity for acquir- ing knowledge, secui-ed.foi" him not only the warm commendations of his teachers, but, what was better, a good knowledge of the branches to which he de- voted attention, among which, in addition to the usual English branches, was the Latin language. It is not easy always to predict the man from the indications of youth. With some there appears to be, in early life, a deficiency of the very traits in which they excel in later years. This was true of Webster. Although his fame as an orator is world- wide, yet, when a boy of fourteen, he could not summon sufficient courage to attempt to declaim before the school. His own account of this singular fact is in the following words : " I believe I made PEHSEVKRANCE COMMENDED. 55 tclerable progress in most branches which I attended to while in this school ; but there was one tiling I could not do — I could not make a declamation ; I could not speak before the school. The kind and excellent Buckminster sought especially to persuade me to perform the exercise of declauiation, like oth- t.T boys ; but I could not do it. Many a piece did i commit to memory, and recite and rehearse in my own room, over and over again ; yet when the day came, when the school collected to liear the decla- mation, when my name was called, and 1 saw all eyes turned to my seat, I could not raise myself from it. Sometimes the instructors frowned, some- times they smiled. Mr. Buckminster always pressed and entreated most winningly tliat I would venture — venture only once ; but I never could command sufficient resolution." From any other witness, this would appear almost incredible. It is difficult to conceive how one who has been so highly distinguished for self-i-eliance and moral courage, as Mr. Webster, should have been so singularly deficient in these traits when young It was attributable, pi'obably, in a great degree, to his physical debility. He subsequently surmounted it, and, as we shall see, became in college one of the most popular speakers. What encouragement does this furnish for the young to set themselves resolutely to work to surmount any difficulty that 58 THE student's promotion. prevents their advancement ! By frequent repetition, by firm resolution, they may overcome embarrass- ments which would otherwise prove fatal to their success. Nothing can resist a determined spirit. When Webster first entered the Phillips Academy, he was made, in consequence of his unpolished, country-like appearance, and because he was placed at the foot of the class, the butt of ridicule by some of the scholars. This treatment touched his keen sensibility, and he spoke of it with regret to his friends where he boarded. They informed him that the place assigned him in the class was according to the standing regulations of the school, and that by diligence he might rise above it. They also advised him to take no notice of the laughter of the city boys, for after a while they would become weary of it, and would cease. The assistant tutor, Mr. Em- ery, was informed of the treatment which Webster received. He therefore treated him with special consideration, told him to care for nothing but his books, and predicted that all would end well. This kindness had the desired eflTect. Webster applied himself with increased diligence, and with signal success. He soon met with his reward, which made those who had laughed at him hang their heads with shame. At the end of the first quarter the assistant tutor called up the class in their usual order ; he then walked to the foot of the class, took Webste' HIS SECOND FROMOTKIN. 57 ■ by the arm, and marched him, in front of the class, to the head, v/here, as he placed him, lie said, " Tliere, sir, that is your proper place." This prac- tical rebuke made those who had delighted to ridi- cule the country boy, feel mortified and chagrined. He had outstripped them. This incident greatly stimulated the successful student. He applied him- self with his accustomed industry, and looked for- ward with some degree of solicitude to the end of tlie second term, to see whether he would be able to retain his relative rank in the class. Weeks slowly passed away ; the end of the term arrived-, and the class was again summoned to be newly ar- ranged, according to their scholarship and deport- ment, as evinced during the preceding term. Whilst they were all standing in silence and suspense, Mr. Emery, their teacher, said, fixing his eye at the same time upon the country boy, " Daniel Webster, gather up your books and take down your cap." Not understanding the design of such an order, Daniel complied with troubled feelings. He knew not but that he was about to be expelled from school for his dulness. His teacher perceived the expres- sion of sadness upon his countenance, but soon dis- pelled it by saying, " Now, sir, you will please pass into another room, and join a liigher class : and you, young gentlemen," addressing the other scholars, " will take an affectionate leave of your classmate, 58 WHO WERE THE CITV ROTS 1 for you will never see him again / " As if he had said, " This rustic lad, whom you have made the butt of ridicule, has already so far outstripped you in his studies, that from your stand-point he is dwarfed in the distance, and will soon he out of sight entirely. He has developed a capacity foi study which will prevent you from ever overtaking him. As a classmate you will never see him again." It would be interesting to know who those city boys were, who made the young rustic an object of sport. What have they come to ? — what have they accomplished ? — who has heard of the fame of their attainments ? Scholars should be careful how they laugh at a classmate because of his unpolislied man- ners or coarse raiment. Under that rough exterior may be concealed talents that will move a nation and dazzle a world, when they in their turn might justly be made a laughing-stock, on account of tlieii inefficiency. CHAPTER IV. ' A Sleigh Ride. — Affecting Incident. — Benefits of Knowledge. — Advice to Youth. — A Supposition. — Webster learns rapidly. — His mode of Retaliation. — A day for Pigeon shooting. — In- dustrious Boy. — His Habits broken — Blistered Hands. — Goes a Berrj'ing. — An amusing Incident. — Poorly fitted for Col- lege. — Importance of a good Preparation for College. — False Position. — Webster's Ride to Hanover. — Great Freshet. — Appears before the Faculty for Examination. — Blue Dan. — Passes the Ordeal safely. — Enters College at. the age of Fifteen. After leaving Exeter Academy, Webster was placed under the care of Rev. Samuel Woods, D. D., of Boscawen. This change was probably made for economical reasons, as Dr. Woods gave instruction and board to lads for only one dollar per week, which was less than the expenses at Exeter. He was now in his fifteenth year, with a fair knowledge of the English branches, and a considerable ac- quaintance with the Latin. On his way to Dr. Woods's, an interesting inci- dent occurred, of which Mr, Webster himself has given the account. It seems that his father, through the kind suggestions of others, who had discovered the innate powers of Daniel, had come to the conclu- sion to send him to college. But this determinatiou he did not reveal to his son till he was on the way 59 60 AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. to Dr. Woods's. The announcement deeply affect- ed him. It was in the depth of winter. The ground was covered with deep snow. Webster and his father were travelling in a New England sleigh, common- ly called a pung. As they were ascending a hill, Mr Webster told Daniel that he was going to send him to college. This sudden and unexpected announce- ment overcame the lad. This was an honor to which, in his most ambitious moments, he had never aspired. To be " college learned," in those days, was a passport to the most intelligent and refined society. It was regarded as a preparation for any of the professions. It at once gave an individual a respectable position in society ; and whilst it devel- oped all the capacities which he possessed, it was supposed to impart others, of which he was previ ously destitute. The relative position of a college graduate, at that time, was far higher in the commu- nity than now, when their number is so greatly in creased. A lad of fourteen, who had been acquainted with but very few who had been favored with a coUegiate education, and who regarded them with a veneration above that which he cherished towards other men, could not have been otherwise than deeply moved at such a communication. To use his own language, " I could not speak. How could my father, with so TOCNG WBBSTBR ON THE WAT TO BOSCAWEN. AN AFFECTING SCENE. 61 »arge a family, and in such narrow circumstances, think of incurring so great an expense for me ? A warm glow ran all over me, and / laid my head on my father's shoulder, and wept." He wept from ex- cess of joy ! How different were his feelings from tliose of many at the present day, who, when tlie privilege of a collegiate course of education is of- fered them, regard the proposition as a great afflic- tion, and cry from sorrow ! They are unwilling to avail themselves of benefits which otliers would highly value. They do not appreciate them ; the golden opportunity they throw away ; and proba- bly, at some future period, when it is too late to repair the disaster, they will deeply regret their folly. If this book should fall into the hands of any such youth, we vvoidd say to them. Look forward to the future. Remember, you will not always be boys. You are in a few years to take your place amongst men, and in order to be qualified to exert much in- fluence over them, you must be educated. You are now placed in an enviable position ; by rightly improving your advantages, you will qualify your- selves to occupy important stations ; you will be fit- ted to move, and to feel at home, in the most inteL ligent circles. Your opinions will be respected ; they will have weight with others. Your advice will be sought in important matters. You will be looked 5 6S GET EJJOWLEDGE. to to fill places of trust and responsibility. You will honor yourselves and your families. And it is not impossible for you to attain to high distinction in any of the learned professions, or to reach some of the most honorable and responsible positions in the state or national governments. Who would have supposed that, when that puny lad from the back- woods of New Hampshire was made an object of ridicule by the " city boys,'' that he would ever reach the exalted stations he did, and after filling the world with the splendor of his eloquence and states- manship, would be followed to the grave by the re- grets of millions ? It is no more unlikely, now, that you may acquire distinction, than it was in his case, when he was of your age. But suppose that he had disliked study ; suppose that, when his father, as they were ascending that hill in a cold winter's day, informed him that he might go to college, he had expressed an unwillingness, and had dissuaded his father from his purpose ; what would Daniel Webster have been now ? He might possibly, by the force of his natural talents, have excelled in any kind of business to which he would have devoted himself; but is it probable that he would ever have been a senator of the United States, or a member of the president's cabinet ? Indeed, on one occasion, — as we shall presently relate, — his own father assigns as a reason why he was not elected a member of COMMENDABLE RETALIATION. 63 Congress, instead of his successful competitor, was because of his want of education. During the time that Webster was with Dr. Woods he always gave satisfactory recitations. But he found it so easy to learn that the' preparation of his lessons occupied but a short time ; he consequent- ly had much leisure, which he spent in the indul- gence of his love of nature, in fishing and gunning. With rod or gun in hand, he spent hour after hour in wandering along the streams, or rambhng over the fields. His teacher, who had but little sympathy for these employments, administered to him a rebuke for his wandering habits, tempering it, however, with compliments for his quickness in learning. He was fearful that this fondness for out-door sports might exert an injurious influence upon the other students. Webster felt this rebuke, and determined to retaliate iu a way that would tax the doctor's patience. His lesson for the next day was a hundred lines in Vir- gil. He applied himself diligently, and occupied a good portion of the night, not in simply learning those hundred lines, but in committing to memory many more. At the recitation next morning, he despatched the hundred lines, for which he received the commendation of his teacher. " I can recite some more," said the student. " Go on, then," was the reply. Another hundred lines were repeated. The teacher was equally surprised and gratified 64 THE BETTER WAT. " But I have not done yet," said Webstei ; " 1 can give you another hundred lines, and another hundied beyond that ; / can give you five hundred ; I can re- cite to the end of the twelfth book." The teacher was amazed ; he had not time to hear so much ; his breakfast had for some time been waiting for him, and he vi'as impatient to be at it. Tliis was what Webster had anticipated, and where lie had intended to tax the old gentleman. He was deter- mined to retain him so long in hearing his recitation as to make him have a late breakfast; but the teacher would not wait : after praising his pupil for tiis industry, he asked to be excused from listening to him any longer, and said, " You may have the whole day, Dan, for pigeon shooting." Dan rambled to his heart's content that day, without any compunc- tions of conscience, or any fear of rebukes from the doctor. How much better that mode of retaliation was than for liim to have thrown aside his books in a fit of passion, and played the dunce for a few days ! In that case the punishment would have been ex- exclusively his own. Prior to the time that Daniel left home, in order to pursue his studies, he was industrious to the ex- tent of his physical strength. He assisted his father at the mill ; he worked with the men in the fields driving the horse in ploughing, pitching hay, or run DANIEL BLISTERS HIS HANDS. 65 ning of errands'; but after having been away from home a number of months, these habits of industry were broken up, and when he returned to the old homestead, it was more agreeable for him to play than to work, as the following incident will show. Whilst he was studying at Boscawen with Dr, Woods, his father on one occasion sent for him to coine home. Haying season had arrived, and he needed more assistance than usual at Elms Farm. The young lad packed up his clothes, and complied with his father's orders. The day after his arrival, he went into the field to work, the father in the mean time visiting a neighboring town on business Before the forenoon was expired, Daniel returned to the house, and told his mother that he was greatly fatigued"; and holding up his hands, he showed blis- ters, which, he said, would prevent him from working any more. His affectionate mother excused him, as he probably anticipated ; but Dan had no idea of losing the whole day ; so, after dinner, he tackled the horse to a wagon, placed into it two of his sisters, and drove ofi^ to a well-known berry pasture, where they expected to find an abundance of whortle, or huckleberries. Here he spent the remainder of the afternoon, as boys, under such circumstances, know how. When his father returned home at night, and ascertained how his son had spent the day, instead 06 KET0RN3 TO SCHOOL. of flying into a violent passion, he laughed over the matter, and sent his tender son to bed. After break- fast was over, the next morning, being convinced that he would obtain but Uttle assistance from his son, and not being willing to detain him uselessly from his studies during term time, his father put into his deUcate hand his bundle of clothes, and pointed, in a manner too significant to be misunder- stood, towards Boscawen. The boy immediately started off. He had not gone fai- before he saw one of the neighbors, Mr. Thomas W. Thompson, who knew why he had come home. " Where are you going, Dan 1 " he asked. " Back to school," was the reply. "I thought it would be so," added Mr. Thomp- son, with an expressive smile upon his countenance. And back to the company of Virgil and Cicero did the young student return. Pronounce not harsh judgment upon this piece of juvenility in Daniel. He seems to have com- menced work with hearty good will, but not having been engaged in vigorous, muscular employment for some months, he soon became blistered and tired. Even then he did not throw aside his rake and fork and run off, with the intention of showing his blis- tered hands to his father in the evening, as his apol- ogy. But, as a child in his circumstances should have done, he related the whole case lo his mother IS FITTED FOB COLLEGF. 67 and obtained her permission to leave the tield. And when he found a long afternoon on his hands, instead of strolling off alone, with fishing pole or gun, he tackles the horse, and, like an affectionate brother, takes his two sisters a berrying — an amusement in which children take great delight. It may be settled as a general fact, that but little physical labor can be expected of students, either during term time or vacations. They leave their studies, not for work, but relaxation, and under these circumstances continuous physical exertion soon be comes irksome to them. It is truly a hardship when students are obliged to work through their whole vacations, in order to defray the expense of their education. Master Webster pursued his studies with Mr. Wood from February till August, 1797, and fitted himself, imperfectly however, for college. His time of preparation was too limited for him to do it well. " Still, however," says Hon. Ed\vard Everett, in liis Biographical Memoir, " when we hear of a youth of fifteen preparing himself for college by a year's study of Greek and Latin, we must recollect that the attainments which may be made in that time, by a young man of distinguished talent, at the pe- riod of life when tlie faculties develop themselves with the greatest energy, studying night and day, summer and winter, under the master influence of OB A GHEAT MISTAKE. hope, ambition, and necessity, are not to be ineas ured by the tardy progress of the thoughtless oi languid children of prosperity, sent to school from the time they are able to go alone, and carried along by routine and discipline from year to year, in the majority of cases without strong personal motives to diligence." This limited degree of preparation for college studies was to Webster a great disadvantage. It subjected him to embarrassments during his whole course, from which his classmates derived advantage. He often spoke of it, in subsequent years, with regret. It is a great mistake in young men to imagme they have gained a year, when they enter college poorly fitted, by which means they are able to grad- uate a year earlier than they otherwise would have done. They lose in scholarship what they gain in time. A young man who commences a college course poorly qualified meets ofltimes with difficulties which, though insuperable to him, his classmates easily sur- mount. This places him in a somewhat false posi- tion, especially if such difficulties frequently occur, for it gives him the appearance of possessing less intellectual power or acumen than the others, when such is not the case. It arises simply froip the fact that the subject l> comparatively new to him, but, Webster's journey to hanover. 69 in consequence of their longer course of prepara- tion, during which the same subject was studied and reviewed, it is familiar to them. Still the unfortu- nate student is obliged to go limping after his class, with a painful feeling of mortification and despond- ency ; and if he succeed in obtaining a diploma, it is as much as he expects. Any particularly honor- able position is out of the question. Yet the same individual, if he had been well qualified for entrance, might have led his class in all their studies, and graduated with the highest honors. We commend these considerations to the attention of those who are so impatient to enter college as to shorten their period of preparation. When the time arrived for the student of Elms Farm to visit Dartmouth College, for the purpose of being matriculated, a neighbor made for him a new suit of clothes, — coat, vest, and pantaloons, — all of homespun cloth of the deepest blue. He made his journey on horseback, — not this time, however, on a side saddle. On his way he was overtaken by a violent rain storm, which lasted forty-eight hours, created a freshet, bore away the bridges, and sub- ejected him to the necessity of travelling round the country twenty extra miles, in order to find a cross- ing-place over the streams. When he arrived he was completely soaked with the rain. The new garments which he wore seem not to have been 70 HIS EXAMINATION^ AND ADMISSION. made of fast colors, for upon examii)ation Mr. Web- ster found that the indigo hue, after penetrating all his under clothing, had deeply dyed his skin, so that instead of being a green country boy, he was da cidedly blue. After a little attention to his toilet, he presented himself before the faculty for examina- tion. After having given an account of the oppor- tunities for study of which he had availed himself, — the books he had read, the branches he had at- tended to, and after answering the questions which they proposed, — he told them of the difficulties he had experienced in reaching Hanover. " Thus," said he, "you see me as I am " — referring to his cerulean appearance — " if not entitled to your ap probation, at least to your sympathy." He has since said of himself, when alluding to that inter- view, that he " was not only black Dan, but blue Dan." Very fortunately, that change of color was not produced, as in the case of some others, by the rejection of the faculty. The object of Daniel's visit to Hanover was ac- complished. He safely passed the ordeal which students so generally dread, and was admitted a member of the Freshman class in Dartmouth College in August, 1797, at the age of fifteen. CHAPTER V. Webster is classed low. — He soon rises. — His Industry in Col- lege. —Advice to Undergraduates. — College Temptations. — Their Antidote. — Webster studies Oratory. — His personal Appearance. — Delivers a Fourth of July Oration. — Great Britain's Injustice in the French War. — English Oppres- sions. — Battle of Bunker Hill. — Declaration of Independ- ence. — Webster's "Address to the Revolutionary Fathers. — Remarks upon the Oration. — He delivers a funeral Eulogy. — Mortality a Principle of Action. — Prepare for the Future.— Religious Suggestions. In consequence of his imperfect preparation for collegiate studies, Webster was obliged to take a low place in his class — it is said, the foot. To a mind constituted like his, that would have been an affliction, provided he had gone over the same pre- paratory course with the rest of the class. So far was this from being the case, that some of the text books used in college he had never seen, while other members of the class were familiar with them. What to him was the breaking of entirely new ground was to them a mere retracing of old paths, which they had repeatedly traversed before. In the Latin language he was at home. This had always been to him a favorite study. To the Greek he was not particularly partial. For mathematics he had 71 72 Webster's preeminence in college. special fondness, though to both these latter branches he devoted the usual amount of attention, and made respectable progress. With ancient and modern geography and history, and with logic, he was highly delighted. During his course in college he did not confine himself to the routine of specified studies, but indulged in a wide range of reading in English literature and history. He also assisted in conduct- ing a weekly paper, by making selections for its columns, and occasionally contributing an original article. It was not long before he reached that commanding eminence among his fellows, to which, by his towering talents and great attainments, he was justly entitled. The faculty, as well as the stu- dents, by the respect with which they treated him, and the deference they paid his opinions, yielded their willing testimony to his extraordinary abilities. He thus illustrated the truth, that every person, however false may be the position in which, by a combination of unfortunate circumstances, he is at any time placed, may, by persevering industry, find his true level. What his habits were in college we learn from the following witnesses. Professor ShurtlifF, who was in the same class with him, says, "Mr Webster, while in college, was remarkable for his steady hab- its, his intense application to study, and his punctual attendance upon all the prescribed e'^'trcises. I HIS CHARACTER IN COLLEGE. 73 know not that he was absent from a recitation, or from morning and evening prayers in the chapel, or from public worship on the Sabbath ; and I doubt if ever a smile was seen upon his face during any re- ligious exercise. He was always in his place, and with decorum suited to it. He had no collision with any one, nor appeared to enter into the con- cerns of others, but emphatically minded his own busi- ness. But, as steady as the sun, he pursued with in- tense application the great object for which he came to college. This I conceive was the secret of his popu- larity in college, and his success in subsequent life." What an example is here furnished for undergrad- uates and all other young students ! If they desire to acquire popularity with their companions, or "success in subsequent life," they must, like the subject of our memoir, be distinguished for " steady habits and intense application to study." They must mind their own business, and keep constantly before them the great object for which they are pursuing a course of education. To do all this is no easy task Temptations to deviate from this straightforward: single-minded course are numerous and strong They spring out of one's natural indolence ; from the difficulty of acquiring knowledge ; from the enjoyments of social intercourse ; from the en- ticements of the wine cup ; and fi-om the excitement of the passions. There are circumstances in which 74 TEMPTATIONS. a Student may be placed, where, unless he possess great decision of character and firmness of purpose, he will certainly be led astray. He will not be able to resist the strong current of evil influences which will bear down upon him. This, however, will not be likely to be the case with those who, like Web- ster, ill addition to devoting themselves diligently to study, are punctual and serious in their attendance upon morning and evening prayers, and upon the public services of the Sabbath. It furnishes an un- favorable augury to any young man's future pros- pects, when these religious duties are neglected. Another witness, who bears testimony to Mr. Web- ster's position in college, is Judge Woodward, pro- fessor of natural philosophy, who died soon after Mr. Webster was graduated. " That man's victory IS certain," said he, " who reaches the heart through the medium of the understanding. He [i. e., Mr. Wpbster] gained me by combating my opinions, for I often attacked him, merely to try his strength.'' It would be interesting to know what some of those questions were on which the judge tested the strength of his pupil, and what line of argument was pur- sued by the latter. There can be no doubt, judging from the effect produced upon the professor's mind, that, in these intellectual contests, Webster exhibited great logical power, combined with dignity and cour- tesy. He secured the respect of his teacher by hia HE STUDIES niiVTDKV. 75 skill and gentlemanly bearing in debate, ana induced him, very early after their first acquaintance, to pre- dict his future greatness. The judge considered it a great privilege to be the instructor of one of so much promise. Says General Lyman, " He took infinite pleasure in assisting to lay the foundation stones of what he felt was to be a magnificent building." While at college, Mr. Webster devoted special at- tention to the study of oratory. He made himself familiar with its fundamental principles, and with the speeches of those who had excelled in this delightful art. Having a deep, yet musical voice, a command- ing personal appearance, a high, projecting forehead, and dark, piercing eyes, and conducting himself with great dignity of manner, and with courteous defer- ence to his hearers, he was always listened to with pleasure. He became so popular as a speaker, that when only sixteen years of age, he was chosen to deliver an Oration on the Fourth of July, to the members of college and the citizens of Hanover. This, certainly, was a high honor to reach at so early an age, and it was, if possible, increased by the re- quest for the publication of the oration, from those who heard it. It shows that he produced a strong, favorable impression. As this was the first public address delivered by Mr. Webster, of which any record has been pre 76 HIS FOURTH OF JULY ORATION. served, it is a source of gratification that it was printed, and that one copy, at least, of the original edition has survived to the present time. Of this General Lyman has made copious use in his " Me- morials." It is exceedingly interesting to read this oration, and compare the tone of its patriotism, and the style of its composition, with those of his later productions. It will be seen that, though his rhetoric was afterwards greatly modified, his love of country remained unaltered. We cannot, perhaps, perform a more acceptable service than by presenting several extracts from it, in order to furnish the reader an opportunity of making this comparison for himself. His introduc- tion was as follows : — " Countrymen, Brethren, and Fathers : We are now assembled to celebrate an anniversary ever to be held in dear remembrance by the sons of freedom. Nothing less than the birth of a nation — nothing less than the emancipation of three millions of people from the degrading chains of foreign dominion — is the event we commemorate. Twenty-four years have this day elapsed since these United States first raised the standard of liberty, and echoed the shouts of independence. " Those of you who were then reaping the iron harvest of the martial field, whose bosoms then pal- pitated for the honor of America, will at this time Britain's injustice. 77 experience a renewal of all that fervent patriotism, of all those indescribable emotions, which then agi- uited your breasts. As for us, who were either then unborn, or not far enough advanced beyond the '.breshold of existence to engage in the grand corr- flict for liberty, we now most cordially unite wiih you to greet the return of this joyous anniversary, to welcome the return of the day that gave us fiee- dom, and to hail the rising glories of our country ! " On occasions like this, you have hitherto been addressed from the stage, on the nature, the origin, the expediency, of civil government. The field of political speculation has here been explored by per sons possessing talents to which the speaker of tlie day can have no pretensions. Declining, therefore, a dissertation on the principles of civil polity, you will indulge me in slightly sketching those events which have originated, matured, and raised to its present grandeur this new empire." After describing the isolated and gloomy condi- tion of the first colonists, he touches upon tlie French war, in which he accuses Great Britain of " presumptuously arrogating to herself the glory of victories acquired by the bravery of the American militia," and then adds, — " But while Great Britain was thus tyrannically stripping her colonies of their well-earned laurels, and triumphantly weaving them into the stupendous 6 78 ENGLISH OPPRESSION. wreath of her own martial glories, she was unwit tingly teaching them to value themselves, and effect ually to resist on a future day her unjust encroach- ments. " The pitiful tale of taxation now commences ; the unhappy quarrel which resulted in the dismem- herment of the British empire has here its origin. " England, now triumphant over the united powers of France and Spain, is determined to re- duce to the condition of slaves her AnTerican subjects. " We might now display the legislatures of the several states, together with the General Congress, petitioning, praying, remonstrating, and, like dutiful subjects, humbly laying their grievances before the throne. On the other hand, we could exhibit a British Parliament assiduously devising means to subjugate America, disdaining our petitions, tram- pling on our rights, and menacingly telling us, in lan- guage not to be misunderstood, ' Yc shall be slaves.' We could mention the haughty, tyrannical, perfidious Gage, at the head of a standing army ; we could show our brethren attacked and slaughtered at Lex- ington ! our property plundered and destroyed at Concord ! Recollections can still pain us with the spiral flames of burning Charlestown, the agonizing groans of aged parents, the shrieks of widows, or- phans, and infants. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. ' 79 " Indelibly impressed on our memories still live the dismal scenes of Bunker's awful mount, tlie grand theatre of New England bravery; where Slaughter stalked grimly triumphant, where relent- less Britain saw her soldiers, the unhappy instru- ments of despotism, fallen beneath the nervcas arm of injured freemen. " There the great Warren fought, and there, alas ! he fell. Valuing life only as it enabled him to serve his country, he freely resigned himself, a will- ing maj-tyr in the cause of liberty, and now lies en- circled in the arms of glory. " But, haughty Albion, thy reign shall soon be over ! Thou shalt triumph no longer ; thine em- pire already reels and totters ; thy laurels even now begin to wither, and thy fame to decay. Thou hast at length roused the indignation of an insulted peo- ple ; thine oppressions they deem no longer toler- able. " The 4th day of July, 1776, has now arrived, and America, manfully springing from the torturing fangs of the British lion, now rises majestic in the pride of her sovereignty, and bids her eagle elevate his wings ! " The solemn Declaration of Independence is now pronounced, iimidst crowds of admiring citizens, by the supreme council of our nation, and received with the unbounded plumlits of ii grateful people. so WEBSTER ADDRESSES THE OLD SOLDIERS. " This was the hour when heroism was proved — when the souls of men were tried." At this point Mr. Webster gracefully turned to the revolutionary soldiers who were present, and addressing them, said, — " It was then, ye venerable patriots — it was then you lifted the indignant arm, and unitedly swore to be free ! Despising such toys as subjugated empires, you then knew no middle fortune between liberty and death ! " Firmly relying on the protection of Heaven, unwarped in the resolution you had taken, you then undaunted met — engaged — defeated the gigantic power of Britain, and rose triumphant over the ag- gressions of your enemies. "Trenton, Princeton, Bennington, and Saratoga were the successive theatres of your victories, and the utmost bounds of creation are the limits of your fame ! The sacred fire of freedom, then enkindled in your breasts, shall be perpetuated through the long descent of future ages, and burn with undi- minished fervor in the bosoms of millions yet un- born. " Finally, to close the sanguinary conflict, to grant America the blessings of an honorable peace, . and clothe her heroes with laurels, Cornwallis, at whose feet the kings and princes of Asia have since HIS ALLUSIONS TO WASHINGTON. 8J thrown their diadems, was compelled to submit to the sword of Wasliington. " The great drama is now completed ; our inde- pendence is now acknowledged ; and the hopes of our enemies are blasted forever. Columbia is now seated in the forum of nations, and the empires of the world are amazed at the bright effulgence of her glorv." After contrasting the peaceful and prosperous condition of this country with the unsettled state of Europe, he refers to those revolutionary heroes who had died, and says, — " With hearts penetrated by unutterable grief, we dre at length constrained to ask. Where is our Wash- ington 1 Where the hero who led us to victory 1 Where the man who gave us freedom 1 Where is he who headed our feeble army, when destruction threatened us, who came upon our enemies like the storms of winter, and scattered them hke leaves be- fore the Borean blast 1 Where, O my country, is thy political savior? — where, O humanity, thy favorite son 1 , " The solemnity of this assembly, the lamenta- tions of the American people, will answer, ♦ Alas ! he is no more — the mighty is fallen ! ' " Yes, Americans, Washington is gone ! — he is now consigned to dust, and sleeps in ' dull, cold marble ' ! 83 PUBLIC GRIEF AT HIS LOSS. " The miin who never felt a wound but when it pierced his country — who never groaned but when fair Freedom bled — is now forever silent. " Wrapped in the shroud of death, the dark do- minions of the grave long since received liim, and he rests in undisturbed repose. Vain were the at- tempt to express our loss ; vain the attempt to de- scribe the feelings of our souls. Though months have rolled away since his spirit left tliis terrestrial orb, and sought the shining worlds on high, yet the sad event is still remembered with increased sorrow. The hoary-headed patriot of '76 still tells the mourn- ful story to the listening infant, till the loss of his country touches his heart, and patriotism fires his breast. The aged matron still laments the loss of the man beneath whose banners her husband has fought, or her son fallen. At the name of Wash- ington the sympathetic tear still glistens in the eye of every youthful hero ; nor does the tender sigh yet cease to heave in the fair bosom of Columbia's daughters." These extracts are sufficient as specimens of his production on that occasion. Without indulging in any elaborate criticism, we cannot refrain from -say- ing, that the Saxon simplicity, and the terseness, foi which Mr. Webster in later years was so remarkable, mu.st have required on liis part a great an'oniu of persevenng labor. REMARKS UPON THE ORATION. 83 In reading the above passages it must be remem- bered that we are not perusing the language of Hon. Mr. Webster, member of the Senate of tlie United States, but of Daniel Webster, an undergraduate of sixteen years of age, and member of the junior class at Dartmouth. As such, it is a credit to its author. To be enabled to appreciate it fully, we need the impassioned tones, the eloquent eye, the manly gesture of the orator ; we need to be sur- rounded with the audience to whom it was delivered, — students, professors, revolutionary heroes, young men and maidens, old men and children, — who listened, smiled, and vociferously applauded the ju- venile speaker. We need the soul-inspiring music, and all the excitement' of the national anniversary. But without these, it is not difficult to discover gleams of that genius which broke forth with such dazzling splendor in the maturity of his years. It showed that the rich veins of the marble were there, and required only the labor of the sculptor to de- velop the forms of beauty, and give it the smooth- ness of surface of which it was capable. It was like a few grains from a mine which had ' not been worked, but which furnished conclusive evidence that an abundance of pure gold was there. One who remembers the occasion says, that the oration produced a great sensation. On the 17th of April, 1801, Ephraim Simonds, a 94 A classmate's funeral eulogt. member of the senior class in college, was prema- turely cut down by death. It was deemed desirable to make a religious improvement of the event, by having a eulogy delivered by one of his classmates. No one being so popular amongst the students as Mr. Webster, he was chosen for that purpose. The painful nature of the event, combined with the tal- ents of the orator, drew out a large audience. The house was completely crowded. After the prelimi- nary services were over, Mr. Webster addressed the assembled multitude in a dignified and solemn man- ner. In his exordium he referred to his deceased fellow-student thus : — " All of him that was mortal now lies in the char- nels of yonder cemetery. By the grsiss that nods over the mounds of Sumner, Merrill, and Cook, now rests a fourth son of Dartmouth, constituting another monument of man's mortahty. The sun, as it sinks to the ocean, plays its departing beams on his tomb, but they reanimate him not. The cold sod presses on his bosom ; his hands hang down in' weakness. The bird of the evening shouts a mel- ancholy air on the poplar, but her voice is stillness to his ears. While his pencil was drawing scenes of future felicity, while his soul fluttered on the gay breezes of hope, an unseen hand drew the curtain, and shut him from our view." The eulogy was listened to with deep emotion. REFLECTIONS AND PRINCIPLES INVOLVED. S5 as was evinced by the tearful eyes of the assem- bly. There is something peculiarly affecting in the death of a young man, while pursuing his course of education. The world, with all its posts of honor and usefulness, presents itself before him. He is stimulated by patriotism, philanthropy, and ambition, to qualify himself for some of its many attractive spheres of action. Surrounded by others in a simi- lar condition, he is influenced, also, by a spirit of emulation. He is at the same time the object of deep parental solicitude, and, it may be, of the hopes of a large circle of interested relatives and friends. Whilst pressing on diligently to the goal which he has set before him, he is arrested by disease, and laid low in the grave ! His sun goes down whilst it is yet day. He is like a vessel richly freighted, which, whilst she is getting ready to leave the har- bor for the broad ocean before her, strikes upon concealed rocks, and becomes a wreck ; or like a young cadet, who, whilst studying, in a military school, the science of war, and acquiring skill in military tactics, is suddenly cut down without ever seeing an actual engagement. Bright visions of fu ture distinction, which had lured him on, have faded away, and the hopes of parents and friends are blasted forever. As no young man has any guar- anty of immunity from a similar catastrophe, It ri6 DUTIES WITH REFERENCE TO THE FUTURE. becomes important that all such make their mortEd- ity a prominent principle of action. Whilst pre- paring themselves to occupy honorable positions in this life, they should remember the fleeting charac- ter of these distinctions, and not pursue them with an ardor disproportionate to their real value. Much less should they allow the present to shut out from their view the distant future. As this life is prepar- atory to another, farther on, the highest wisdom con- sists in availing ourselves of the transient present, in such a manner that we shall be well fitted for the unchangeable future which awaits us. In doing this, we shall be acting upon a principle similar to that which governs us in our temporal affairs. The student at college, the apprentice at a trade, the merchant, the mariner, the professional man, — are all acting with reference to the future. By indus- try, prudence, and economy, they are endeavoring to acquire a competency, so that at no future period shall they be reduced to want. They are providing for the time to come. If this be a wise principle of action with reference to our present existence, can it be unwise in its application to that period of our being which lies beyond the grave 1 Why provide for all the future which intervenes between the pres- ent moment and the period of our death, and en- tirely neglect preparation for that wliich is beyond death 7 Does not consistency require that, if we do RELIGIOUS ADVICE. 87 the one, we do the other also 1 In this respect does consistency mark your course, reader 1 With all your learning, see to it that you get that knowledge, the beginning of which is the fear of the Lord, and with all your accumulation fail not to lay up treas- ures in heaven, on which you may draw when all the riches of the earth shall have passed awav. CHAPTER VI. A great Gathering. — Webster's Theme at Commencement. — How collegiate Honors are distributed. — United Fraternity. — Web- ster chosen Orator. — His Oration. — Tears up his Diploma. — Studies with Squire Thompson. — Becomes a School Teacher. — Advantag^es of keeping School. — Registry of Deeds. — Where there is a Will there is a Way. — Fingers ache. — Volumes of Deeds. — Vote of Thanks. — Academy burned. — Affection. — Reverence for Mr. Webster. — How manifested. — Continues to study Law. — Commits to Memory Orations. During tlie ]ast week in August, 1801, Mr. Web- ster was graduated. An unusual number of stran- gers visited Hunover at the time. They commenced coming early in the week, and continued to increase until the important day arrived when the senior stu- dents were to bid farewell to the classic shades of Dartmouth College, and scatter for the purpose of seeking their fortunes. At that time college com- mencement was regarded as an occasion of far greater importance, and it awakened an interest throughout a much wider extent of country than now. Gentlemen and ladies, arrayed in their gay- est attire, poured into tlie town, some on horseback, single, and others on horseback in couples, the lady riding behind the gentleman on a pillion. Some came in a more imposing manner, with horse and S8 A GREAT GATHKKINO. 96 carriage, the harness newly cleansed, and the vehi- cle newly varnished ; others felt it a privilege to ride in an- open wagon on a temporary rough board seat ; whilst, in some instances, groups of the young men and blooming damsels preferred to ride stand- ing uj) in a large hay cart, which they decorated with evergreens and flowers for the purpose. It was a great gala day, and brought out people in vast numbers. It was expected by the students that Webster on that occasion, would have had one of the most honorable parts. It is said that in their judgment he deserved the highest. But the faculty decided otherwise, and assigned him a subordinate position. His theme was " The recent Discoveries in Chemis- try, especially those of Lavoisier," which were then recently made public. The assignment of parts at commencement does not depend entirely on scholarship, or studious ap- plication. The professors take into consideration the whole deportment of the students, their attain- ments, their punctuality at prayers, at the recitations and the lectures, and their degree of observance of all the comparatively trivial rules which are laid down for the government of the college, and then • graduate their honors according to the degree in wliich all the requirements of the faculty have been observed. 90 THE INDUSTRIOUS STUOENT SUCCESSFUL. Mr. Lanmau states tliat the valedictory on this occasion was conferred upon one " whose name has since passed into forgetfulness." If this be true, it shows that tlie college does not make the man. It is one thing to excel in the quiet retirement of clas- sic cloisters, but quite a different thing to be a victo- rious champion in the great battle of life. It can seldom be predicted with accuracy from a young man's position in college what he will be when he enters upon the arena of the world. It is not un- usual for some to startle their fellow-students with what appears to be the bright scintillations of prom- ising genius, and to take the lead in the recitations of the class. As they pass on their luminous course, predictions of future eminence follow them — pre- dictions which a few years are sufficient to show were uttered by those who had never received the gift of prophecy. After bidding farewell to their alma mater, their flame of precocious genius is soon quenched, and they are heard from no more. Whilst others, who exhibited no particular brilliancy during their collegiate course, but were simple, every-day, plodding students, by keeping up their industrious, studious habits in subsequent life, attain to great eminence. They make themselves both heard and widely felt. There are, however, occasional instances where the boy shadows forth the man, when discreet and ezpe- ANOTHER HONORABLE APPOINTMENT. 91 rienced observers can foretell, from early indications, approaching greatness, as from the stock and branch- ing of the young tree can be predicted its character at maturity. Such was the case with Mr. Webster. Those who had been observant of his course whilst at Dartmouth looked forward with confidence to his success in future years. Though he failed of obtaining the principal part at commencement, he secured in another respect the highest honors of the day. There were at Dartmouth several literary and re- ligious societies, composed of the members of the college, whose anniversaries were held during com- mencement week. Before each of these societies some member was chosen to deliver the annual ad- dress. The largest and most important of these so- cieties was that of " The United Fraternity." To be chosen the orator for this association was, there- fore, a higher distinction than to be selected as the speaker for either of the others. At the time he graduated, Mr. Webster was unanimously chosen to perform this honorable service. Tlie public ad- dresses which he had on previous occasions delivered had given him a high reputation. No other student could attract so large an audience. No other could liave met the expectations which were awakened by the announcement that he was to be the orator of the day. 92 TEARS UP HIS DIPLOMA. When the hour arrived for the commencement of the service, -the house was filled. Mr. Webster sus tained his previous reputation ; he acquitted himself nobly. His subject was " The Influence of Opin- ion," and was we 1 adapted to develop the strength and peculiar qualities of his mind. One of the newspa- pers of tiie day said that " elegance of composition and propriety of delivery distinguished the perform- ance," and that " a numerous audience manifested a high degree of satisfaction at the genius displayed." After the honors of the college had been con- ferred, and Mr. Webster had received his diploma, properly signed and sealed, certifying that he had pursued the usual course of study, he invited a num- ber of his classmates to go with him to a place of some retirement in the rear of the church. When they reached the place, Mr. Webster held up the di- ploma before them, and said, " My industry may make me a great man, but this miserable parchment cannot." He then deliberately tore it into pieces, and threw it away ; then, bidding his fellow-students fare- well, he mounted his horse, and set out for Elms Farm. Although this act was not particularly amiable, it developed certain traits of character which were conspicuous in Mr. Webster's subsequent career. It exhibits the same moral courage, independence, and self-reliance which mark his whole course. It also WEBSTER'S OBATION'. MISTAKES or YOUNG MEN. 93 evinces liis conviction that a public education is no substitute for future industry ; that to be a successful competitor in the great struggle for positions of in- fluence and usefulness, there must be intense appli- cation. When a young man imagines that the mere pos- session of a diploma will be a passport to posts of eminence ; that all before him is a smooth sea, over which, with his skiff of papyrus, he may safely float ; that from arduous toil and harassing anxiety he is now forever exempt, — he furnishes conclusive evi- dence that there are some lessons left for him to learn. Should he attempt to act upon his errone- ous convictions, it will not be long before his own experience will convince him of his folly. Before such would we hold up the example of Mr. Webster. Rely not upon past efforts, nor upon present attain- ments. However great may have been former priv- ileges, regard them only as so many facilities for fu- ture efforts, but by no means as a substitute for them. That you have been favored with an education be- yond that of many of the community has increased your responsibilities above theirs. Having abilities to render yourself more useful than others, you are under obligation to exercise them. No man has a right to hide his light under a bushel. Unto whom soever much is given, of him is much required You are stewaids in respect of all the knowledge 94 WEBSTER BECOMES A TEACHER. aud the talents whicli you possess, and it is required of stewards that a man be found faithful. Undustry in the right direction may make you great and use- ful ; witliout that your collegiate privileges will not. After completing his college course, Mr. Webster commenced the study of law with his father's old neighbor, Mr. Thompson, who so significantly laughed when Daniel was sent back to school dur- ing haying time, because he had blistered his hands. Having been so great an expense to his father, Webster now felt the importance of doing something for his own support. It was not long before he had the opportunity. An academy had been recently founded at Frye- burg, in the State of Maine, and was in want of a teacher. The trustees, who had received a favora ble report of Mr. Webster, through Professor John Smith, extended to him an invitation to become its principal, with a salary of three hundred and fifty dollars. This was cheerfully accepted, and the young student was soon engaged in the perplexing vocation of a schoolmaster. This new occupation was advantageous to Mr. Webster in several respects. Although its pecuniary benefit was not great, being less than a common, unskilled day laborer now re- ceives for the lowest kind of employment, it fur- nished him an opportunity of observmg the various phases of human nature, and studying the principles ADVANTAGES OF TEACHING. 95 :)f human action. His school was a little world in itself, filled with miniature men, possessing as great a diversity of dispositions as the same number of adults, susceptible of the sauie passions, and influ- enced by similar motives. He had, therefore, an opportunity of learning how to move minds, and thu? of acquiring [knowledge which would be of valuable service to him in future life. He taught the chil- dren, and the children taught him. It may not be easy to say who were the most benefited. He learned what he never could have acquired in the lecture room or college, nor from books. That school was to him an eminently instructive volume, of which each child was a page, from which might be received some important lesson. It was an in- tellectual and moral apparatus, by the skilful use of which he might try experiments and arrive at re- suits, respecting the mind and heart, far more im- portant than any conclusions which could be reached in either of the physical sciences. It also served to develop himself. If there is an> one employment that, more than another, will aid a man in learning what manner of spirit he is of, it is school teaching. This brings out the strong and the weak points of character. It calls into exercise in- nate elements, which, under other circumstances, might have remained dormant for years. Self- knowledge is in some respects the most difficult 96 Webster's personal appearance. and the most important of all knowledge. Some advance may be made in it by self-examination. But who indulges in this exercise ? — who deals faithfully with himself? — who is willing to drag h'n " secret sins " before the clear and steady gaze of his own contemplation ? — who measures correctly the dimensions of his admitted defects? — who probes deeply the diseased spots 1 It is too painful — we shrink from it. Yet it is desirable that a person should know the evil tendencies of his character as well as the good — yea, far more so, for these evil tendencies he must specially guard and perseveringly resist, but the others he may let take care of them- selves. The employment of Mr. Webster as a teacher rendered him essential aid in detecting those el- ements of character in himself which needed re- straint, and those which required cultivation. It also gave him an opportunity of reviewing the stud- ies which he pursued in college, and discovering in wliat branches he was defective, the possession of which was essential to a good teacher. Those who have ever had a near view of Mr. Webster will not forget his large, lustrous, dark eyes. These constituted a prominent feature in the early part of his life. Persons who were acquainted with him in college refer particularly to them. He was once questioned by Mr. Lanman as to his per HE REiJISTEPS DEEDS. 91 sonal appearance, when officiating as principal of Fryeburg Academy. His reply was, " Long, slender, pak, and all eyes ; indeed, I went by the name of '^W eyes ' the country round." The significant ap- propriateness of this appellation cannot be denied. When Mr. Webster found that his duties aa teacher did not require the whole of his time, he sought additional eniployiiient. He had gone to Fryeburg from pecuniary considerations, and was willing to engage in any honorable occupation which promised an addition to his limited resources. For- tunately the office of Assistant Register of Deeda was vacant, and he was invited to perform its du- ties. This he accepted, which gave him employ- ment for all his leisure hours. His duty was to copy deeds into a large folio volume, for which he received twenty-five cents each. There are at the present time, in the office at Fryeburg, two large, bound volumes of manuscript deeds, in his neat and elegant handwriting. He has been heard to say, that " The ac/ie is not yet out of those fingers which so much writing caused them." It, however, brought him in a little income, which he devoted to the edu- cation of his brother. The old adage that " Where there's a will there's a way," was illustrated in this part of Mr. Webster's history. He was willing to work. He was not par- ticular about the kind of labor in which he engaged. 96 RELICS or HIS LABOB. provided ii was reputiible. When the ofTer of be- ing a copyist of deeds was teadered, he did not de- cline because of its sedentary character or limited compensation. If lie could not earn much, he was content with little. He was determined to do some- thing, and something was presented. This was a much wiser course than though he had lost much time in waiting for something easier or more profit- able to offer. There are some individuals desiring employment, who, unless they can obtain a berth which is satisfactory in all respects, prefer to remain unoccupied. Tf the time which they lose in looking for a desirable situation was devoted to such engage- ments as offer, they might find enough to do — and of that which would afford them a reasonable com- pensation This was Mr. Web^ster's course, and it 18 worthy of imitation. A short time since, Mr. Webster's son, accompa- nied by a friend, visited Fryeburg. As might be expected, they were attracted to the office of the registry of deeds, that they might see the evidences of his industry in early life. These evidences were furnished in the two huge folio volumes to which we have referred. After examining these with in- terest, and being astonished that so great an amount of labor could be performed, in addition to the ar- duous service of supermtending a school, they turned their attention to the record ol the trustees of the THE ELOqUENT LOT. 99 academy, and there discovered satisfactory proof that this extra employment did not interfere with the faithful performance of his duties as teacher. This proof consisted in " a most respectful and affectionate vote of thanks and good will to Mr. Webster, when he took leave of the employment," which they found upon the record. This evinced the high estimation in which he was held by the trustees of tlie academy. There was one thing which they did not see, which, if it had been in their power, they would have examined with great gratification — and that was, the old school house in which Mr. Webster taught. This had been consumed to ashes many years be- fore. Such is the aflfectionate reverence in which Mr. Webster is held, that the owner of the land on which the academy stood, Mr. Robert J. Bradley, would never permit any other edifice to be erected upon the spot, and he is determined that none shall be so long as he has control of the lot. This de- voted friendship was cherished also by his father, who had probably previously owned the estate. The non-occupation of that site, therefore, is evidence of refined sentiment. The silence of its desolation is eloquently expressive of the ardent attachment of its owner to him who, many years before, commenced his self-support by there keeping school. Whilst at Fryeburg, Mr. Webster managed, also. 100 WEBSTERS APPLICATION. to 3ecute time for the reading of law, and commit ting to memory important passages from the speeches of distinguished orators. Being imable to buy, he was obliged to borrow Blackstone's Com- mentaries, which he then read for the first time, lie also committed to memory the celebrated speech of Mr. Ames, on the British treaty, which he greatly admired. , » ^n^/^st^ CHAPTER VII. Webster fond'of fishing. — Lovewell's Pond. — The great Fight. — Importance of Relaxation. — Mr. Webster's Course. — Relin- quishes his School. — Providential Circumstauce. — Mr. Web- ster's Progress in Law. — His Attention to Business. — The wrong Course. — Kimball's Turnpike Webster's Determina- tion His Success. — Rule to regulate Subscriptions. — Mr. Webster studies with Hon. Mr. Gore. — Is admitted to the Bar. — Mr. Gore's Commendation and Prophecy. It is evident from the facts which we have nar- rated in the preceding pages, that whilst Mr. Web- ster was at Fryeburg, he must have been " diligent in business ; " yet he did not deny himself relaxation. Rural sports were as attractive to him then as at any future period. He was particularly fond of angling, and as there was a delightful sheet of water not far from the village, he availed himself of the opportunity of Waltonizing whenever the mood was upon him. This beautiful gem of a lake was once the scene of a dreadful tragedy, from wliich it de- rives its name of Lovewell's Pond, and by which, also, its shores have been consecrated as classic ground. This tragedy was as follows: In 1725, such fre- quent barbarous murders were committed by the In- dians upon the inhabitants of the exposed frontier, 101 102 BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS. that the General Court of Massachusetts offered a reward of one hundred pounds for every Indian's scalp. This furnished a strong temptation for the brave and the covetous among the whites to engage in a murderous crusade against the lawless aborigi- nes. An Indian chief bj the name of Paugus, whose tribe were called the Peqwakets, resided on territory which is now embraced within the limits of Fryeburg. This chief was terrible to the English, and they were determined, if possible, to extirpate him and his tribe. Captain Love well of Dunstable undertook this hazardous service, with thirty four men. He came upon Paugus with eighty warriors, and the battle commenced by the whites' killing one of the Indians, who was returning from hunting. Both parties fought with great fury. " The In- dians roaring, aad yelling, and howling like wolves, barking like dogs, and making all sorts of hideous noises ; the English frequently shouting and huz- zaing, as they did after the first round. At one time Captain Wyman is confident they were got to powwowing by their striking on the ground, and other odd motions; but at length Wyman crept up towards them, and firing amongst them, shot the chief powwow, and broke up their meeting.*" It was a most desperate engagement. Sixty of the Indians and twenty English were slain,t amongst * Rev. Mr. Symmes. f Drake's Indian*. THE BELOVED SONG. 103 whom Avere both Lovewell and Paugiis. The Eng- hsh, however, were conquerors Two poems were written, commemorative of the fight, in which all the prominent circumstances were narrated. As many of our readers will be more in- terested in these poetic descriptions than a mere statement in prose, we insert one below,* of wliich • LOVEWELL'S FIGHT. Of worthy Captain Loveweil I purpose now to sing, How valiantly he served his country and his kinj ; He and his valiant soldiers did range the woods full wide, And hardships they endured to quell the Indian's pride. 'Twas nigh unto Pigwacket, on the eighth day of May, They spied a rebel Indian, soon after break of day ; He on a bank was walking, upon a neck of land, Which leads into a pond, as we're made to understand. Our men resolved to have him, and travelled two miles round. Until they met the Indian, who boldly stood his ground. Then speaks up Captain Lovewell, "Take you good heed,' says he ; '' This rogue is to decoy us, I very plainly see. " The Indians lie In ambush, in some place nigh at hand. In order to surround us. upon this neck of land; Therefore we'll march in order, and each man leave his pack, That we may briskly fight ihem when they shall us attack." They came unto this Indian, who did them thus defy ; As soon as they came jiigli him, uvo guns he did let fly. Which wounded Captain Lovewell, and likewise one man more But when this rogue was running, they laid him in his gon. 104 THE BELOVKI) SONG. Mr. S. G. Drake, of Indian notoriety, says, accord- ing to tradition, it was composed tlie same year of Then having scalped tlie Indmn, tbev went back lo the spot, Where they had laid iheir packs down, but there they found them not 3 For the Indians having spied them, wnen they them down did lay^ Did seize them for their plunder, and carry them away. These rebels lay in ambush, this very place hard by, So that an English soldier did one of them espy, And cried out, "There's an Indian ! " with that they started out, As fiercely as old lions, and hideously did shout. With that our valiant English al) gave a loud hurrah, To show the rebel Indians they feared them not a straw j So now the fight began, as fiercely as could be,; The Indians ran up lo them, but soon were forced to Bee. Then spake up Captain Lovewell, when first the fight began, " Fight on my valiant heroes ! you see they fall like rain." For, as we are informed, the Indians were so thick, A man could scarcely fire a gun, and not some of them hit. Then did the rebels try their best our soldiers to surround. But they could not accomplish i*, because there was a pond, To which our men retreated, and covered all the rear; Tht rogues were forced to flee them, although they skulked for fear Two logs there were behind them, that close together lay } Without being discovered they could not get away j Therefore our valiant English, they travelled in a row, And at a handsome distance, as they were wont to go. 'Twas ten o'clock in the morning when first the fight begun, And fiercely did continue till the setting of the sun, THE BELOVED SONG. 105 the fight, " and for several years afterward was the most beloved song in all New England." Excepting that the Indians, some hours before 'twas night, Drew off into the bushes, and ceased a while to fight ; — Bui soon again returned in fierce and furious mood. Shouting as in the morning, but yet not half so loud j For, as we are informed, so thick and fast they fell. Scarce twenty of their number at night did get home well. And that our valiant English till midnight there did stay, To see whether the rebels would have another fray ; But they no more returning, they made off towards their home, And brought away their wounded, as far as they could come. Of £l11 our valiant English, there were but thirty-four. And of the rebel Indians, there were about fourscore ; And sixteen of our English did safely home return j . The rest were killed and wounded, for which we all must mourn Our worthy Captain Lovewell among them there did die ; They killed Lieutenant Robbins, and wounded good young Frye, Who was our English chaplain ; he many Indians slew, And some of them he scalped, when bullets round him flew. Young Fullam, too, I'll mention, because he fought so well ; Endeavoring to save a man, a sacrifice he fell ; And yet our valiant Englishmen in fight were ne'er dismayed, But still they kept their motion, and Wyman captain made, — Who shot the old chief Paugus, which did the foe defeat, Then set his men in order, and brought off the retreat ; And bravmg many dangers and hardships in the way. They safe arrived a Dimstable, the thirteenth day of May. 106 IMPORTANCE OF RELAXATION. On this pond, the scene of such dreadful carnage, Mr. Webster was accustomed to sail, and from its clear, cool waters, to draw such unfortunate fish as « ere too free in their liberties with his bait. Nature requires relaxation after effort, whether that effort be of a mental or physical character, This principle Mr. Webster always j-ecognized. There can be no doubt that an individual who is ac- customed to literary pursuits will accomplish more by a judicious alternation of hard study with pleas- ant recreation than though the latter be entirely neg- lected. The mind will not endure a constant draught upon its powers. It needs rest for the re- covery of its elasticity and vigor ; there should be a shutting up of books, a relinquishment of problems, a cessation of mental effort, a throwing open of the door, and an escape of the mind, into unfettered freedom, in order to secure that perfect repose which, after great effort, nature needs. This was Mr. Webster's course ; hence his frequent fishing, gun- ning, and other rural excursions. In September, 1802, he reUnquished his school, and returned home, having made some acquisitions, both of a pecuniary and intellectual character. Mr. Webster had now passed that important crisis in a young man's life, which, in most cases, gives character to his whole history, namely, the choice of a profession. He had decided in favor of the law. INFLUENCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES. 107 It may not have been impossible that the proximity of Mr Thompson's office to Webster's residence contributed much towards this decision. It was so easy for him to slip in there, look over the law books, hear conversation upon legal questions, and thus have his taste for such pursuits awakened, that that office, in all probability, assisted in turning his mind in this direction. It was, therefore, a provi- dential circumstance that these influences existed, and rendered it so easy for him to enter upon the study of this science. Under another combination of circumstances, he might as easily have been in- duced to enter upon some other pursuit, and then the world would have lost the benefit of his great talents as a statesman. After leaving Fryeburg, arrangements were made for Mr. Webster to resume the study of law in the office of Mr. Thompson. This gentleman, though well acquainted with his profession, adopted a mode of instruction with his students which was not popu- lar with them at the time, and which they did not approve in subsequent life. He was accustomed to give them the most difficult books first. On this principle he put into Mr. Webster's hand Coke upon Littleton. It was a hard work for a student to mas- ter ; but Mr. Webster, nothing daunted by its diffi- culties, pored over it six hours daily. Although at first it was like entering a primeval forest, where the 8 108 Webster's proficiency. traveller has to cut his own way, he believed that, by patient and persevering industry, he would in time see light on the other side ; that by mastering each difficulty as it occurred, as the woodman fells trees singly, he would, before long, successfully cut his way through them all. Still he always regarded that method of introducing a boy to the study of the science as a mistake. He has expressed himself clearly upon this subject in the following language : — " A boy of twenty, with no previous knowledge of such subjects, cannot understand Coke. It is folly to set him upon such an author. There are propo- sitions in Coke so abstract, and distinctions so nice, and doctrines embracing so many distinctions and qualifications, that it requires an eiFort not only of a mature mind, but of a mind both strong and mature, to understand him. Why disgust and discourage a young man by telling him that he must break into his profession through such a wall as this." He soon got upon other books, which he studied with greater pleasin-e. Besides the attention which at that period lie paid to law, he also found time to read Hume's History of England, Shakspeare's plays, and the Latin classics. Such was the pro- ficiency which he made in his profession, that, during the second year of his studies, he was quite a sound lawyer. General Lyman says, " When clients came for advice, he [Mr. Webster] heard, with Mr. Thomp- HE MINDS HIS BUSINESS. 109 son, a full statement of the facts, and thereupon he again ana again, wrote out opinions, wliich Mr Thompson, on perusal, adopted, signed, and deliv- ered as his own. He also displayed great tact in conducting the lawsuits pending, in marshalling the testimony, and in eliciting from witnesses the facts to be proved on the trials. Many men, not profound lawyers, have become eminent in their profession, and have paved their way to wealth, by their skill in conducting a cause before it was brought to trial." It is evident that, as when in college, so when study- ing law, Mr. Webster minded his business. This was one great secret of his success. Let American youth remember this. At this period, Mr. Webster was not a one-idea man ; he did not devote himself exclusively to the law. He read history and poetry, and went on excursions of pleasure ; but with all these other employments, he still minded Ms business; he kept his recreations within due limits. The great difficulty with not a few young men is, that, in order to find time for amusement, they neglect important duties ; they have not acquired that discipline, or formed such habits, that they can, with authority, say to the attractive pleasures of life, " Thus far shall ye come, but no farthiir." Being governed more by their own passions than by established principle, it becomes extremely easy for them to throw aside their books, or abandon their emplojonent, whenever 110 THE Tl-RNPIKE CASE. an opportunity occurs for the enjoyment of some agreeable amusement. Such may reach mediocrity but there is little probability of their attaining to a high degree of excellence, in any profession. An incident is related which shows that, whilst Mr. Webster was a student of law, he developed the same promptness, decision, and energy, which were such conspicuous traits of character, after he had entered upon public life. A Captiiin BLimball had entered into contract to open a turnpike. This contract was based upon subscriptions for the object by gentlemen of wealth, a number of whom were residents of Portsmouth. After the work had been in progress for some time, these gentlemen were called upon to pay their sub- scriptions : they refused. This at once created em barrassment. It was known from the first that money would be greatly needed, and their subscrip- tions had been looked to as the source whence it was to be obtained. When, therefore, they declined ful- filling their own obligations, perplexing disappoint- ment was the result. Captain Kimball regarded himself as greatly wronged, and applied to Mr. Thompson for legal advice. Mr. Thompson imme- diately addressed the delinquent subscribers letters, _ earnestly urging them to pay their subscriptions. The letters were unheeded. ^ He then sent to them his oldest student, Mr. Noyes, to remonstrate per- Webster's decision. Ill BOnallj with them, but with no betttr success When the failure of Mr. Noyes's visit was made known to Mr. Webster, he said, " Let me go to Portsmouth; I mil bring you the mmiey." Mi. Thompson concluded to grant his request. Having obtained the necessary authority, he set out ; he drove his horse with such speed that wlien he reached Portsmouth it was covered with foam. Without loss of time he called on some of the subscribers, and sent word to others, that he had come to receive their subscriptions, and the money must be paid. lie then despatched a messenger to the sheriff of the county, asking his presence immediately. He next ' sat down to a table, and very coolly commenced making out writs for the apprehension of every sub- scriber. When the delinquents understood the bear- ing of these preparatory measures, they became alarmed. They saw they had a hard customer to deal with, and proposed that they have a conversa- tion upon the subject ; it was granted. When the company assembled, Mr. Webster again stated to tliem the object of his visit, and the grounds on which he made his demands, and then, in a manner 1)1 which dignity, courtesy, and authority were blended together, he coolly informed them that he would wait until a certain hour (winch he specified) for the money and that if by that time it was not paid, he would put the writs into the hands of the 112 DELINQUENT SUBSCRIBERS. sheriff, and have them all immediately arrested. This produced the desired effect. At that time imprison mont for debt had not been abolished in New Hamp- sliire. The delinquents, therefore, knew what they liad to expect if they persisted in their refusal. The appointed hour arrived ; Mr. Webster's horse was ready for him to mount ; the sheriff was on hand to receive and execute the writs ; all things were ready for the apprehension of the guilty. They now saw that the subject could neither be trifled with nor postponed ; the crisis was reached ; the money was paid over to Mr. Webster as fast as he could count and receipt for it. Having by his energy and tact ac- complished his object, he returned home and reported his success, to the astonishment and great gratifica- tion of those immediately concerned. When any enterprise which will involve a con- siderable outlay of money is projected, it is a com- mon practice to receive subscriptions for that object, and then commence the work before those subscriptions are paid. It follows, as a necessary consequence, that if any of those subscriptions are withdrawn, those per- sons who are practically engaged in the enterprise will be subjected to embarrassments to the full extent of the amount thus withdrawn, and will either have to reiise the funds from some other source, or else cre- ate a debt ; when, if they could have foreseen this result, they would have done nothing towards the SUBSCRIPTIONS SHOULD BE PAID. 113 execution of the project until the fuuds subscribed had been paid in. This is unjust: when a person subscribes towards a raih'oad, a canal, a church, or any benevolent cause, he is in honor and in justice bound to pay that subscription. He should regard it as sacred as a promissory note ; it has all the ele- ments of such note ; it is a promise to pay a certain specified sum for a certain specified object, and a man has no more right to refuse payment than he has to refuse the payment of any other pecuniary obligation. This obligation is, if possible, strength- ened, when, hy virtue of Ms promise, the object for which he subscribed is commenced, and debts con- tracted. He encouraged the enterprise, and he is justly held responsible to the full extent of that en- couragement. These remarks are made because it is sometimes the case, that individuals who have subscribed towards an object afterwards change their minds, and refuse payment. Such instances have occurred in benevolent and religious objects. As there is no danger that the law will be resorted to in order to enforce payment of such subscriptions, they can be repudiated with impunity. But let it be remem- bered that such conduct is disreputable, and by every man of honor is condemned. To every young person, whose eye may fall upon tliis page, would we say, Never subscribe towards an 114 MR. WEBSTER REMOVES TO BOSTON object unless you are convinced of its importance , but when your promise is once given, saa edit/ re- deem it. After remaining in Mr. Tl}ompson's office two years, IMr. Webster desired a ciiange, where he could acquire a knowledge of other departments of law besides those which were pursued in the office of Mr. T. For this purpose he removed, in July, 1804, to Boston, and placed himself under the in- struction of that distinguished counsellor, Hon. Christopher Gore. His opportunities for acquiring broader views of his profession were here enjoyed. He had access to an extensive and valuable library, and the privilege of attending the sessions of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, where questions of the gravest importance were discussed by the most learned and eminent lawyers. He was not idle while attending these sessions ; but, with pen in hand, he carefully watched the opinions of the learned judges, and made them matters of record. He continued in Mr. Gore's office nearly a year, where he studied with diligence the principles of the common ^nd municipal law, the laws of nations, and the science of special pleading. In addition to his laborious professional studies, he managed to secure time for a wide range of general reading. Being now regarded as qunlilied for admittance to the bar, his teacher, Hon. ?.' Gore, introduced ADMITTED TO THE BAR. 115 him to court, and made a motion that he be admit- ted to practice. It is greatly to the credit of Mr. Webster that he had produced such a favorable im- pression upon his teacher, that when he made this motion for the admission of his young student to the bar, he accompanied it with some highly com- mendatory remarks. Mr. Everett says, " He dwelt with emphasis on the remarkable attainments and uncommon promise of his pupil, and closed with a. prediction of his future eminence." It is sometimes the case, that the general estima- tion in which an individual is held is far higher than that which he enjoys amongst his more intimate as- sociates. In respect to such, « 'Tis distance lenda enchamment to the view ; '' and this enchantment is dispelled in proportioij as the distance diminishes. With Mr. Webster it was otherwise. Those who knew him best cherished for him the highest esteem. Admiration for his talents and acquirements increased in proportion to one's familiar acquaintance with him. By his admission to the bar he was fairly launched upon the world. Where the winds and waves of fickle fortune would carry him, — what shoals and quicksands he would escape, or against what rocks he would dash, — how little did he know ! He doubtless cherished certain aspirations, and probably 116 HIS ASPIRATIONS. had a course of life marked out in his own mind, which he expected to pursue. It would be interest- ing, if we could learn what these expectations were, to see in what respects they were met, and wherein he was disappointed by the events of his subse- quent life. CHAPTER VIII. Has a Clerksaip offered him. — Declines it. — His Father dis- pleased. — Pciys his Father's Debts. — His filial Attachment. — Some treat their Parents unkindly. — Mr. Webster's first Plea. — He astonishes every body. — Controlling Witnesses. — The Detection. — The Character of his Arguments. — Webster and Mason. — " Import a young Earthquake.'' Mr. Webster's stamina of character was severely tested by an incident which occurred about the time that he was admitted to the bar. His father at that period was one of the judges of the County Court in New Hatnpshire, and though not a man of liberal education, lie was highly respected for his strong common sense, his sterling integrity, and his quick perception of the particular points at issue in the various cases of litigation that came before him. The clerkship of that court, which was then va- cant, was tendered to his son. In some respects it was a desirable position. Mr. March, in his spirited account of the affair, says, — " The office was worth fifteen hundred dollars per annum, wnich was in those days, and in that neigh- borhood, a competency — or rather absolute wealth. Mr. Webster himself considered it a great prize, and was eager to accept it. He weighed the ques- 117 118 FILIAL DL'TY AND E'KKSIINAI, AMBIHON. tion in his mind. On the one side he saw Immediate comfort; on the other, at the best, a doubtful strug- gle. By its acceptance he made sure his own good condition, and, wlmt was nearer to his heart, that of his family. By its refusal he condemned both him- self and them to an uncertain and probably harass- ing future. Whatever aspirations he might have cherished of professional distinction, he was willing cheerfully to relinquish, to promote the immediate ^welfare of those he held most dear. " But Mr. Gore peremptorily and vehemently mterposed his dissent. He urged every argument against the purpose. He exposed its absurdity and its inconsequence. He appealed to the ambition of his pupil — once a clerk, he said, he always would be a clerk — there would be no step upwards. He attacked him, too, on the side of his family affec- tion, telling him that he would be far more able to gratify his friends from his professional labors than in the clerkship. ' Go on,' he said, ' and finish your studies ; you are poor enough, but there are gi'eater evils than poverty ; live on no man's favor ; what bread you do eat, let it be the bread of inde- pendence. Pursue your profession ; make yourself useful to your friends, and a little formidable to your enemies, and you have nothing to fear.' "Diverted from his design by arguments like these, it still remained to Mr. Webster to acquaint HE DECLINKS OFFICE. I 19 his father with his determinatidii, and satisfy hiiii of its propriety. He felt this would be no easy task, as his father had set his heart so much upon the office ; but he determined to go home immediately, and give him in full the reasons of his conduct. " It was midwinter, and he looked round for a country sleigh, — for stage coaches at that time were things unknown in the centre of New Hampshire, — and finding one that had come down to market, he took passage therein, and in two or three days was set down at his father's door. (The same journey is made now in four hours by steam.) It was even- , ing when he arrived. I have heard him tell the story of the interview. His fatlier was sitting before the fire, and received him with manifest joy. He looked feebler than he had ever appeared, but his countenance lighted uj) on seeing his cirrk stand be- fore him in good health and spirits. He hist no time in alluding to the great appointment — said how spontaneously it had been made — how kindly the chief justice proposed it — with what unanimity all assented, &c. During this speech it can be well imagined how embarrassed Mr. Webster felt, com- |)elled, as he thought, from a conviction of duty, to disappoint his father's sanguine expectations. Nev- ertheless he commanded his countenance and voice, so §s to reply in a sufficiently assured manner. He spoke gayly about the office ; expressed his great 120 HIS mother's prediction. obligatioij to their honors, and his intention to write them a most respectful letter — if he could have co'isented to record any body's judgments, he should have been proud to have recorded their honors', &c. He proceeded in tliis strain till his father exhibited signs of amazement, it having occurred to him, finally, that his son might all the vi'hile be serious. ' Do you intend to decline this office 1 ' he said at length. ' Most certainly,' replied his son ; ' I can- not think of doing otherwise. I mean to use my tongue in the courts, not my pen — to be an actor, not a register of other men's actions.' " For a moment Judge Webster seemed angry. He rocked his chair sUghtly, a flash went over his eye, softened by age, but even then black as jet ; but it immediately disappeared, and his countenance regained its usual serenity. Parental love and par- tiality could not, after all, but have been gratified with the son's devotion to an honorable and distin- guislied profession, and seeming confidence of suc- cess in it. ' Well, my son,' said Judge Webster, finally, ' your mother has always said that you would come to something or nothing — she was not sure which. I think you are now about settling that doubt for her.' The judge never afterwards spoke to his son on the subject." The account of this interesting event, as given by General Lyman, in his " Memorials," containj^ A BENEFACTOR. 121 «ome additional facts, which ought not to be omitted here. We give them in his own language : — " The difficulty of satisfying his father that the course he had resolved to pursue was the best, now arose in his mind. To aid Mr. Webster and his brother Ezekiel in obtaining an education, their fatlier had resorted to borrowing money, and there was a mortgage for it to be paid. A debt was a sore encumbrance, more so in those days than at the pres- ent time. Ezeisiel Webster was doing his best, and was then in Boston, teaching a select school, to earn money towards discharging that mortgage. Edward Everett, since so highly distinguished, was, by the by, one of his pupils. The desire to relieve his excellent father from ail pecuniary responsibility on his account, now that he had the power to do it, was of course very great ; but the sacrifice of his future prospects was in the scale weighing against the clerk- ship and its emoluments. In this dilemma, his friend, Mr. Rufus Green Emery, — be it mentioned to the credit of his fame, — on hearing what the difficulty was, put gold into Mr. Webster's pocket, and sent him home to see his father personally on the subject. I have heard Mr. Webster tell the story, and it is a pity that I should mar it. On arriving at home, he found his father sitting in his easy chair, not know- ing one word of what had passed in Boston, or of his intentions as to the clerkship. He received his son 122 PAYS HIS father's debts. affectionately, and with a maimer that seemed to say, Our anxieties are now ended.' His father lost no irme m telling him how ' readily and iiow handsomely his request had been complied with. I had not,' said he to his son, 'more than mentioned it before it was done.' ' His eyes,' said 3Ir. Webster, ' were brimful of the tears of gratitude, as he told it to me.' " ' Judge,' said he, ' of my father's disappoint- ment and manifest vexation, when I told him I must resign the office. He could not at first believe his own ears. He of course wanted to know the reason. I told him I could do better ! I laid down the gold to pay the mortgage, and all the debts on my own and my brother's account. 1 wrote a letter thanking the judges for the honor they had done me, and most respectfully resigned the office to which they had appointed me. Thereupon I hastened back to Boston, where the court was sitting at which I was licensed to practise. I then for the first time held up my hand and took the oaths of office.' " Mr. Gore, for the advice which he then gave, and Mr. Emery, for his removal of pecuniary embarrass- ment, merit the thanks of the whole country. That advice and assistance essentially aided in making Mr. Webster the great American statesman that he was. If he had accepttil a clerkship in court, he tnig^ht have died an incumbent of the office. He SETTLES IN BOSCAVVKN. 123 would no doubt have been punctual, faithful, and industrious. He would have been a model clerk, but he probably would never have moved senates, nor negotiated treaties. Here again we may see the intervention of divine Providence. Why did he happen to be a student of Mr. Gore ? Why did that appointment of clerk reach him before he- had left his studies and returned home 1 Why did Mr. Gore cherish the views and give the advice he did 1 Why, too, did Mr. Emery step forward and remove the strongest temptation to acceptance out of the way ? Why this combination of circumstances, ex- cept that a kind Providence interfered ? Had Mr. Gore's advice been the opposite of what it was, or had Mr. Emery been indifferent to the subject, who can tell what would have been the results ? After his admission to the bar, Mr. Webster went to Amherst, in New Hampshire, where his father was holding court, and accompanied him home. It had been his intention to open an office in Ports- mouth. That being a large town, and possessing some foreign commerce, it presented a promising field for practice. But filial duty prevented. The infirmities of age were now creeping upon his father His brother Ezekiel was absent, and, it being desi rable that one of the sons should be near the home- stead, Mr. Webster relinquished the idea of settling down at Portsmouth, and opened an office in Bos- 9 124 HIS FILIAL ATTACHMENT. cawei), near the residence of his father, and com- menced practice as a country lawyer. This was not an encouraging field, but the reason of its selec- tion developed a beautiful trait in Mr. Webster's character. His attachment to his parents was strong and tender. Although he was now of age, and had a right to go where he chose to seek his fortune, yet his filial affection prompted him to forego that right, and to settle down near the homestead, that he might cheer the hearts of his parents in their de- cline of life, and be at hand to render any service which they might need. No one denies that young children ought to love and reverence their parents ; but, alas ! examples are too numerous of those who seem to act as if, when they reached their majority, they outgrew filial obligation — as if from that pe- riod their language to their parents was, "It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited of me " — it is a gratuity, a favor, and not the dis charge of an obligation. Their parents are neg- lected, their feelings set at nought, their wishes dis- regarded. They are considered and treated as an encumbrance ; their death approaches too slowly ; and when it occurs, their affectionate children are relieved of a great burden. With Mr. Webster an opposite class of feelings predominated. Affection- ate attachment to his parents was a prominent trait of his character. For their comfort he sacrificed HIS APPEARANCE IN COURT. 125 for the time being, whatever emoluments he might have received in a larger but more distant field of professional labor. He has said in a letter, " My opening an office in Boscawen.was that I might be near him," i. e., his father. The sign which he then hung out, with " D. Webster, Attorney," upon it, is said to be still in existence. By some of his ad- mirers it would be highly prized, and treasured as a sacred memento of him whose name it bears. Down to the time that Mr. Webster commenced the practice of law, he was a thin and sickly-looking young man. His appearance in this respect was very different from what it was in the later periods of his life. It was not at all adapted to prepossess his hearers in liis favor, if we except his eloquent eye and expressive countenance. His physical con- stitution was by no means the appropriate represen- tation of his mental character. Under his outward weakness was concealed great intellectual strength, of which the following incident furnishes a striking illustration. The first case which he ever plead before a jury was of a civil character. It was one of considerable interest to the parties concerned, and created no small amount of public excitement. Colonel William Webster, a remote relative of Dan- -iel, was the sheriff of the county. After the trial was over, the sheriff stated to a friend, that he thought, " when Mr. Webster rose, that he would l26 HIS FIRST PLEA. not stand up Jong ; I was ashamed to see so lean and feeble a youog man come into court bearing the nam 3 of Webster ; but he astonished every body with tus eloquence, learning, and powers of reasoning." He exhibited such a familiar acquaintance with the principles of law, such skill in marshalling his facts, such ingenuity in stating them in the most fa- forable manner for his client, and such power of analysis and argument, that from this time he was never in want of business. Notwithstanding his thin and meagre appearance, he produced a decidedly favorable effect upon those wlio heard him ; his strength was mental, not physical. Under a feeble exterior he concealed the elements of an intellectual giant This first plea of Mr. Webster was heard by his father, and it was the only one to which he ■ had the pleasure to listen. The old gentleman, who, as we have said, was then one of the judges of New Hampshire, died soon after, but not before he had heard predictions of liis son's professional suc- cess, and had seen sufficient evidence of his genius to justify their probability. It was an interesting moment to them both, when the son, after having spent years in his collegiate and legal studies, was, by this first professional essay, to show his father the " first fruits " of his long and laborious training. It was doubtless to Mr. Webster a pleasant recollection all his subsequent life, thatliis THE TAVERN BILL. IST father was favored witli the opportunity of hearing him at least once before he died ; and the father must have accounted it no common privilege that he was permitted to witness this early effort of a beloved son in the new and difficult sphere which he had chosen. This first argument of Mr. Webster before a jury is said to have been founded upon a tavern bill amounting only to about twenty-four dollars. It was an encouraging circumstance that the verdict ren- dered was in favor of his client, the jury awarding him seventeen dollars. Another case which he conducted at the same term of court he lost, the jury returning a verdict for an amount somewhat larger than the above against his chant. This was in 1805 ; the next year he exhibited in a greater degree his abilities as a counsellor and a pleader. At that time an argu- ment which he delivered made such an impression upon a lad of some ten or twelve years of age, that though nearly fifty years have passed away, he re members the effect which it produced upon those who heard it, and the strong commendation which it re- ceivea from them. " I recollect," he writes, " with perfect distinctness, the sensation which the speech produced upon the multitude.* There was a great throng there, and they were loud in his praise. As • B. F. French, Esq. 128 KNACK OF TALKING. soon as the adjournment took place, the lawyers dropped into my father's office, and there the whole bearing of the young man underwent a discussion. It was agreed on all hands that he had made an ex- traordinary effort, when , by way of ac-- couuting for it, said, ' Ah, Webster has been study- ing in Boston, and has got a knack of talk- ing ; but let him take it rough and tumble a while here in the bush, and we shall see whether he will do so much better than other folks.'" After he had fairly entered into practice, Mr. Web- ster rose rapidly in his profession. " It is stated in the Life of Chief Justice Smith, that in 1806, before Mr. Webster had been admitted as a counsellor in the Superior Court, — and of course before he was entitled to address the jury, — being engaged as attorney in a cause of no great pe- cuniary importance, but of some interest and some intricacy, he was ' allowed to examine the witnesses, and briefly to state his case, both upon the law and the facts. Having done this, he handed his brief to Mr. Wilson, the senior counsel, for the full argu- ment of the matter. But the chief justice had no- ticed him, and on leaving the court house said to a member of the bar, that he had never before met such a young man as that.' " * It is often the case that clients endeavor to con- • Joel Parker, LL. D. CONTROLLING WITNESSES. 129 trol the evidence which their witnesses are to give in their case. Sometimes this interference i.s unduly excessive, and recoils with tremendous force upon him who has practised it. Such an instance occurred during the early part of Mr. Webster's career. As he occasionally narrated it for the amusement of his friends, we will give it in his own words : — " Soon after commencing the practice of my pro- fession at Portsmouth, I was waited on by an old acquaintance of my father's, resident in an adjacent county, who wished to engage my professional ser- vices. Some years previous, he had rented a farm, with the clear understanding that he could purchase it, after the expiration of his lease, for one thousand dollars. Finding the said farm productive, he soon determined to own it ; and, as he laid aside money for the purchase, he was prompted to improve what he felt certain he would possess. But his landlord, finding the property greatly increased in value, cool- ly refused to receive the one thousand dollars, when in due time it was presented ; and when his extor- tionate demand of double that sum was refused, he at once brought an action of ejectment. The man had but the one thousand dollars, and an unblem- ished reputation ; yet I willingly undertook his case. " The opening argument of the plaintiff's attorney left me little ground for hope. He stated that he could prove that iny client hired the farm, but there IW THE DETECTION. was not n word in the lease about the sale, nor was there a word spoken about the sale when the lease was signed, as he should prove by a witness. In short, his was a clear case, and I left the court room at dinner time with feeble hopes of success. By chance, I sat at table next a newly-commissioned militia officer, and a brother lawyer began to joke him about his lack of martial knowledge. ' Indeed,' he jocosely remarked, ' you should write down the orders, and get old W. to beat them into your sconce, as I saw him this morning, with a paper in his hand, teaching something to young M. in the court-house entry.' " Can it be, I thought, that old W., the plaintiff in the case, was instructing young M., who was his reliable witness 1 " After dinner the court was reopened, and M. was put on the stand. He was examined by the plaintiff's counsel, and certainly told a clear, plain story, repudiating all knowledge of any agreement to sell. When he had concluded, the opposite coun- sel, with a triumphant glance, turned to me, and asked me if I was satisfied. ' Not quite,' I replied. " I had noticed a piece of paper protruding from IM.'s pocket, and hastily approaching him, I seized it before he had tlie least idea of my intention. 'Now,' I asked, 'tell me if this paper does not de- tail the story you have so clearly lold, and is it not CHARACTER OF HIS PLEAS. 131 false 1 ' The witness hung his head with shame ; and when the paper was found to be what I had supposed, and in the very handwriting of old W., he lost his case at once. Nay, there was such a storm of indignation against him, that he soon removed to the west. " Years afterwards, visiting New Hampshire, I was the guest of my professional brethren at a pub- lic dinner ; and towards the close of the festivities, I was asked if I would solve a great doubt by answer- ing a question. ' Certainly.' ' Well, then, Mr. Webster, we have often wondered how you knew what was in M.'s pocket.' " During his practice of the law, Mr. Webster had many cases of great importance committed to him ; he very early took a high stand in his profes- sion ; he became the acknowledged leader of the bar ; he was opposed by the most distinguished law- yers of which the country could boast, yet always maintained an honorable position among them. He was so simple in the statement of his propositions, so forcible in his argument, so clear in his illustratious, there was such an honest, common-sense straightfor- wardness about him, which prompted liim to march, without any circuitousness, directly to his object, that he never failed of producing a deep impression upon the mind of a jury ; he addressed them as men ca- pable of understanding an argument, as men not to 132 ANECDOTES. be borne away by exciting appeals to their passions, but to be moved only by a cahn, clear, and logical address to their judgment. Such addresses he gave them. He reasoned to convince, and was suc- cessful. To show how highly his legal abilities and powtns of oratory were estimated by his contemporaries, the following anecdotes are given : — Mr. Webster practised law in Portsmouth nearly nine years, and during that time one of his best friends, and also his most prominent competitor, was the distinguished Jeremiah Mason. On one occasion a gentleman called upon the former for the purpose of securing his services in a Iriwsuit ; but Mr. Web- ster was compelled to decline^ the engagement, but recommended his client to Mr. Mason. " What do you think of the abilities of Mr. Ma- son ? " said the gentleman. " I think him second to no man in the country," replied Mr. Webster. The gentleman called upon Mr. Mason, and hav- ing secured his promise of assistance, he thought be would gratify his curiosity, and therefore questioned him as to liis opinion of Mr. Webster. " He's the very devil, in any case whatsoever," replied Mr. Mason ; " and if he's against you, I beg to be ea> cused." On another occiision, a gentleman of Nantucket ANECDOTES. 133 accosted a friend by saying, " I have wished to see you for some days, for I am in trouble, and wish your friendly advice." " What can it be 1 " replied the other. " Wliy, I have a lawsuit, and Webster is opposed to me : what shall I do ? " " My advice is," was the answer, " that your only chance of es- cape is, to send to Smyrna and import a young earth- quake." The extravagant character of these replies was prompted by the high opinion which was entertained of his commanding talents. CHAPTER IX. A dreadfu. Deed. — General Alarm. — Attack of two foot- pads Hatch's Disclosure. — Grant's Letters. — Grant ar- rested. — The Knapps arrested. — The Confession. — The Plot explained. — Palmer imprisoned. — Crowninshield's Signal. — Palmer's Fear. — The Trial. — IMr. Webster's Plea. — The Wicked insnare themselves. — Extraordinary Things. — Avoid bad Company. Although it does not fall in with the object of this volume to give an account of the various cases which Mr. Webster conducted through court, yet tiiere was one so peculiar, so exciting, so full of tragic interest, so illustrative of various conflicting moral principles, and which furnished an occasion for one of his most impressive pleas, that we are un- willing to omit its recital here. In the city of Salem, in the State of Massachu- setts, is a house Which is pointed out to strangers as a place where an act of thrilling atrocity was a few years since committed. It is in Essex Street, near Newbury Street, with a garden extending in the rear towards Brown Street, this latter street being parallel with Essex Street.* * The facts connected with this murder are derived (rom Hoa Benjamin Merrill's Narrative. 134 A HORKID DISCOVERY. l:{5 In this house resided a very wealthy, retired mer- chant of Salem, eighty-two years of age, whose name was Joseph White, Esq. He had neither wife nor children ; his family consisted of himself, his housekeeper, Mrs. Beckford, who was also his niece, and two servants, a man and woman. Early on the morning of the 7th of April, 1830, his servant man discovered that the back win- dow of the east parlor was open, and that a plank was resting against it, as if to furnish assistance in entering the house. His suspicions being excited that robbers had visited them, he immediately went to the parlor, but found all the furniture in its proper place, and no evidence of any person having been there. After informmg the maid servant of his dis- coveries, he visited Mr. White's chamber. As he entered the back door of the old gentleman's cham ber, he noticed that the other door, which opened into the front entry, was not closed. He now ap- proached the bed, and there beheld a sight which explained all the previous discoveries. The bed- clothes were drenched with blood, and Mr. White teas dead. The servant was horror stricken ; he and the maid servant were the only other persons in the house. Mrs. Beckford was on a visit to her daugh- ter's at Wenham. The alarm was instantly given. A crowd collected ; the coroner and physicians were sent for, who, upon examination, found thirteen deep 136 GREAT EXCITEMENT. Stabs on the body, made by some sharp instrument, and a heavy blow on the left temple ; although the skin was not broken, yet the skull was fractured. Gold coin and silver, to a considerable amount, were in his chamber, yet none of it was taken. With the exception of the bed, the room presented its usual appearance. Nothing was missed from the house, although it contained much silver plate, which might have been stolen, if plunder had been the object of the assassin. This deUberate, dreadful tragedy, committed, as it was, upon a well-known, respectable citizen, in a densely-settled part of the town, produced a deep and wide-spread excitement. So apparently motive- less was the deed, that all felt exposed to similar danger. Neglected windows and doors were ma«e more secure throughout the town. Watch dogs were obtained, and firearms were bought to increase the safety of the people. No one felt secure. Who was the criminal, or for what purpose the horrid deed had been committed, no one knew. The ex- citement was the more intense from the impenetrable mystery which enshrouded the whole subject. In addition to large rewards being offered by the heirs of Mr. White, by the town, and by the governor of the state, for the detection of the murderer, the citi- zens appointed a committee of vigilance, twenty- seven in number, who were to employ every means ATTEMPTEU ROBBERY. 137 in their power to discover the perpetrator of this dreadful crime. During the excitement of tlie community upon the subject, it was published in the newspapers, that a daring attempt at highway robberj had been made on Joseph J. Knapp, Jr., and John Francis Knapp, in Wenham, on the evening of the 27th of April. They stated before the committee of investigation, that when near Wenham Pond, on their way to Salem in a chaise, three men ap- proached them, one of whom stopped the horse by seizing the bridle ; the others then approached, one on each side, and attempted to seize a trunk which was in the chaise. The Rnapps of course resisted. Frank made a thrust at one of them with a sword cane, and Joseph struck the other in the face with the but-end of the whip. This decided resistance compelled them to retreat. After giving a loud whistle, as if it were a signal to their accomplices, they fled, being pursued a short distance, but un- successfully, by Frank Knapp. Their size, appear- ance, and dress were described with considerable minuteness. In the account of this occurrence, as stated in the Salem papers at the time, it was re- marked that the gentlemen thus attacked were " well known, and no one questioned their respectability or veracity." This event increased the excitement. It appeared as if there were a gang of robben 138 DIS,CIS. first an indifference to his glowing thoughts and fer- vent periods, the difficult mask was soon laid aside, and profound, undisguised, devoted attention fol- lowed. In the earlier part of his speech, one of his principal opponents seemed deeply engrossed in the careful perusal of a newspaper he held before his face ; but this, on nearer approach, proved to be upside down. In truth, all, sooner or later, volunta- rily, or in spite of themselves, were wholly carried away by the eloquence of the orator. " Those who had doubted Mr. Webster's abihty to cope with and overcome his opponents were fully satisfied of their error before he had proceeded far in his speech. Their fears soon took another direction. When they heard his sentences of pow- erful thought, towering, in accumulative grandeur, one above the other, ns if the orator strove, Titan- like, to reach the very heavens themselves, they were giddy with an apprehensicn that he would break down in his flight. They dared not believe that genius, learning, any intellectual endowment, however uncommon, that was simply mortal, could sustain itself long in a career seemingly so perilous. They feared an Icarian fall. " Ah, who can ever forget, that was present to hear the tremendous, the awful burst of eloquence, with which the orator spcjke of the Old Bay State f 01 the tones of deep pathos in which the words were pronounced 1 — HIS DEFENCE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 1?! " ' Mr. President, I shall enter on no encomium upon Massachusetts. There she is — behold her, and judge for yourselves. There is her history — the world knows it by heart ! The past, at least, is secure. There is Boston, and Concord, and Lex- ington, and Bunker Hill — and there they will re- main forever. The bones of her sons, falling in the great struggle for independence, now lie mingled with the soil of every state, from New England to Georgia — and there they will lie forever. And, sir, where American Liberty raised its first voice, and where its youth was nurtured and sustained, there it still lives, in the strength of its manhood, and full of its original spirit. If discord and dis- union shall wound it — if party strife and blind ambition shall hawk at and tear it — if folly and madness, if uneasiness under salutary and neces- sary restraint, shall succeed to separate it from that Union, by which alone its existence is made sure, it will stand, in the end, by the side of that cradle in which its infancy was rocked ; it will stretch forth its arm, with whatever of vigor it may still retain, over the friends who gather round it ; and it will fall at last, if fall it must, amidst the proudest mon- uments of its own glory, and on the very spot of its origin.' " What New England heart was there but throbbed with vehement, tumultuous, irrepressible emotion, as 188 THE SENSATION PRODUCED. he dwelt upon New England sufferings, New Eng- land struggles, and New England triumphs, during the war of the revolution 1 There was scarcely a dry eye in the Senate ; all hearts were overcome ; grave judges, and men grown old in dignified life, turned aside their heads to conceal the evidences of their emotion. " In one corner of the gallery was clustered a group of Massachusetts men. They had hung from the first moment upon the words of the speaker, with feelings variously but always warmly excited, deepen ing in intensity as he proceeded. At first, while the orator was going through his exordium, they held their breath and hid their faces, mindful of the sav- age attack upon him and New England, and the fearful odds against him, her champion ; as he went deeper into his speech, they felt easier ; when he turned Hayne's flank, on Banquo's ghost, they breathed freer and deeper. But now, as he alluded to Massachusetts, their feelings were strained to the highest tension ; and when the orator, concluding his encomium upon the land of their birth, turned, intentionally or otherwise, his burning eye fiill upon them, they shed tears like girls ! "No one who was not present can understand the excitement of the scene. No one who weis can give an adequate description of it. No word-paint ing can convey the deep, intense enthusiasm, the MR. Everett's TESTtMONT. 189 reverential attention, of that vast assembly, nor limner transfer to canvas their earnest, eager, awe- struck countenances. Though language wore as subtile and flexible as thought, it still would be impossible to represent the full idea of the scene. There is something intangible in an emotion, which cannot be transferred. The nicer shades of feeling elude pursuit. Every description, therefore, of the occasion, seems to the narrator himself most tame, spiritless, unjust. " Much of the instantaneous effect of the speech arose, of course, from the orator's delivery — the tones of his voice, his countenance, and manner. These die mostly with the occasion that calls them forth ; the impression is lost in the attempt at transmission from one mind to another. They can only be described in general terms. ' Of the effec- tiveness of Mr. Webster's manner, in many parts,' says Mr. Everett, 'it would be in vain to attempt to give any one not present the faintest idea. It has been my fortune to hear some of the ablest speeches of the greatest living orators on both sides of the water ; but I must confess, I never heard any thing which so completely realized my conception of what Demosthenes was when he delivered the oration for the crown.' " Another gentleman who was present on that deep- ly interesting occasion, in describing the effect pro- 190 hatne's acknowledgment. duced upon his own mind by this speech of Mr Webster, said, — " He was a totally different thing from any public speaker I ever heard. I sometimes felt as if I were jooking at a mammoth treading, at an equable and stately pace, his native canebrake, and, without apparent consciousness, crushing obstacles which na- ture had never designed as impediments to him." On the evening of the day on which this great speech was delivered, the president held a levee in the White House, as his mansion is called. A large and brilliant company were assembled. The famous east room was crowded. There were representa- tives, senators, judges, naval officers, gentlemen of distinction from abroad, private citizens, and ladies, all attired in elegant costume befitting the occasion. At one end of this spacious apartment was Colonel Hayne, surrounded by his friends ; at the other end was Daniel Webster, in the centre of a group of his admirers. During the evening Mr. Hayne made his way to the opposite end of the room, for the purpose of expressing his congratulations to his distinguished opponent. Mr. Webster saw him ap- proaching, and when he had arrived sufficiently near, he advanced with his hand extended, and in his ac- customed familiar manner said, " How are you, Colonel Hayne 1 " to which the colonel immediately replied, " None the better for you, sir." A frank acknowledgment of a painful truth. IMPORTANCE or THIS SPEECH. 191 Mr. Webster's reply in the Senate to Mr. Hayne was soon widely circulated. It was printed in the papers of all the states of the Union ; it was rend and commented on by thousands ; it assisted to dissipate the dark clouds which were gathering over our country ; it arrested nullification ; it neutral- ized the effect of wrong views respecting state rights, and the relation of the several states to the national government, by presenting those which were correct; it rendered important assistance in saving the coun- try from a civil war, and perhaps from a dissolution of the Union. The crisis was one of great respon- sibility, and nobly was it met. This single speech, viewed in connection with the circumstances under which it was delivered, and the important effects which followed it, was enough to have given him great and permanent renown, though he had per formed no other public act during his life ; but when we remember that this was only one of a long series of important acts, scattered over a period of forty years, in which Mr. Webster proved himself equal to every occasion, and competent to suggest reme- dies, in accordance with his views of the constitution, for every difficulty, however great or intricate, in which the nation was involved, our admiration of his transcendent abilities is greatly increased. Another speech which was delivered by Mr Webster in the Senate of the United States, and 192 SEVENTH OF MABCH SPEECH. wluch produced a profound sensation throughout the country, was given on the 7th of March, 1850, and is in his printed works entitled the Constitution and the Union ; it is more generally known as his speech in support of the fugitive slave bill. As this was one of the most important speeches of Mr. Webster during his long congressional career, it is proper that we allude to it in this connection. It should be remembered that when the union of the states was formed, a number of the states at the north, as well as those at the south, sanctioned sla- very. It was no uncommon thing for the slaves — apprentices and servants — to escape from one "state and flee into another ; it was, therefore, deemed important that, in the constitution of the United States, provision should be made for the reclaiming of these fugitives. The south was unwilling to form a union with the north without such provision. The north consented,; it was accordingly inserted in the constitution, that persons held to service in one state, who should escape and flee into another state, might be reclaimed by those who held them as servants. With this the Southern States were satisfied, and, believing that in this matter the north ivas acting in good faith, they cheerfully came into the Union. In the course of years, great difficulty was expe rienced in executing this provision of the constitu NATIONAL EXCITEMENT. 193 tion. The men who framed that important docu- ment passed away ; other generations arose and cook their places ; amongst these were many who regretted the existence of this provision, and who were unwilling to comply with it. The legislatures of some of the states passed laws adverse to it, and designed to impede its execution. Associations were formed at the north to aid the flight of slaves into Canada, which were instrumental in bringing many out of bondage into the enjoyment of personal lib- erty. The south became irritated, accused the Northern States of violating the constitution, and threatened to withdraw from the Union. The ex- citement occasioned by this state of things was wide- spread and intense. It was believed by some that the Union was in danger. Under these circumstances, Mr. Webster felt it to be his duty to exert himself to the fnll extent of his ability to allay the universal agitation. For this purpose he delivered, on the 7th of March, 1850, his great speech for the Constitution and the Union, in which he favored the passage of a law for re- claiming fugitive slaves. This speech awakened widely different feelings throughout the country. There were those who regarded it as evidence of treason to freedom — as an act which sullied what would otherwise have been his spotless fame. Many 194 OPPOBITE r>pi!«OI«». of his own political friends deeply regretted the po- sition which he then assumed. The pulpit and the press poured out upon him their burning anathemas. No language was too strong in which to give expres- sion to the animadversions which were indulged: But others took a directly opposite view. They re- garded it as preeminently judicious and timely, as a neutralizing element, thrown into the caldron of public opinion, where the elements of disunion were in violent effervescence. It appeared to them as the greatest and most valuable offering Mr. Webster ever made for his country's good — as the crown- ing glory of his life. The following extracts are presented eis speci- mens of these opposite views. The first is from an article on Mr. Webster in one of our leading Quarterlies. " We were in Boston when the telegraph brought a few brief lines, indicating the positions of that 7th of March speech. Almost every body seemed filled with amazement, and suggested that the Washington telegraphist must be a mischievous wag, or that the lightning had falsified the message with whose deliv- ery it had been charged. The wisest editors con- fessed themselves puzzled, and besought the public to suspend their judgment till the facts could be learned. " The speech itself came in due time, and then EXTRACT FROM A REVIEW. 196 there was doubt no longer. The whole north seemed indignant, and Massachusetts hung her head in mortification. Even in her legislative halls, men who liad never been suspected of radical tendencies shook their heads meaningly, and muttered of treachery and Benedict Arnold. The Bay State felt that her honest pride had been heartlessly humbled, and her confidence abused. But Daniel Webster was a great man, having great influence ; and the question was mooted, at first privately, whether we could aiford to lose him. The tone of the press was changed ; the legislature laid the proposition to re- quest him to resign his seat under the table ; politi- cal commentators wrote parodies on the speech ; the merchants apologized for its seeming severity on northern lieresies ; the pulpit pleaded for moderation ; a thousand men of standing and property wrote him a letter of thanks ; he himself came on, and rode through the streets of Boston, telling her, as he went, that he was on the road of political safety ; and then we knew that the battle of freedom was to be fought, not only without his assistance, but with his giant form towering up in the van of the hosts of despotism, making a mock of our faith and our feebleness." The next is from a Eulogy of Daniel Web- ster, by a distinguished divine. " At a later period, and nearer to our own timeSi 196 EULOGY. the prevalence at tlie nortli of hostility to southern institutions gave birth to projects by which the Union and the constitution were again endangered — the Union by fostering a spirit of desperate sec- tional animosity, the constitution by trampling on the guaranties established by it for the protec- tion of the rights of the slaveliolding states. Through the excitement consequent upon these projects, the public business was brouglit to a stand, and the public mind dismayed with the apprehension of coming evils. In this crisis, the veteran senator from Massachusetts was seen again at liis post, look- ing somewhat older, but showing no abatement either in the power of his mind or the fire of his patriotism. He stood where he always had stood, and where he had promised he should always be found — for the constitution and the Union. The ussnilants came from the opposite point of the compass, and so he had faced about ; but he had not changed sides. It was no longer the gay and prancing chivalry of the south which he had to en- counter ; but a sturdy and multitudinous northerii constituency, and foremost among them his old friends from Massachusetts, with whom and for whom he had stood so long, now advancing under .'lew leaders, and impelled to constantly new en- croachments by the ;{ggresslve force of moral and religious convictions. The impending contest im A SEVERE TRIAL.. 197 posed upon him the severest trial of his hfe. It required his parting with old friends, for whom he cherished profound esteem, and whose animating convictions on the great question at issue were deeply shared by him, in every thing but in their threatening aspect to the Union and the constitution. But so long as he believed these to be in danger, it concerned him little who were friends or foes. In the similar crisis just referred to, he had united in tlie defence of the constitution with an administra- tion to the general policy of which he was strongly opposed, and against which he had always acted ; and he was prepared now, in a case equally involv- ing the stability of the government, to separate from those whose general policy he approved and had al- ways sup]3orted. He foresaw the storm he was raising ; but it did not move him from his purpose. He was wilhng now, as before, to take his chance among those upon whom blows might fall first and faU tiiickest. And accordingly on the 7th of March ills voice was again heard, in tones as earnest as ever came from his lips, speaking, not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a northern man, but as an American, and as a member of the Senate of the United States. ' He felt,' he said, ' that he had a duty to perform, a part to act, not for his own security, for he was looking out for no fragment upon which to float away from the wreck, if wreck there must be, 198 THE RESULT. but for tho good of tlie whole, for the preservation of the Union.' It has turned out here, as before, that the post of danger, assumed vokintarily in the spirit of self-sacrifice, became the post of honor. By a singular felicity of fortune, Mr. Webster be came, the second time, the principal instrument of a deliverance as signal as any which has occurred in the history of the nation. By common consent he is entitled to the principal credit of this great settle- ment, in which the north and the south have once more embraced each other with fraternal affection, and under which the country has resumed its wonted career of peace and prosperity." The above quotations are sufficient to convey an idea of the conflicting opinions which were cherished of Mr. Webster's course on that trying occasion by different portions of the community. This diversity of sentiment will long exist, and Will doubtless have — whether justly or unjustly — great influence upon the opinions of men, not only respecting his policy and conduct in that particulai tustance, but also as to his general character. CHAPTER XI. Ezekiel Webster. — A noble Mother. — An affecting Night Scene. — Fraternal Attachment. — Touching Tribute of Affec- - tion. — A beautirul Letter. — Dedications. — Living Monu ments. — The Profile. — Mother's Garden. — Mr. Webster visits his Grave. — The Cemetery His Remarks. — Monu mental Inscriptions. — Mr. Webster's Poetry, " The Memory of the Heart." With all his greatness, Mr. Webster was a man of tender sensibility. His domestic attachments were strong. His exalted honors did not dry up the fountains of deep feeling. Several incidents, illustrative of these traits of character, we propose to group together in the present chapter. While Mr. Webster was pursuing his course of studies at college, his brother Ezekiel was at home, assisting his father in carrying on the farm. He was a strong young man, both physically and intel- lectually. Daniel appreciated his talents, and be- lieved that, with suitable cultivation, he might attain to distinction in professional life. He was unwilling to enjoy the benefits of a public education alone. He earnestly desired that the same boon might be conferred upon his brother, and he resolved that it should be, if any influence of his could effect it. He determined to make the effort by introducing 199 SiOO A NOBLE MOTHER. the matter first to Ezekiel and then to his father. When spending the vacations at home, he and his brotiier were accustomed to sleep togetlier. One night, after they had retired to rest, Daniel opened the matter to his brother, and they conversed freely upon it. " Daniel utterly refused to enjoy the fruit of his brother's labor any longer. They were united in sympathy and affection, and they must be united in their pursuits. But bow could they leave their beloved parents, in age and solitude, with no pro- tector 1 They talked and wept, and wept and talked, till dawn of day. They dared not broach the matter to their father. Finally Daniel resolved to be the orator upon the occasion. Judge Webster was then somewhat burdened with debts. He was advanced in age, and had set his heart upon hav- ing Ezekiel as his helper. The very thought of separation from both his sons was painful to him. When the proposition was made, he felt as did the patriarch of old, when he exclaimed, - Joseph is not, and will ye also take Benjamin away 1 ' A family council was called. The mother's opinion was asked. She was a strong-minded woman. She was not blind to the superior endowments of her sons. With all a mother's partiality, however, she did not over-estimate their powers. She decided the matter at once. Her reply was, ' I have lived long in the world, and have been happy in my children. AFFECTIONATE BROTHERS. 201 If Daniel and Ezekiel will promise to take care of me in my old age, I will consent to the sale of all our property at once, and thetj may enjoy the benefit of that which remains after our debts are paid.^ This was a moment of intense interest to all the parties. Parents and children all mingled their tears together,' and sobbed aloud, at the thought of separation. The father yielded to the entreaties of the sons and the advice of his wife. Daniel returned to college, and Ezekiel took his little bundle in his hand, and sought on foot the scene of his preparatory studies. In one year he joined his younger brother in college." * All honor to that self-denying, noble mother, who, for the intellectual improvement of her chUdreu, would have consented to the sale of all the property, and who " decided the matter at once." Let her character ever be held in grateful remembrance. With such mothers, our country will never want for able statesmen. How affecting, too, is the scene of that night's interview between those two brothers, talking and weeping about their difficulties and pros- pects till the dawn of day — the younger laboring to persuade the elder to relinquish the tilling of the land, in order to cultivate his own mind, and the elder dwelling upon the obstructions in the way, only, however, to hear a method suggested by Dan- iel, by ^vhich those impediments might be removed \ ' Lyman's Memorial. 14 202 THE HIGHEST COMMENDATION. This attachment between these two brothers con- tinued through Ufe. Ezekiel being the elder, the other was accustomed to cherish great respect for his opinions. Daniel seems to have regarded the approbation of Ezekiel as a higher commendation than the praises of the multitude. After his splendid reply to Hayne, in the United States Senate, and when no language was strong enough to give full expression to the admiration which it had awakened throughout the land, he was heard to say, " How I ■wish that my poor brother had lived till after this speech, that I might know if he would have been gratified ! " He, on whose lips a vast multitude had hung with delight, — who had astonished the greatest minds in the nation by his wonderful versatility of talent, in which satire, pathos, logical power, keen analysis, and beauty of rhetoric, were all combined, and by means of which an ingenious and graceful competitor was effectually overthrown, in one of the most powerful intellectual contests that this or any other country has ever witnessed, and whilst the victor's enthusiastic praises were on every tongue, — liis heart was modestly going forth towards his brother, as if his satisfaction could not be com- plete without that brother's commendation ! And where, in the history of poUtical literature is there a more affecting tribute of fraternal love than in the following dedication of the first volume of bis speeches : — FKATERNAL TRIBUTE. 203 " To my Nieces, Mrs. Alice Bridge Whipple, and Mrs. Mary Ann Sanborn. " Many of the speeches contained in this vohimc were delivered and printed in the lifetime of your father, whose fraternal affection led him to speak of them with approbation. " His death, which happened when he had onl)' just passed the middle period of Ufe, left you with- out a father, and me without a brother. " I dedicate this volume to you, not only for the love I have for yourselves, but also as a tribute of affection to his memory, and from a desire that the name of my brother, Ezekiel Webster, may be asso- ciated with mine, so long as any thing written or spoken by me shall be regarded or read. "Danl. Webster." As in early life he resolved that his brother should share the benefits of education with him, so in the zenith of his glory he desired to make him a par- ticipant of his honors, by indissolubly associating their names together. The following characteristic letter of Mr. Web- ster, written May 3, 1846, at Franklin, New Hamp- shire, contains some allusion, not only to his brother, but to other members of his family, which are beau- tifu'ly illustrative of his affectionate domestic attach- ments t — 204 INTERESTING LETTER. " Sunday, I o'clock. " Mt dear Sir : - 1 have made satisfactory arrangements respect lug the house, the best of which is, that I find I can leave it where it is, (that is, the main house,) and yet be comfortable, notwithstanding the raih'oad. This saves a great deal of expense. " This house faces due north. Its front wmdows look towards the River Merrimack. But then the river soon turns to the south, so that the eastern windows look towards the river also. But the river has so deepened its channel in this stretch of it, in the last fifty years, that we caimot see its water without approaching it, or going back to the higher lands behind us. The history of this change is of considerable importance in the philosophy of streams. 1 have observed it practically, and know something of the theory of the phenomenon ; but I doubt whether the world will ever be benefited either by my learning or my observation in this respect. Looking out at the east windows, at this moment, (2 P. M.,) with a beautiful sun just breaking out, my eye sweeps a rich and level field of one hundred acres. At the end of it, a tliird of a mile off, I see plain marble gravestones, designating the places where repose my father, my mother, my brother INTERESTING LETTER. 205 Juscph, and my sisters Mehetabel, Abigail, and Sa- rah, good and Scripture names, inherited from their Puritan ancestors. "My father, Ebenezer Webster, born at Kings- ton, in the lower part of the state, in 1739, was the handsomest man I ever saw, except my brother Ezekiel, who appeared to me — and so does he now seem to me — tlie very finest human form that ever I laid eyes on. I saw him in his coffin — a white forehead, a tinged cheek, a complexion as clear as heavenly light. But where am I straying? The grave has closed upon him, as it has on all my brothers and sisters. We shall soon be all together. But this is melancholy, and I leave it. Dear, dear kindred blood, how I love you all ! " This fair field is before me. I could see a lamb on any part of it. I have ploughed it, and raked it, and hoed it ; but I never mowed it. Somehow, I could never learn to hang a scythe. I had not wit enough. My brother Joe used to say that my fathei' sent me to college in order to make me equal to the rest of the children ! " Of a hot day in July — it must have been in one of the last years of Washington's administra- tion — 1 was making hay, with my father, ju.st where 1 now see a remaining elm tree. About the middle of the afternoon, the Honorable Abiel Foster, M. C, «rho lived iu Canterbury, six miles oiT, called at the 206 EARLY RECOLLECTIONS. house, and came into the field to see my father He was a worthy man, college learned, and had been a minister, but was not a person of any con- siderable natural power. My father was his friend and supporter. He talked a while in the field, and went on his way. When he was gone, my father called me to him, and we sat down beneath the elm, on a haycock. He said, ' My son, that is a worthy man. He is a member of Congress. He goes to Philadelphia, and gets six dollars a day, while I toil here. It is because he had an education, which I never had. If I had had his early education, I should have been in Philadelphia in his place. I came near it as it was. But I missed it, and now I must work here.' ' My dear father,' said I, ' you shall not work. Brother and I will work for you, and wear our hands out, and you shall rest.' And I remember to have cried, and I cry now at the recol- lection. ' My child,' said he, ' it is of no importance to me ; I now live but for my children. I could not give your elder brother the advantages of knowl- edge, but I can do something for you. Exert your- self; improve your opportunities; learn, learn. and when I am gone, you will not need to go through the hardships which I have undergone, and which have made me an old man before my time.' " The next May he took me to Exeter, to the Phillips Exeter Academy, placed me under the riLIAL LOVE. 207 tuition of its excellent preceptor, Dr. Benjamin Ab- bott, still living, and fr^rti that time . . . " My father died in April, 1806. I neither left him nor forsook him. My opening an office at Bos- cawen was that I might be near him. I closed his eyes in this very house. He died at sixty-seven years of age, after a life of exertion, toil, and ex- posure — a private soldier, an officer, a legislator, a judge, every thing that a man could be to whom Learning never had disclosed her ' ample page.' My first speech at the bar was made when he was on the bench. -He never heard me a second time. He had in him what I collect to have been the char- acter of some of the old Puritans. He was deeply religious, but not sour ; on the contrary, good hu- mored, facetious ; sharing, even in his age, with a contagious laugh ; teeth all as white as alabaster ; gentle, soft, playful ; and yet having a heart in him that he seemed to have borrowed from a lion. He could frown, — a frown it was, — but cheerfulness, good humor, and smiles composed his most usual aspect ' Ever truly yours, &c., " Daniel Webster." How touching is the allusion to Ezekiel ! "a white forehead, a tinged cheek, a complexion clear aa heaven's liglit. The grave has closed upon him 208 TOUCHING ALLUSIONS. as 11 has U])on all my brothers and sisters. We shall soon all be together. Dear, dear Idndred hhod, how I loved you all ! " And then his reference to his father : " My father died. I neither left him nor forsook him. I closed his eyes." During the presidential campaign of 1840, the opponents of General Harrison sneered at him be- cause he was born in a log cabin. This gave occa- sion for the following outburst of moving eloquence from Mr. Webster, in which there are other af- fecting allusions to his father. " Gentlemen, it did not happen to me to be born in a log cabin ; but my elder brothers and sisters were born in a log cabin, raised amid the snowdrifts of New Hampshire, at a period so early as that, when the smoke first rose from its rude chimney, and curled over the frozen hills, there was no simi- lar evidence of a wliite man's habitation between it and the settlements on the rivers of Canada. Its remains still exist. I make to it an annual visit. I carry my children to it, to teach them the hardships endured by the generations which have gone before them. I love to dwell on the tender recollections, the kindred ties, the early affections, and the touch- ing narrations and incidents, which mingle with all ( know of this primitive family abode. I weep to think that none of those who inhabited it are now DEDICATIONS. 209 among the living ; and if ever I am ashamed of it, or if I ever fail in affectionate veneration for him who raised it and defended it against savage violence and destruction, cherished all the domestic virtues be death its roof, and through the fire and blood of a seven years' revolutionary war, shrunk from no dan- ger, no toil, no sacrifice to serve his country, and to raise his children to a condition better tlian his own, may my name, and the name of my posterity, be ijlotted forever from the memory of mankind." The same delicate sensibility was evinced by Mr. Webster in the dedications of tlie last five volumes nf his works. It is appropriate, therefore, tliat they be inserted here as illustrative of an interesting fea ture of his character. Second Volume. " To Isaac P. Davis, Esq. " My dear Sir : A warm private friendship has subsisted between us for half our lives, interrupted by no untoward occurrence, and never for a moment cooling into indifl'orence. Of this friendship, the source of so much happiness to me, I wish to leave, if not an enduring memorial, at least an affectionate and grateful acknowledgment. I inscribe this volume to you. " Daniel Webstea." 210 DEDICATIONS. Third Volume. " T J Mrs. Caroline Le Roy Webster. " My dearly-beloved Wife: I cannot allow these volumes to go to the press without containing a tribute of my affection, and some acknowledgment of the deep interest that you have felt in the pro- ductions which they contain. You have witnessed the origin of most of them, not with less concern, certainly, than has been felt by their author ; and the degree of favor with which they may now be received by the public will be as earnestly re- garded, I am sure, by you as by myself. The op- portunity seems also a fit one for expressing the high and warm regard which I ever entertained for your honored father, now deceased, and the respect and esteem which I cherish towards the members of that amiable and excellent family to which you belong. " Daniel Webster." Fourth Volume. "To Fletcher Webster, Esq. " My dear Sir : I dedicate one of the volumes of these speeches to the memory of your deceased brother and sister, and I am devoutly thankful that I am able to inscribe another volume to you, my only surviving child, and the object of my affection and hopes. You have been of an age, at the appearance of most of these speeches and writings, DEDICATIONS. 21 1 at which you were able to read and understand them ; and in the preparation of some of them you have taken no unimportant jiart. Among the diplo- matic papers, there are several written by yourself wholly or mainly, at the time when official and con- fidential connections subsisted between us in the de- partment of state. The principles and opinions expressed in these productions are such as I believe to be essential to the preservation of the Union, the maintenance of the Constitution, and the advance- ment of the country to still higher stages of pros- perity and renown. These objects have constituted my polestar during the whole of my political life, which has now extended through more than half the period of the existence of the government. And I know, my dear son, that neither parental authority nor parental example is necessary to induce you, in whatever capacity, public or private, you may be called to act, to devote yourself to the accomplish- ment of the same ends. "YOUK AFFECTIONATE FaTHEB." Fyth Volume. " To J. W. Paige, Esq. "My dear Sir : The friendship which has subsisted so long between us, springs not more from our close family connections than from similarity of opinions and sentiments. 1 count it among the advantages 212 DEDICATIONS. and pleasures of my life, a.nd pray you to allow me as a slight, but grateful token of my estimate of it, to dedicate to you this volume of my speeches. " Daniel Webster." Sixth Volume. " With the warmest parental affection, mingled with afflicted feelings, I dedicate this the last volume of my works to the memory of my deceased children, Julia Webster Appleton, beloved in all the relations of daughter, wife, mother, sister, and friend ; and Major Edward Webster, who died in Mexico, in the military service of the United States, with unblem- ished honor and reputation, and who entered the service solely from a desire to be usefiil to his coun- try, and do honor to the state in which he was born. " 'Gro, gentle spirits, to your destined rest ; While I — reversed our nature's kindlier doom, Pour forth a father's sorrow on your tomb.' " Daniel Webster." Over Mr. Webster's farm at Marshfield are scat- tered numerous trees, many of which have a history that associates them directly with the owner of the estate ; among these are two small elms, which stand immediately in front of the mansion. They were planted there for a special purpose, under the following circumstances : one day, after Mr. Web- ster had been absent from the house for some MEMENTOES. . 2-13 time, he was seen returning with two small trees, and the shovel with which he had removed them. Calling for his son, Fletcher, he conducted him to the front of the house, and, after digging the holes and planting the trees without assist- ance, he turned to his son, and said, in a suhdued tone of voice, " My son, protect these trees after 1 am gone ; let tliem ever remind you of Julia and Ed- ward." In the presence of his only surviving child he planted those trees, as living monuments to the memory of the two who had departed. Step, now, into the house, and, amongst the many objects of interest which will there be seen is a small profile cut in black, elegantly framed, with a single line in Mr. Webster's own writing: — " Mt excellent Mother. " D. W." We venture the prediction that that modest pro- file will awaken in the breasts of the Marshfield vis- itors far deeper and tenderer emotions than many of the more costly and showy articles which may there be seen. In one of his letters to that " true man," John Taylor, who had charge of Elms Farm, he gave him a strict charge to take care of his mother's gar- den, though it required the labor of one man. Mr. Webster provided, n Marshfield, and not fiir 214 THE FAMILY CEMETERY. from his residence, a family cemetery. It is upon the summit of a hill, from which may be seen, on one side, a mde extent of country, embracing, amongst other interesting objects, the site of the old church, — the first ever .erected in the town, — and the ocean, rolling its blue waves in ceaseless sublimity to the shore. On one of his last visits to this sacred spot, he was accompanied by Mr. Lanman. They approached the place in silent reverence, and, whilst, standing there, Mr. Webster, pointing to the tomb and the enclosed green spot, said, in a deliberate and im pressive manner, — " This will be my home ; and here three menu ments will soon be erected — one for the mother of my children, one each for Julia and Edward, and there will be plenty of room in front for the little ones that must follow them." These were the only words he uttered. They were enough to indicate the current of his thoughts and feelings. He was thinking, with tender interest, of the dead and of the living, — of those who had gone, and of those who were to follow, — not for- getting himself. " This will be my home." Alas ! how soon was this verified ! The monuments to which he referred are now there. They are simple columns, with granite bases and marble caps, con- taining tlie following inscriptions : — MONUMENTAI, INSCRIPTIONS. 2\t, "eSrace fflWebstct, Wife of Daniel Webster ; Born January 16, 1781 ; Died January 21, 1828. BUtsea are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "Uulfa TOclistet, Wife of Sauuel Appleton Appletok ; Bom'January 16, 1818 j Died April 18, 1848. Let me gOf for the day breaketh." "JWafov 5Batoar5 ffiSJebster: Born July 23, 1820; Died at San Angel, in Mexico, In tile military service of his country, January 23, 1848. A dearly beloved son and brother.^' Over the door of the tomb is a plain marble slab, on which is inscribeil, in bold, deep letters, the name of » Daniel Webster." We see, from the above facts, that intellectual greatness is in perfect harmony with delicate sensi- bility. A man may, at one time, hold a nation spell- bound by his eloquence, or in senates, or with for- eign ambassadors, be discussing, in the profoundest manner, the most intricate questions of ioternational 216 " THE MEMOHY OF THE HEART." law, and at another time may be giving exercise, in the most delicate manner, to the tenderest sentiments' of affection. There is nothing unmanly in the strongest attachment, even though it finds »ts ex- pression in a tear. When Mr. Webster vp'as in England, he wrote the following lines, in which he doubtless refers to his own experience of "THE MEMORY OF THE HEART. " If stores of dry and learned lore we gain, We keep them in the memory of the brain j Names, things, and facts — whate'er we knowledge call There is the common leger for ihem all ; And images on this cofld surface traced Make slight impressions, and are soon effaced. * But we've a page more glowing and more bright On which our friendship and our love to write , That these may never from the soul depart. We trust them to the. mevwry of the heart. There is no dimming — no effacement here ; Each new pulsation keeps the record clear j Warm, golden letters all the tablet fill, Nor lose their lustre till the heart stands still. ' London, November 19, 1839." CHAPTER XII. Mr. Websiers M;rthfulness. — A playfu Letter. — Mr. Choate'a Pathos. — Webster's practical Joke. --Mr. Choate's poor Writ- ing. — Effect of the Joke. — Mr. Webster's Trout Law. — " That ain't the Worst of it." — Amusing Contrast. — The Sen- ate interrupted. — Webster and the Buckeyes. — " Old Web- ster " and the sporting Snobs. — Appearances deceptive. — Webster's Wit. — Amusing Reply. — " Venerable " Troul, — Effect of Cheerfulness. — Webster's Spelling Book. To see Mr. Webster in some grave debate, or when pleading an important case before a jury, an individual might infer, from the dignity and serious- ness of his manner, that cheerfulness was not an element of his nature. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Among the strata which entered into the composition of his character was a vein of mirthful ness, that ofttimes cropped out above the sur- face of his habitual gravity, revealing the rich stores that were concealed beneath. Sometimes this play- fill humor was mingled with his professional duties. It is conspicuous in the first part of his great reply to Hayne. On one occasion he conducted a case in Boston, before the Circuit Court, having reference to the violation of some patent for a wheel. Whilst the 15 . 217 218 WEBbTER's MIRTHFULNES3. case was in progress, he wrote the following lettei to a friend, who says of it, " The letter is not, of course, written for the public eye ; but I have per- mission to use it, and make extracts from it. You will see, from its half serious and half ironical char- acter, how playful he can be, even while sitting at the bar, waiting for his turn to be heard in a cause. He speaks of himself in it as he supposes others will speak of him. To show you that he is not al- ways cold and unbending, I will give you an extract from the letter." The following is the extract : — " Boston, Jan. 15, '49 — Monday, 12 o'clock, In C. Court, United States. " Marcy vs. Sizer being on trial, and Tabero dicente in longum ;' and another snow storm appearing to be on the wing. " My dear Sir : We are in court yet, and so shall be some days longer. We have the evidence in, and a discussion on the law, preliminary to our summing up, is now going on. I think it will con- sume the remainder of this day, if it lasts no longer. Mr. Choate will speak to-morrow, and I close im- mediately after. . . . " I am afraid my luck is always bad, and I fear ia always to be so." . . . Here Mr. Webster speaks of what he expects, and about which he fears he may be disappointed, and the consequences of it He then goes on to say, — * Taber making a long plea. A HUMOROUS LETTER. 219 " It will be said, or may be said, hereafter, Mr. Webster wa.^ a laborious man in his profession and other pui suits. He never tasted of the bread of idleness. His profession yielded him, at some times, large amounts of income ; but he seems never to Iiaie aimed at accumulation, and perhaps was not justly sensible of the importance and duty of preser- vation. Riches were never before his eyes as a lead- ing object of regard. When young and poor, he was more earnest in strugghng for eminence than in efforts for making money ; and in after life, rep- utation, public regard, and usefulness in high pur- suits, mainly engrossed his attention. He always said, also, that he was never destined to be rich ; that no such star presided over his birth ; that he never obtained any thing by any attempts or efforts out of the line of his profession ; that his friends, on several occasions, induced him to take an inter- est in business operations ; that, as often as he did so, loss resulted, till he used to say, vhen spoken to on such subjects, ' Gentlemen, if you have any pro- jects for money-making, I pray you keep me out of them ; my singular destiny mars every thing of that sort, and would be sure to overwhelm your own better fortunes.' " After this he says, — " Mr. Webster was the author of that short biog- raphy of most good lawyers, which has been ascribed to other sources, viz., that they * lived well, tvorkea bard, and died poor.' " ^0 Webster's poetkt. And in the same letter he tells the following an- ecdote of himself: — Sitting one day at the bar in Portsmouth, with an elderly member of the bar, his friend, who enjoyed with safficient indulgence that part of a lawyer's lot which consists " in living well," Mr. Webster made an epitaph, which would not be unsuitable : — *' Natus consumere fruges ; Frugibus consumptis, Hie jacet k. C. S." * At the close of the letter, he added the following postscript, relative to the case on trial : — " Half past 2 o'clock — Cessat Taber ; Choate se- quitur, in questione juris, crastino die. t " Taber is learned, sharp and dry ; Choate full of fancy, soaring liigh } Both lawyers of the best report, True to their clients and the court ; What sorrow doth a Christian feel, Both should be ' broken on a wlieel ! ' " The same gentleman says, " I have many letters like this, and I have always found him, throughout all my travelling, sojourning, and sports with him, one of the most agreeable men, one of the most amiable and playful I ever met with. No one has * Being bom to eat fruit ; and having consumed all, here liei U. C. S. t Taber ceases ; Choate follows, on the question of equity, Uy mirrow WEBSTER AND CHOATE. 221 known him more intimately, or has seen him ottener, under every variety of circumstances, for fifteen years." We were in the Circuit Court in Boston on a simi- lar, perhaps on the very same occasion, when he and Mr. Choate were pitted against each other in a case in which the violation of a patent for the pro- tection of a new kind of wheel for rail cars was the question at issue. Mr. Choate, after pleading nearly three days, closed with a very pathetic appeal to the sympathies of the jury in behalf of his client. H« begged them to consider the condition of his client, and the effect which would be produced upon him and his family if their verdict was against him. The peroration produced a decided impression. Mr. Webster was to follow immediately. It was his first object to dispel the effect of Mr. Choate's closing appeal. This he did most effectually by a practical joke, which produced a sensation of hilari- ty throughout the whole court room. To appre- ciate" its point, it should be known that a short time prior to this trial, Mr. Choate had been invited to give an address on some public occasion in a distant town. When his reply reached, the committee from whom he had received the invitation, such was the peculiarity of tlie chirography, or so badly was the reply written, that none of them could read it. They were obliged to send for some one well skilled 22!i choate's handwriting. in deciphering difficult penmanship to translate the document. This anecdote was at that very time going the rounds of the papers. It had been read by many, if not by all, in the court room. After Mr. Choate had finished his plea, and had gone away from the table, where he had left his brief, or outline-- of argument, wliich was written on a number of loose sheets of paper, Mr. Webster, after a moment's whisper with his distinguished opponent, took up these loose sheets, and turning to the spectators, said, in a very gentlemanly manner, " Ladies, would you like to see a specimen of Mr. Choate's writing ? " and then with his own hands distributed them among the audience. This ingenious ruse was successful. The general burst of laughter, and the universal rush and scrambling after Mr. Choate's hieroglyphics, which were flying like mammoth snow flakes about the room, effectually dispelled the tender, sympathet- ic emotions which had been awakened by the mov- ing peroration of his plea. The mirthfulness did not immediately subside. As each individual who obtained a piece of the mysterious paper looked upon it, his countenance was immediately wreathed in smiles. We were successful in obtaining a sheet, and, tearing it in two, gave half of it to a lady, who seemed to be as anxious for an autograph as our- selves. Upon casting our eye upon it, we had no difficulty in discovering the cause of the pleasantry MH. Webster's practical joke. 223 vvliich all seemed to experience. True, there were on the paper plenty of lines, curves and angles ; but how to put them together so as to make out a single seiileiice we found impossible. We no longer won- dered at the continued tittering of the audience. While his brief was flying around among the au- dience, Mr. Choate was standing by the stove, with his back to the spectators. A friend stepped up to hiin, and, we presume, told him what was going on. He looked around, and when he saw how the audi- ence were employed, he stroked his chin, smiled, and turned again towards the stove, apparently en- joying the joke as highly as any. As another specimen of Mr Webster's pleasantry, ive refer to a passage in a speech which he gave at Syracuse : — " It has so happened that all the public services which 1 have rendered to the world, in my day and generation, have been connected with the general gov- ernment. I think I ought to make an exception. ! was ten days a member of the Massachusetts legishi- ature, [laughter,] and I turned my thoughts to the search of some good object in which I could be useful in that position ; and after much reflection, I intro- duced a bill, which, with the general consent of both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, passed into a law, and is now a law of the state, which enacts that no man in the state shall catch trout in any •224 MR. Webster's pleasantry. other manner than in the old way, with an ordinary hook and line. [Great laughter.] With that ex- ception, I never was connected for an hour with any state government in my life. I never held office, high or low, under any state government. Perhaps that was my misfortune. " At the age of thirty, I was in New Hampshire practising law, and had some clients. John Taylor Gilman, who for fourteen years was governor of the state, thought that, a young man as I was, I might be fit to be an attorney general of the State of New Hampshire, and he nominated me to the council ; and the council taking it into their deep considera- tion, and not happening to be of the same politics as the governor and myself, voted, three out of five, that I was not competent ; and very likely they were right. [Laughter.] So you see, gentlemen, I nevei gained promotion in any state government." The New York Daily Times relates the following, which is a kind of practical joke upon Mr. Webster himself : — " Some years ago lie started off" from Marshfield on a trouting expedition to Sandwich, a neighbor- ing town on Cape Cod. On approaching a fine stream, he alighted from his wagon ; and just then he met the owner of the farm, whose stream ran through it. ' Good morning,' says Webster ; ' is there any trout here ? ' ' Well,' says the farmer, THE JOKER JOKED. 225i ' some people fish here, but 1 don't kiiow what thej do get.' ' I'll throw my line in,' says Webster, ' and see what there is.' '• Webster walked the banks of the stream, trying his luck, and the old farmer followed him. Soon Webster remarked, 'You have some bog on your farm.' '' Yes,' says the farmer ; ' that ain't the worst of it.' Fishing still farther along, Webster says, < You seem to have plenty of mosquitoes here.' • Yes,' he replied, ' that ain't the worst of it.' Web- ster still kept on throwing his line into the deep pools, and then said, ' You have plenty of briers here.' ' Yes,' says the farmer, ' and that ain't the worst of it.' Mr. Webster, getting somewhat dis- couraged, in a hot August day, bitten by mosquitoes, scratched by briers, and not raising a single fish, dropped his rod, and said, 'he didn't believe there was any trout here.' ' And that ain't the worst of it,' says the farmer. ' Well,' says Mr. Webster, 'I would like to know what the worst of it is' « Tlicre never was amj here ! ' says the farmer. Jlr. Webster enjoyed the joke, and often told it to Ills particular friends." In 1841, \vhen he was secretary of state, he came home from the department, where he had been en- gaged in official interviews with foreign ministers, and taking from his parlor a small basket, very ele- gantly ornamented, he immediately left the house. 230 MR. WEBSTER BmNG EGGS. After an absenc*^ of hsilf an liour, he returned, and handed Mrs. Webster the same basket, but witli its weight greatly increased. Imagine her surprise, when, as she looked in, she found it filled with Iicns' eggs. Feeling, perhaps, a httle mortified that her distinguished companion should descend to so inappropriate an employment, she inquired the reason of his conduct. Her husband replied, that he had been " all the morning discussing with the diplomatic corps the affairs of some half dozen of the principal kingdoms of the world, and, as he was fond of seeing .both ends meet, he only wished to realize how it would seem for him, a secretary of state, to turn from such imposing business to the opposite extreme, of purchasing, within the same hour, a basket of newly-laid eggs." On one occasion, many years ago, when Mr. Web- ster was in the Senate, just as he arose to speak, a ministerial-looking stranger in the gallery suddenly cried out, so as to be heard by the whole Senate, " My friends, the country is on the brink of destruc- tion ;,be sure that you act on correct principles. I warn you to act as your consciences may approve. God is looking down upon you, and if you act upon correct principles, you will get safely through." Having thus discharged what he probably regarded as a responsible duty, he stepped back, and quietly disappeared, without giving the officers time to seize HIS SKILL IN RIFLE SHOOTINO. 227 him. Of course such an unlooked-fur intei-niption threw the Senate into confusion. Some laughed, some conversed jestingly with each other, some left ft their seats, and several minutes elapsed hefore the chairman succeeded in restoiing order. During all the excitement Mr. Webster retained his standing posture, ready to commence so soon as the oppor- tunity shoiild be presented. The favorable moment having arrived, the first sentence he uttered was this : " As ilie gentleman in tJie gallery has concluded, I will proceed with my remarks." How much bettei was this pleasantry than though he had indulged in an outburst of passion at the disturbance, and in- sisted that the gallery should be cleared of spec- tators ! Mr. Webster was good at a rifle shot, as well as with hook and fly. When travelling through the State of Ohio, a number of years ago, in company with a friend, he came upon a party of Buckeye farmers, who were testing their skill in the use of the gun, by firing at a target for turkeys. Having reined in his horses, for the purpose of enjoying the sport as a spectator, he was invited by the fr'ee-and- easy marksmen to try his skill. He was not unwill- ing to comply. It was an amusement with which he was familiar. After examining several rifles, in a manner which evinced his acquaintance with the instrument, he selected one of the best, and, witb 228 HIS DINNER WITH THE BUCKEYES. the motley group of rough-looking western farmers standing around him, he raised the weapon to his e^e, and in a moment sent a ball directly through the centre of the target. He was acknowledged a good shot, and had one of the finest turkeys in the flock presented to him. Then the questionswent round, " Who is this ? Where's he from ? Wliat's lus business ? Where is he going ? " But no sat- isfaction could they obtain. Tliey finally invited him to dine with them at an inn near by. He con- sented. Their curiosity being highly excited to learn who this skilful marksman was, his friend took the liberty of introducing him at the dinner as the Hon. Daniel Webster, member of Congress. Great was their pleasurable astonishment to learn that their stranger guest was the distinguished individual who bad recently delivered a famous speech in Congress, of which they had heard, and some of them had read. As he had discoursed so effectively from the rifle's mouth, they wanted to hear some words of eloquence fall fiom his own. He was, therefore, called out, — perhajjs by one of the party giving a toast in his honor. In responding to the call, he addressed to them a few appropriate remarks, and then proceeded on his journey. They earnestly en- deavored to induce him to fire another rifle ; but he was too wise to incur the liability of losing their good opinion of his skill by-attempting a second WJSBSTEU AUD THE BUUKEYIi& HIS ADVENTURE WITH THE SNOBS. i^.l " crack shot." Not only did he put a ball through the centre of the target, but succeeded in making so favorable an impression upon their hearts, that some of them accompanied him twenty miles on hia journey. This incog, character was the occasion of another adventure, but of a somewhat different nature. When in company, Mr. Webster always dressed like a gentleman ; but when on liis farm, or on a fishing or gunning excursion, his costume was char- acterized for its appropriateness. He could be mis- taken for no other character than the one he had assumed. In his gunning or fishing toggery, no stranger would suspect him of being any thing more than he seemed. On one occasion he was out after wild ducks, in company with his man, Seth Peter- son, when tliey fell in with " a couple of Boston sporting snobs," who were in difficulty because there was a bog in the way, which they could not cross without getting wet. .Tudging of Mr. Webster from his costume, they supposed him to be one of the rustic farmers of Marshfield, and therefore asked him to carry them on his back to a dry point on the other side of the bog. Without revealing himself to them, Mr. Webster consented. After he had complied with their request, and had received from each of them a quarter of a dollar for the job, they inquired, in a flippant, familiar manner, " Is old 230 DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES. Webster at home 1 We've had such miserable luck in shooting, that we should like to honor him with a call." To this question, expressed in such an un- dignified manner, Mr. Webster calmly replied, " that the gentleman alhided to was not at home just then, but would be as soon as lu could walk to the house, and he would be glad to see them at dinner." What reply these sporting gentlemen made to this rebuke is not recorded, but evidence is furnished that they did not dine with " old Webster " that day. Young men should be careful not to form an opinion of others from their external appearance. A noble character is ofttimes concealed under an unfashionable costume. It is especially dangerous, in country places, to infer the social standing of a stranger from the garb in which he appears. The employment of a farmer forbids tlie wearing of fine broadcloth, French satin, and polished calfskin, when engaged in his daily occupation. And if, because the fabric of his garments is coarse, and their sur- face soiled, any one should infer that poverty of purse, feebleness of intellect, and a low social posi- tion were among his possessions, and should treat him accordingly, he would incur the liability of making a discovery which would very justly over- whelm him with mortification. Tlie wisest course Lb, to treat every man, whatever may be his appear- YOUNG Webster's wit. 231 ance, as a gentleman, until we learn his forfeiture of tliat character. The natural humor of Mr. Webster, of which we have given several illustrations, manifested itself in early childhood. On one occasion, when he and his brother Ezekiel were boys, after they had gone to bed, they got into a controversy about some passage in the Columbian Orator, a famous school book of that day ; they left their pillows, and began some researches in order to Settle the dispute ; in so doing they managed to set their bedclothes on fire, and narrowly escaped consuming the house. When asked, the next mornmg, how the accident was caused, Daniel replied, " We were in pursuit of light, but got more than we wanted." At another time their father gave them a certain piece of work to perform during his absence from the house ; but finding, upon his return, that the task was unperformed, he questioned the boys with some degree of sternness concerning their employ- ment : — " What have you been doing, Ezekiel ? " " Nothing, sir," was his answer. " Well, Daniel, what have you been doing 1 " " Helping Zeke, sir." How much help " Zeke " required to do nothing, we are not informed. The same native humor peeps out in the reply he 16 2K THE VENERABLE TROUT. gave to a friend who asked liim what he intended to speak about in his historical address, in New York, on the next day. «' I am going," suid he, " to he excessively learned and classical, and shall talk much about the older citizens of Greece. When I make ray appearance in Broadway to-morrow, people will accost me thus: 'Good morning, 3Ir. Webster. Recently from Greece, I understand. How did you leave Mr. Pericles and Mr. AristopJianes ? ' " The address alluded to in this playful manner was one of rare excellence. It was instructive, classical, eloquent. So great was the desire to hear hira, that tickets for admission were sold, in some instances, for a hundred dollars. Frequently, when Mr. Webster was engaged in his favorite amusements of riding, gunning, and fish- ing, his mind would revert to the great themes which his office or his profession required him to discuss and settle. Some of the interesting passages in his addresses were prepared on these occasions. It is stated that, at one time, when engaged in angling, as he drew a large trout from the water, he exclaimed, as if addressing his captive, and re- garding it as the representative of others, " Venera- ble men ! you have come down to us from a former generation. Heaven has bounteously lengthened out your lives, that you might behold this joyous day " ADVANTAGES OF GOOD HUMOR. ^i And these very words were afterwards employed in his oration at the laying of the corner stone of the Bunker Hill monument, when he addressed the vet- erans — the few surviving soldiers of that memora- ble battle. It is a great mistake to suppose that cheerful hu- mor and sparkling wit should never be indulged. They are the developments of an element of char- acter which tends greatly to the promotion of human happiness. Ofttimes, when the brow is wrinkled with care, and the heart filled with sadness, some humorous remark, or sparkling repartee, or the re- lation of some ridiculous incident, or amusing anec- dote, will smooth that brow, and neutralize tiie sad- ness of the burdened spirit. In the walks of grave professional hfe, exhibitions of good humor are like beautiful wild flowers, peeping here and there from the rocks and crevices by the roadside, which, by their delicate colors and pleasant perfume, afford delight to the weary traveller, who would otherwise be oppressed with the monotony and gloominess of the way. Flowers of this kind Mr. Webster both culled and cultivated. He knew, also, how to use them. There were few men more genial, more bu morous, or who could more easily set " the table in a roar," than he. His relation of anecdotes alvvaya produced a decided effect. 234 Webster's spelling book. He was also exceedingly happy in giving a pleas ant turn, in social company, to topics on which he ditfered from others. The fpllowiiig is an instance. In 1847 he visited Charleston, South Carolina. A dinner was given him. There were present at the table those with whose political sentiments he had no sympathy — those whom he had felt it his duty to oppose, in Congress and elsewhere, with all the weight of ills personal talents and official position. After being called out by a toast, which was drank in his honor, he closed his speech in the following agreeable jnanner : — " Gentlemen, allow me to tell you of an incident. At Raleigh, a gentleman, purposing to call, on me asked his son, a little lad, if he did not wish to go and see Mr. Webster. The boy answered, ' Is it that Mr. Webster who made the spelling book, and sets me so many hard lessons 1 If so, I never want to see him as long as I live.' " Now, gentlemen, I am that Mr. Webster who holds sentiments, on some subjects, not altogether acceptable, I am sorry to say, to some portions of the South. But I set no lessons ; I make no spell- ing books. If I spell out some portions of the Con- stitution of the United States in a manner different from that practised by others, I readily concede, nevertheless, to all others a right to disclaim my AN AGREEABLE SCHOOLMASrER. ' 235 spelling, and adopt nn orthography more suitahle to their own opinions, leaving all to that general pub- lic judgment to which we raust, in the end, all sub- mit." And when he took his seat, the follawiug toast was submitted : " Here's to the agreeable •wnoolmaster — who sets no lessons." CHAPTER XIII. Mr. Webster an early Riser. — His Leller on the Morning. — Ad- am's Morning^s. — What to observe in the Morning. — Dr. Dot! dridge on early Rising. — Beauties of Marshfieid. — Mr. Web sler's Love of Trees. — He protects Birds. — His Reward.— The Quails. — He lames wild Geese. — His Interest in the natural Sciences. — Presents .4udubon with Birds. — The Wall- flower. — The Sound of the Sea. — Lessons of Nature. — Dig- nity of the Study of Nature. A PRACTICE of Mr. Webster, which he seems to have kept up through life, was tliat of early rising. Long before the lirst gray streak in the eastern ho- rizon heralded the approach of the " king of day," he was up, dressed, and in the depth of his day's work. It was his uniform practice to despatch his study and correspondence by the middle of the fore- noon. On one occasion he said, " What little I have accomplished has been done early in the morn- ing." In a letter to an agricultural convention, he wrote, " When a boy among my native hills of New Hampshire, no cock crowed so early that I did not liear him." During his residence at Washington, he was accustomed to visit the market, make his pur- chases, and cDJiverse fatniliarly with the butchers and farmers, long before the citizens of the capital were 236 WEBSTER AN fcARLT RISER. 237 Stirring. Strangers in Washington, after learning thfs fact, would themselves go to the market in the early dawn, for the purpose of getting a sight of the great statesman. Mr. Lanman says, " Mr. Webster admired, above all things, to see the sun rise, especially from his chamber window at Marshfield. He appreciated the moral sublimity of the spectacle, and it ever seemed to fill his mind with mighty conceptions. On many occasions, at sunrise, both in the spring and autumn, has he stolen into the chamber occupied by the writer, which looked upon the sea, and, with only his dressing gown on, has stood by his bedside, and startled the writer out of a deep sleep, by a loud shout somewhat to this effect : — " ' Awake, sluggard ! and look upon this glorious scene ; for the sky and the ocean are enveloped in flames ! ' " On one occasion the writer was awakened in a similar manner at a very early hour, when, lo, Mr. Webster, who happened to be in a particularly play- ful mood, was seen going through the graceful mo tions of an angler, throwing a fly and striking a trout, and then, without speaking a word, disap- peared. As a matter of course, that day was given to fishing." In 1852 Mr. Webster visited Virginia ; he contin- ued his habit there. As one of its results, we have 238 HIS LETTER ON THE MORNINO. the following beautifully descriptive account of the morning. None but a passionate lover of the early dawn could have written it. "Richmond, Va., * Five o'clock, A. M., April 29, 1852. ) "My dear Friend: Whether it be a favor or an annoyance, you owe this letter to my early habits of rising. From the hour marked at the top of the page, you will naturally conclude tiiat my compan- ions are not now engaging my attention, as we have not calculated on being early travellers to-day. " This city has a ' pleasant seat.' It is high ; the James River runs below it, and when I went out, an hour ago, nothing was heard but the roar of the falls. The air is tranquil, and its temperature mild. It is morning, and a morning sweet, and fresh, and delightful. Every body knows the morning in its metaphorical sense, applied to so many occasions. The health, strength, and beauty of early years lead us to call that period the ' morning of life.' Of a lovely yoimg woman we say, she is ' bright as the morning,' and no one doubts why Lucifer is called ' son of the morning.' " But the morning itself, few people, inhabitantt of cities, know any thing about. Among all our good people, no one in a thousand sees the sun rise once in a year. They know nothing of the morn- ing. Their idea of it is, that it is that part of the METAPHORICAL, ALLUSIONS. 239 day which comes along after a cup of coffee and a beefsteak, or a piece of toast. With them morning is not a n6\v issuing of light, a new bursting fojth of the sun, a new waking up of all that has life from a sort of temporary death, to behold again the works of God, the heavens and the earth ; it is only a part of the domestic day, belonging to reading the newspapers, answering notes, sending tlie children to scliool, and giving orders for dinner. The first streak of light, the earliest purpling of the east, which the lark springs up to greet, and the deeper and deeper coloring into orange and red, till at length the 'glorious sun is seen, regent of the day,' — this they never enjoy, for they never see it. " Beautiful descriptions of the morning abound in all languages ; but they are the strongest, perhaps, in the East, where the sun is often an object of worship. "Ring David speaks of taking to himself the ' wings of the morning.' This is highly poetical and beautiful. The wings of the morning are the beams of the rising sun. Rays of hght are wings, it is thus said that the Sun of righteousness shall arise ' with healing in his wings ' — a rising sun that shall scatter life, health, and joy throughout the universe. " Milton has fine descriptions of morning, but not so many as Shakspeare, from whose writings pag'ea 240 Adam's mornings. of the most beautiful imagery, all founded oo the ^lory of the morning, might be filled. " I never thought that Adam had much the ad- vantage of us, from having seen the world while it was new. " The manifestations of the power of God, like his mercies, are ' new every morning,' and fresh every moment. " We see as fine risings of the sun as ever Adam saw ; and its risings are as much a miracle now as they were in his day, and I think a good deal more, because it is now a part of the miracle that, for thousands and thousands of years, he has come to his appointed time, without the variation of a mil- lionth part of a second. Adam could not tell how this might be. I know the morning ; I am acquaint- ed with it, and I love it. I love it fresh and sweet as it is — a daily new creation, brealung forth and calling all that have life, and breath, and being, to new adoration, new enjoyments, and new gratitude. " Daniel Webstek." " Wc see as fine risings of the sun as ever Adam sa.w." How interesting is that thought ! By rising early, and looking from an upper window, or as- cending some small eminence which gives us the command of the horizon, we may behold a scene of as much magaificenco as greeted the eyes of GARLY RISING. 241 Adam, when the first rays of the rising sun gilded the beauties of paradise. Try it, young reader. Rise before the sun; go forth to hail his coming; play in the beams sent forth by his upper edge be- Ibre his centre makes its appearance ; observe cai-e- fully the efiects produced upon • the appearance of the various objects upon hill, tree, cloud, lake, ai.d building, as the darkness flees away, and the giay dawn brightens into the full light of day ; and if you possess a particle of the love of the beauti- ful, you will acknowledge that no display of the pyr- otechnic art can bear any comparison to the gor- geous splendor of the scene before you. Those who lounge away their time upon their pillow are not aware of the amount which the ag- gregate of these lost hours would make. Dr. Dod- dridge has said that the difterence between rising at five and seven o'clock in the morning for the space of forty years, supposing a man to go to bed at the same hour at night, is nearly equivalent to the addi- tion of ten years to a man's life. It follows that he who desires to lengthen his life in vcspect to its practical influence, should rise ear- lioi than he has been accustomed to. All the time that he thus redeems from the pillow is so much added to active existence. In addition to this, the freshness of the morning air, and the renovation which the mmd has received 242 BEAUTIES or mabshfieli(. from its recent sleep, by which the clearness of its perceptions and the rapidity of its operations are ii creased, render this a peculiarly favorable time for intellectual pursuits. Mr. Webster's habit in this respect was similar to Ihat of many other distinguished characters. Buffoii, the great naturalist, ascribes the existence of many volumes of his works to his practice of early rising. We have already remarked that Mr. Webster was a lover of nature. This was evinced in his choice of a residence at Marshiield, where hill, pond, for- est, and ocean combine their peculiar beauties t(j render the place attractive, and also by his assiduous pare, with which all the pecuhar charms of the place have been developed. General Lyman, in a letter which he wrote in November, 1843, at Marshfield, says, " Mr. Webster, -eeiiijr the interest I manifested yesterday on the subject of the forest, which is periodically cut down for wood, and suffered to grow up again, was kind enough to show me vast numbers of trees, prob- ably one hundred thousand, which he has plant- ed from the seed with his own hands. They are, however, yet small. He said his way had been to sow the seed, in favorable- places, of the locust, horsechestnut, catalpa, &c., some of which have been transplanted at an curly age, and others left to grow up in thickcis. A little belt of wood thus WEBSTER AT MAKSHFIELD fLANTING- TREES. 243 produced, none of the trees of which have iyeeii planted more than a dozen or thirteen years, bound- ing the lawn and pond on one side, is ah-eady so high and dense as to afford a perfectly shaded walk through the centre of it, not only making a beautiful promenade, but filling up the background of the landscape, of which the lawn and pond constituti; prominent features. "Mr. Webster spoke- in warm terms — terms al- most of indignation — of the stupidity of persons who omit to plant trees from an idea that they may not live to see their growth and beauty, or to taste their fruits. He reminded me of Walter Scott's good advice on this subject. He would plant a tree which would be growing while others wei'e sleeping. "He spoke of the just and excellent taste of Sir Walter Scott, on all subjects of this kind, and re- ferred to two articles written for the London Quar- terly Review, some years ago, on planting trees, landscape, &c., as being full of instruction. ' Where is the man,' said Mr. Webster, ' who does not ad- mire the principle which actuated the late Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia, who, when bending over the grave with age, said he would plant a tree to-day if he knew he were to die to-morrow t If every man were actuated by such sentiments, what a change it would produce in the affairs of the world ! ' 244 THE HILL CHANGED. He showed me eight or nine specimens of oak ; several of them he had obtained from the Southern States ; all the varieties of pines and cedars, and the arbor vitse, from Maine ; various sorts of ash, maple, and the buckeye from Ohio ; and the sweet gum from Virginia. " For these last two, hnwever, the climate was found somewhat too severe. The whitewood, as we call it in New York and Ohio, — properly the liriodendron, or tulip tree, — appears to grow well. Hedges of buckthorn line the avenue to the house, stand the climate well, and are very handsome. " In a few years these trees, according to my prediction, will be the admiration of every body, and branches of them will be cut and carried away by future generations, who will know the biography of the great man of our time, as branches are now cut and carried away from the trees which grow on the plantations of other sages, whose pillars are in the dust. The handsome wooden eminence neai the house is now beautifully covered with a thicket of locusts, catalpas, young cherry trees, &c. This little hill, twelve years ago, was perfectly naked, and the sand was blown about by the wind. A lady, visiting Mrs. Webster, begged that so unsightly an object might be made to mend its appearance. Her advice was followed, and six years afterwards, visit- ing Marshfield again, she clapped her hands with MB. WEBSTEK PHOTECTS BdlDS. iA/) admiration at the success of what she had recom- mended." Although Mr. Webster was fond of gunning, and often went out for that purpose, being an " excellent shot," yet he allowed no gun to be fired upon his premises. Such birds and game as approached his house, or made it their home any where on liia grounds, he would not allow to be disturbed. The delightful effect of this kind treatment is described as follows by his visitor : — " I was struck with the tameness of several little animals and birds, which I have elsewhere found quite wild and shy. A squirrel, for instance, sat almost within our reach, eating a nut, and hearing us talk, without the least indication of fear. The birds hopped about, singing their wild notes, as if unconscious of our presence. A brood of quails had actually been hatched between tlie house and the gate, in the hedge that lines the carriage way to the door. I inquired why this was so ; he said, ' During the whole time I have been there, I have endeavored to cultivate their acquaintance, and have never permitted their nests to be disturbed ; nor do I allow guns to be fired on the premises, nor sticks or stones to be thrown at them, nor any thing done that would frighten tliem away. They seem to know where they are well treated, and come with the sear tons to enjoy my protection.' " 17 246 REWARD OF PROTECTION. On one occasion, Mr. Webster was walking orer his grounds witli a gentleman from Boston, when a flock of quails darted across the road only a few feet from them. The gentleman was highly excited at the discovery of the game, and longed to try his skill with powder and ball. " O, if I only had a gun," said he, " I could easily kill the whole flock. Ha\e j'OU not one in your house, sir?" •• Yes, sir," replied Mr. Webster, with his usual calmness — " yes, sir, I have a number of guns ; but no man whatsoever do I ever permit to kill a bird, rabbit, or squirrel, on any of my property." He then proceeded to condemn the indiscriminate slaughtering propensities of the Americans. " In this country," said he, "there is an almost universal passion for killing and eating every wild animal that chances to cross the pathway of man ; while in England and other portions of Europe these animals are kindly protected and valued for their companionship. This is to me a great myste- ry ; and so far as my influence extends, the birds shall be protected." Just at this moment one of the little fugitive quails, that the visitor was so anxious to kill, mounted a little eminence, and poured forth a song, as if in gratitude to its humane protector. " There," said Mr. Webster, " does not that gush of song do the heart a thousand fold more good than could possibly be derived from the death of that MR. WEBSTER TAMES WILD GEESE. 24? beautiful bird 1 " Tt)e stranger returned his thanks to Mr. Webster for his gentle reproof, and subse- quently acknowledged that " this little incident made him love the man whom he had before only admired as a statesman." Mr. Webster, in tiie earnestness of his desire to surround his dwelling at Marshfield with the charms of animated nature, has succeeded in accomplish- ing, what very few persons in this country have ever attempted, viz., the taming of wild geese. "The value and pictorial beauty of Marshfield are greatly enhanced," says Mr. Lanraan, " bythe existence, in the immediate vicinity of the mansion, of a trio of little lakes, all of them fed by springs of the purest water. The two' smaller ones are the favorite haunts of the common geese and the duck tribes ; but the larger one, which studs the landscape very charmingly, is the exclusive domain of a large flock of wild geese which Mr. Webster had domesticated. He informed the writer that his first attempts to tame these beautiful creatures were all unsuccessful, until tlie idea occurred to him that perhaps they might be made contented with their civilized abode, provided they could have awarded to them small sedgy islands, such as were found at their breeding-places in the far north, where they might make their nests and remain andisturbed by the fox and other prowling animals. The experiment was tried ; and while 248 LOVE OF NATURE. tlie yeese were rendered contented with tlieir lot the lake itself his been i;reatly improved in pictur- esijne beauty by its wild yet artificial islands. In- deed, the rural scenery of Marslifield is all that could be desired by the painter or poet , but when they come to add thereto an immense expanse of marsh land, veined with silver stream.s, dotted with islands of unbroken forest, skirted with a far-reach ing beach, and bounded by the blue ocean, they can- not but be deeply impressed with the magnificence of its scenery." Mr. Webster's love of Nature was not superficial. Whilst he greatly admired all her external features, he was interested in the study of her laws. In his li- bi'ary was a collection of rare and valuable works on the various departments of natural history, and the nat- ural sciences, the perusal of which aflbrded him great pleasure whenever he could secure time for the pur- pose. On a certain occasion, when these subjects were made the topics of conversation, he said that lie wished he could live three lives while living this. " One I would devote to the study of geology — to reading the earth's history of itself. Another life I would devote to astronomy. I have recently read the history of that science, written so clearly, that, although I am no mathematician, I could understand it, and was astonished at seeing to what heights it WKBSTER AND AUDUBON. 249 had been pushed by modern intellects. The othei I would devote to the classics." It is an interesting fact, and one on wliich the young would do well to ponder, that, as Mr. Webster advanced in years, his mind was withdrawn from ihemes and speculations wliicll interested him in the earlier periods of his life, and was devoted, with in- creased pleasure, to the contemplation and study of nature. Amongst all the visitors who were honored with the hospitality of his elegant mansion, there were few so cheerfully welcomed as those who were devoted to the investigation of natural objects. With these Mr. Webster loved to converse, and ex- change items of information. He also furnished such individuals every facility in his power for the prosecution of their studies. The celebrated Audu- bon was one of his personal friends ; and on one occasion, when the great ornithologist was visiting Marshfield, " he was presented by Mr. Webster with a wagon load of miscellaneous birds, which the lat- ter had ordered to be killed by his hunters all along the coast, and among them was the identical Canada goose which figures so beautifully in the ' Birds of America.' Mr. Webster has said that the delighted naturalist studied the attitude of that single goose for an entire day, and that he was three days in tak- ing its portrait.'' 250 SOUND OF THE SEA. At another time, in conversation with a clergyman, — Rev. Dr. Choules, — he gave utterance to the fol- lowing beautiful sentiments : — " When I was in England I was greatly pleased with the wallflower, so often seen upon the, walls of ruins and decaying buildings. The country people call it the bloody wallflower. I seldom picked this sweet-scented flower without thinking of the hopes and wishes of life — the best and sweetest of my life all surrounded with ruin and decay : still we must look out for the blossoms of hope." " I have been reading White's Selbourne once more. What moral beauty there was in White's mind ! How he revelled in quiet country life ! and when he became deaf, and could no longer hear the birds sing, yet he thanks God that his eyesight is still quick and good." Walking in the evening at Marshfield, and gazing at the sea, Mr. Webster stopped, and placing his hand upon the shoulder of the same gentleman, re- cited several verses of Mrs. Hemans's impressive puem on the Sound of the Sea: " Thou art sounding on, ihou mighty sea, Forever and the same ; The ancient rocks yet ring to thee, Whosp thunders nought can tame. ■' O, many a glorious voice is gone From the rich bowers of eanh LESSONS OF NATURE. 2-^1 And hushed is many a lovely one Of mournfuhicss or mlrlh. •' But tliou art swelling on, tliou deep, Tlirough many an olden climC; rhy billowy anlhcms ne'er to sleep Until the close of time." The study of nature is one of the noblest employ- ments of the human mind. We are then brought into direct contact with the works of the Creator. We are furnished with conclusive evidences of his existence and attributes. Not only by these pursuits is the taste refined, and the love of the beautiful strengthened, but an influence is exerted favorable to the cultivation of moral character. Besides, in the study of nature we need not go far for lessons. They spring up in the beautiful flowers which ornament our path; they smile upcn us in the stars above our head ; we may read them upon the tapestry of the ever-changing clouds, in the architecture of mountains, and the solemn grandeur of ancient forests; tiiey whisper around us in the buzzing of insects ; they charm us in the melody of birds ; they fill us with awe in the howling of the storm, the roaring of the angry ocean, and the ter- rific tones of the threatening thunder. They are spread out all around us on nature's ample page, and whenever so disposed, we may study them to our " heart's content." We are aware of a class of ia- i62 DIGNITY OF NATURE. dividuals in the community who look with a feeling bordering upon contempt on pursuits of tills nature Picking weeds to pieces, or carefully examining the formation of an insect, or a reptile, they seem lo regard as totally unworthy so exalted a being as man. They cherish a feeling of pity bordering on con- tempt for those who are devoted to such pur- suits. It would be well for such persons to consider whether any thing, which the all-wise Creator has not deemed as beneath himself to make, can be un- worthy for us to examine and admire, and whether it may not exhibit a want of suitable regard for tlie Creator himself, when the displays of his power and glory, as exliibited in the works of his hand, fail of attracting attention, or of awakening admiration. CHAPTER XIV. Wr. Webster's Candor. — Mr. Ketchum's Testimony. — Direction to Mr. Everett. — His Magnanimity. — Dr. Choules's Testimo- ny. — Webster and Dickenson. — Webster's Eulogy on Cal- houn. — Cliaraeter of his Mind. — His impressive Manner. — He will be remembered. — Webster and Hayne. — How to treat Opponents. — Charity. The nobleness of Mr. Webster's nature was ex- hibitetJ in a striking manner on difl'erent occasions, when lie endeavored to prevent the perpetuity of personal feuds. In the exciting debates of Con- giess it was natural, under the influence of tempo- rary impulse, that language should be used, which, in a calmer mood, the .speaker himself would not justify. Such instances, however, were exceedingly rare in the speeches of Mr. Webster. He seemed always to appreciate the dignity of his character as a senator of the most powerful republic on earth, and evinced an unwillingness to do or say any thing that was unbecoming his exalted position. He was not insensible to the high standing of his opponents, neither was he unwilling to accord to them his meed of praise for their genius and learning. Hiram Ketchum, Esq., of New York, in a brief eulogy upon Mr. Webster, among other things, smd, 253 254 MB. ketchum's testimony. "I have known him in piivate and domestic life. During the last twenty-five years I have received many letters from him, some of which T retain, and some have been destroyed at his request. [ have had tiie pleasure of meeting him often in pri- vate circles, and at the festive board, where some of our sessions were not short ; but neither in his letters nor his conversation have 1 ever known him to express an impure thought, an immoral sentiment, or use profane language. Neither in writing nor in conversation have I ever known him assail any man. No man in my hearing was ever slandered or spoken ill of by Daniel Webster. Never in my life have I known a man whose conversation was uniformly so unexceptionable in tone and edifying in character. No man ever had more tenderness of feeling than Daniel Webster. He had his enemies as malignant as any man ; but there was not one of them, who, if he came to him in distress, would not receive all the relief in his power to bestow." Another illustration of his magnanimity is fur- nished in his direction to the Hon. Edward Everett, when carrying Mr. Webster's Works through the press, to suppress all allusions which were adapted to perpetuate personal feuds. In allusion to this fact, Mr. Everett, in his beautiful eulogy upon Mr. Webster, says, — " In preparing the new edition of his works, he websteh s magnanimity. 256 lliought proper to leave almost every thing to mj discretion — as far as matters of taste are concerned. One thing only he enjoined upon me, with an ear- nestness approaching to a command. = My friend.' said he, ' I wish to perpetuate no feuds. I have sometimes, though rarely, and that in self-defence, been led to speak of others with severity. I beg you, where you can do it without wholly changing the character of the speech, and thus doing essential in- justice to me, to obliterate every trace of personali- ty of this kind. I should prefer not to leave a word that would give unnecessary pain to any honest mani however opposed to me.' " But I need not tell you, fellow-citizens, that there is no one of our distinguished public men whose speeches contain less occasion for such an in- junction. Mr. Webster habitually abstained from the use of the poisoned weapons of personal invec- tive or party odium. No one could more studiously abstain from all attempts to make a political oppo- nent personally hateful. If the character of our congressional discussions has of late years somewhat declined in dignity, no portion of the blame lies at his door." A gentleman who was on familiar terms with him for years says, " In all the I:it'jrviews which I had the happiness and liiin..r to eiijoy with tliis great man, I cannot remember that I ever heard him utter an 256 WEBSTER AND DICKENSON. unkind, acrimonious, or uncharitable remark upon any man. Once, wher a gentleman had named gome violent censuses heaped upon him in his pub- lic character, Mr. Webster calmly replied, ' Perhaps my calumniator's misfortunes have soured his tem- perament, for I remember him a very kindly-dis- posed person ; we must make allowances for the in- firmities of age.' The provocation had been very great, and his motives had been wantonly assailed, yet his considerate and magnanimous spirit tri- umphed nobly upon this occasion." * As another instance, we relate the following . After the negotiation of the Ashburton treaty, by which very complicated and threatening difficulties between this and the mother country were adjusted, Mr. Webster had serious charges alleged against him in the United States Senate by Hon. Mr. Dick- enson. These charges he repelled in strong lan- guage. When, in 1850, Mr. Webster left the Senate in order to enter upon his duties as Secretary of State, he addressed the following letter to Mr. Dick- enson. The painful occurrences to which he refers are those connected with that debate. " Washington, Sept. 27, 1850. " My dear Sir : Our companionship in the Sen- ate is dissolved. After this long and most impor- • Rev. Dr. Choules. HIS LETTER TO DICKENSON. 257 taut session, you are about to return to your liome, and I shall try to find leisure to visit mine. I hope we may meet each other again two months hence, tor the discharge of our duties in our respective sta- tions in the government. But hfe is uncertain, and I have not felt willing to take leave of you without placing in your hands a note containing a very few words which I wish to say to you. " In the earlier part of our acquaintance, my dear sir, occurrences took place which I remember with constantly-increasing regret and pain, because, the more I have known of you, the greater have been my esteem for your character and my respect for your talents. But it is your noble, able, man- ly, and patriotic conduct in support of the great measure of this session which has entirely won my heart, and secured my highest regard. I hope you may live long to serve your country ; but I ilo not think you are ever likely to see a crisis in which you may be able to do so much either for your own distinction or the public good. You have stood where others have fallen ; you have advanced with firm and manly step where others have wa- vered, faltered, and fallen back ; and for one, I desire to thank you, and to commend your conduct, out of the fulness of an lionest heart. " This letter needs no reply ; it is, I am aware, of very little value ; but 1 have thought you might be 2SP F.ri.ooY "r talhoun. willing to receive it, and, perhaps, to leave it , where It would be seen by those who shall coine after you. I pray you, when you reacJi your own threshold, to remember me most kindly to your wife and daughter. I lemain, my dear sir, with tiie truest esteem, " Your friend and obedient servant, "Daniel Webster. " Hon. D S. Dickenson, V. S. Seiiaie." Another interesting illustration of his noble liigh mindedness was furnished in his eulogy upon Mr. Calhoun, of South Carohna. On some of the most important questions ever discussed by Congress, and in some of the most intensely-exciting debates, he and Mr. Calhoun were opponents. On the floor of the Senate, that great arena for intellectual chivalry, they measured lances. A spectator miglit have im- agined that in heart, as well as in pohtical opinion, they were strongly iiostile to eacli other. Yet when it was announced in the Senate by Mr. Butler, his colleague, tliat Mr. Calhoun had deceased, Mr. Webster arose and delivered a beautiful eulogy, from which we make the following extracts, which show how highly he could appreciate the talents and character of an honorable opponent, and with what felicity he could express his admiration. " 1 hope the Senate will indulge me in adding a very few words to what has been said. My apology EULOGY ON CALHOUN. 259 for this presumption is the very long acquaintance which has subsisted between Mr. Calhoun and my- self. We were of the same age. I made my first entrance into the House of Representatives in May, 1813. I found there Mr. Calhoun. He had already • been a member of that body for two or three years I found hhn there an active and efficient member of the House, taking « decided part, and exercising a decided influence in all its deliberations. " From that day to the day of his death, amidst all the strifes of party and politics, there has subsisted between us always, and without interruption, a great degree of personal kindness. "Differing widely on many great questions re- specting our institutions and the government of the country, those differences never interrupted our per- sonal and social intercourse. I have been present at most of the distinguished instances of the exhibi- tion of liis talents in debate. I have always heard him with pleasure, often with much instruction, not unfrequently with the highest degree of admira- tion. " Mr. Calhoun was calculated to be a leader in whatsoever association of political friends he was thrown. He was a man of undoubted genius and of coniniaiuling talent. All the country and all the world admit that. His mind was both perceptive and vigorous. It was clear quick, and strong. , 260 MR. Calhoun's ELoq.uENCE. " Sir, the eloquence of Mr. Calhoun, or the mannei in which he exhibited his sentiments in public bodies, was part of his intellectual character. It grew out of the qualities of his mind. It was plain, strong, terse, condensed, concise, sometimes impassioned, still always severe. Rejecting ornament, not often seeking far for illustration, his power consisted in the plainness of his propositions, in the closeness of his logic, and in the earnestness and energy of his manner. These are the qualities, as I think, which have enabled him through such a long course of years to speak often, and yet always command atten- tion. His demeanor as a Senator is known to us all — is appreciated, venerated, by us all. No man was more respectful to others; no man carried him- self with greater decorum, no man with superior dignity. I think there is not one of us, when he last addressed us from his seat in the Senate, — his form still erect, with a voice by no means indicating such a degree of physical weakness as did in fact possess him, with clear tones, and an impressive, and, I may say, an imposing manner, — who did not feel that he might imagine that we saw before us a Senator of Rome while Rome survived. " Mr. President, he had the basis, the indispensable basis, of all high character — and that was unspotted integrity and uniin peached honor. If he had aspi- rations, they were high, wd honorable, and noble. WEBSTER AND HAITNE. iJ61 There was nothing grovelling, or low, or meanly selfish that came near the head or heart of Mi Calhoun " He has lived long enough, he has done enough ; and he has done it so well, so successfully, so honor ably, as to connect himself for all time with the records of his country. He is now an historical character. Those of us who have known him here will find that he has left upon our minds and our hearts a strong and lasting impression of his person, his character, and his public per formances, which, while we live, will never be obliterated. We shall hereafter, I am sure, indulge it as a greatful recollection that we have lived in his age, that we have been his contemporaries, that we have seen, and heard him, and known him. We shall delight to speak of him to those who are rising up to fill our places. And when the time shall come that we ourselves must go, one after another, to our graves, we shall carry with us a deep sense of his genius and character, his honor and integrity, his amiable deportment in private life, and the purity of his exalted patriotism." Mr. Havne was a far more violent controver- sialist than Mr. Calhoun. His attack upon Mr. Webster and upon Massachusetts in the Senate on Mr. Foot's resolution, so unprovoked, so gracefully 18 20 magnaj. When Mr. Webster was in Congress, he was ac customed to receive from different quarters seeds of various kinds. These he neither sold nor monopo- hzed for himself. Being greatly interested in agri- cultural pursuits, he was desirous of diffusing as far as possible all kinds of crops. For this reason he gave away the seeds which he received, that the farmers might experiment with them upon their different kinds of soil. In that beautiful letter to John Taylor, containing such a mingling of gravity and cheerfulness, sober politics and minute farming directions, where there is such a singular blending of incongruous objects as " pennyroyal crops," "little wife," "my mother's garden," and "the graves of my family," he says, " I have sent you many garden seeds. Distribute tJicm among your neiglibors. Send them to the stores in the village," (not to sell ; no, no, but) " that every body may have part of them mthouf cost." It would be interesting to know the history of some of those seeds. What were they ? which of them were successfully raised 1 how did they com- pare with other crops of the same kind ? did any of them introduce new species? in what respects was their introduction an improvement 1 has a suc- cession of crops been raised from these seeds ? how have those crops turned out as to quality and quantity 1 AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 269 If we had the means of answei'ing these ques- tions, it would not be at all surprising to learn that new and important additions had been made to certain departments of the agricultural interest by seeds received through the thoughtful attention of ihe farmer statesman. But Mr. Webster not only gave away seeds. When occasion required it, he was willing to part with more important articles. He was especially considerate towards his unfortunate neighbors. Such was his accessibleness when at home, that the farmers in his vicinity freely approached him and related their embarrassments. Those who had been acquainted with him in his early years made capital of their former friendship in appealing to his benevolence. On one occasion, when confined by illness to his room at Marshfield, an old friend who resided at a distance of thirty miles called to see him. He was at once admitted to the chamber. At first the conversation was upon " days of auld lang syne." They each drew upon their store of reminiscences, and lived old scenes over again. After some time had been spent in this delightful manner, the visitor entered upon his tale of woe, and related the varioua misfortunes which he had experienced. He seems, to have been in reduced circumstances, for in the conversation he incidentally expressed his eameBt 270 GIVES AWAY A COW. desire to obtain a good cow. The invalid listened attentively to every word lie uttered, but made no reply. When the friend had finished the story of his sorrows, and arose to leave, Mr. Webster called Mr. Porter Wright, the superintendent of his farm, into his presence, and gave him instructions to show his friend the cattle which were on the farm, and then present him with any cow which he might be pleased to select from the number. The herd was examined, and the visitor made choice of a fine Alderney, valued at fifty dollars, which was cheer- fully given him by his invalid friend. He went away rejoicing. " And this is only one of many similar instances which might and will be recorded of the astonishing liberality of Mr. Webster." We have already referred to the fact that when his early teacher, Mr. Tappan, was reduced to poverty, in his old age, he sent him at one time fifty, and at another time twenty dollars for his relief. The delicacy with which it was done — the words of aflTectionate sympathy which accompanied these substantial tokens of friendship — must have rendered the donation doubly acceptable. On the Elms Farm, at Franklin, Mr. Webster had a bull of the Hungarian breed. It was young, large, and beautiful, weighing about two thousand pounds, with a neck more than six feet in circum- ference, and of a delicate light slate color. It was an HUNGARIAN' BUL.L. 271 object of special interest to those wlio visited the place. On one occasion, Mr. John Taylor was in the field with it, when, without provocation, the animal suddenly became enraged, rushed upon him, gored him with his horns, tossed him high in the air, and, after he had fallen, trampled him under his hoofs, injuring him severely. He would probably have been wounded much more dangerously if he had not seized and held on to the ring which orna- mented the bull's nose. As it was, he had a very narrow escape from death. Mr. Webster heard in Boston that the superin- tendent of his farm was injured, but he knew not the particulars. It being the season of the year when he was accustomed to make his annual visit there, he was soon on his way to Franklin. When he reached Concord, where he heard the particulars of the affair, and learned that his life was considered in danger, he was deeply afflicted, and manifested great anxiety to pursue his journey. As soon as he arrived at home, he hastened to the hou^e of Mr. Taylor, whom he found prostrate upon his bed, enduring the severe sufferings of a dislocated shoulder, a dreadfully bruised breast, and a deep wound in his thigh, some seven inches long. Mr. Webster was filled with solicitude for his friend. He inquired the opinion of the physician, and when 272 SALMON AND GRAPES. he learned tliat he had pronounced him out of danger, he was greatly reheved. Mr. Taylor, doubtless, in order that he might allay the anxiety of Mr. Webster, gave quite an amusing narrative of his reucounter with the enraged animal, and of other feats which it had performed. " Do you think the creature is dangerous 1 " asked Mr. W., " and ought to be chained ? " " Why," replied Taylor, " he is no more fit to go abroad than your friend Governor Kossuth him- self." " Rather strong language this," humorously re- plied Mr. W. ; " but when a man has been gored al- most to death by an Hungarian bull, it is not strange that he should be severe upon the Hungarian gov- ernor." We have related this painful incident in order to say that when Mr. W. first heard of it in Boston, not, however, imagining the extent of its severity, he immediately determined to take IMr. Taylor a present of something which he supposed would be appropriate to one in his condition. He looked around, and made the necessary purchase. When he arrived at Elms Farm, he gladdened the heart of the wounded man by the donation of a basket of grapes and afresh salmon, brought purposely for him from Boston. The present was worthy of a nbblo- ECONOMICAf. SERVANT. 273 man, and they were noblemen of nature's mould who gave and received it. O, how greatly such acts of friendly attention smiothtlie shfirp asperities of life! How they pour the oil of gladness into tlie wounded spirit ! A bou- quet of flowers, a Uttle fruit, or pleasant confection, sent into the room of the invalid, are odorous with the fragrance of affection they are little tokens of remembrance ; they show the sufferer that he is not forgotten by the absent, but is thought of with interest, and his happiness desired. Mr. Webster seems to have been particularly kind to those in his employ. He had in Washington a colored man of the name of Charles Brown, who was his servant for nearly thirty years. He was a worthy, trusty person. Mr. Webster appreciated his qualities, and was accustomed to give him money to spend on holidays and other times, in addition, as we suppose, to his support. A few years ago he ascer- tained that this servant had bought a piece of land, and had erected a small, yet comfortable house. " Where did you get money to purchase so fine a house ? " asked he. " I aoi glad to say, sir," replied Brown, " that u all came out of your pocket. It i&the money which you have given me on holidays and at other times." It would seem from this that the speadiag-mone; 274 MR. Webster's will. given to this servant must have been somewhat liberal. A similar spirit was developed by Mr. Webster in the following " items " in his last will and testa- ment : — " Item. My servant William Johnson is a free man. I bought his freedom not long ago for six hundred dollars. No demand is to be made upon him for any poi-tion of this sum, but so long as is agreeable, I hope he will remain with the family. " Item". Monicha McCarty, Sarah Smith, and Ann Bean, colored persons, now, also, and for a long time in my service, are all free. They are very well deserving, and whoever comes after me must be kind to them." Public men, especially if they have the reputation of wealth and liberality, are frequently called i pon by private individuals for donations to various ob- jects. In these calls the proprieties of time and circumstance are not always regarded. Sometimes, instead of donations, reproofs are received. On one occasion, Mr. Webster gave both. The follow- ing are tlie facts : — A lady called upon him in Washington, and relat- ed a long and mournful story about her afflictions, stating that she was very poor ; that she resided in a western city; that she had not sufficient money tr ^ A LADY SOLICITOR- 27S reach her home, and then asked him to assist lier. He listened mth some degree of impatience to her tale, expressed his surprise that she, a total stranger, should feel at hberty to call on him for the purpose of soliciting charity, simply because he was con- nected with the government ; and, after administer- ing a plain reprimand for her improper conduct, he closed the interview by presenting her with fifty dollars. It is sometimes a difficult task to decide upon the path of duty in such cases. It is so easy to be de- ceived by impostors, and such deceptions occur so frequently, that we know not, when a stranger asks for assistance, whether it may not be one of this class. A safe course would be to require corroborating evidence of the facts in the case, in addition to the statements of the solicitor. And even then decep- tion would not be impossible ; for such cori'oborat- ing evidence might be abundantly furnished, and the, whole be based upon falsehood. To another woman he gave a similar amount, but under very different circumstances. The incident is highly interesting. Fn the early part of his professional career, when he was practising law in Portsmouth, one of his clients, whom he had conducted successfully through a some- what difficult suit, was unable to pay him his fees. He therefore insisted upon giving him the deed of a 276 WEBSTEK AND THE OLD biDT. certain lot of Imid in a neighboring county. The matter was adjusted by the acceptance of this deed. Where the land vv;is, or what was its quality, Mr. Webster knew not. After many years had passed away, he had occasion to visit this county. It oc- curred to him that perhaps it would be well to look up the laud, and iiscertain its condition. He went to work for that purpose. He made his inquiries, and, after following the directions whicii were given him, he discovered the property. Upon it was an old house, built among the rocks, which appeared to be inhabited. He knocked at the door, and entered. He found it was occupied by. an old woman, who, hermit-like, lived there all alone. He entered into familiar conversation with her, and asked who owned the place. She told him that it belonged to a law- yer, by the name of Webster ; and she was expect- ing every day that he would come and turn her out of doors. She little knew the character of that Webster. After some further inquiries, he surprised the old lady by the announcement that he was law- yer Webster, the owner of the place, but that she need not fear thai, he had come to warn her out. That was far from his intention. After allaying her apprehensions, he sat down at her table, partook of such refreshments as the humble hut afforded, and then departed, Uaning the uld lady a donation of fifty dollars. WEBSTER AND HIS POOH CLIENT. 277 Ever since then, that rocky spot has heen desig nated " Webster's Farm." This, however, was not the limit of his donations- When occasion required, he ^ave more largely. fie ^vas a large-hearted man. Says Mr. Lanman, — " The following well-authenticated fact was re- lated to the writer by an eye witness, and is only a specimen of many that might he mentioned, tending to illustrate the character of Mr. Webster's heart. Somewhere about the year 1826, a certain gentleman residing in Boston was thrown into almost inextricable difficulties by the failure of a house for which he had become responsible to a large amount. He needed legal advice, and being disheartened, he desired the author of this anecdote to go with him and relate his condition to Mr. Web'ster. The lawyer heard the story entirely through, advised his client what to do, and to do it immediately, and requested him to call again in a few days. After the gentlemen had left Mr. Webster's office, he came hurriedly to the door, called upon the gentlemen to stop a moment, and having approached them with his pocket book in hand, he thus addressed his client : ' It seems to me, my good sir, if T understood your case rightly, fou are entirely naked ; is it so ? ' The client replied that he was indeed penniless, and then of course expected a demand for a retain- mg fee. Instead of that demand, however, Mr 19 STB MR. WEBSTKR AND HIS POOB CLIENT. Webster kindly remarked, as he handed the client a bill for Jive liundr((l dollar:;, — " ' Well, therf. take that : it is all I have by me now. I wish it was more ; aiul if you are ever able, you must pay it back again.' " The client was overcome, and it may be well imagined that he has ever since been a ' Webster man.' Surely a man who can command the admira- tion of the world by the efforts of his gigantic intellect, and also possesses the above self-sacrificing habit of making friends, must indeed be a great and a good man-." To all intents this was a donation. He knew not that the man would ever be in a condition to refund the money ; he let him have it subject to that con- tingency. It was to be a loan if the man ever had the ability to return it; if otherwise, it was a gift. This chapter cannot be more appropriately closed than with the following deeply-affecting narrative which is equally illustrative of Mr. Webster's benev- olence and piety. Rather than mar the account by presenting it in our own language, we give it as it appeared in the National Intelligencer. " In answer to some fanatical inputations on Mr. Webster's religious principles, because of his support of the compromise measures, a widow lady, who resided in the vicinity of Mr. W.'s early home, said, — •" Mr. Webster an infidel ! I cannot believe that MR. WiiBSTEK AND THE WIDOW. 279 ( liave known him long, and, if it would not savor too much of egotism, I could relate some incidents that would, I think, convince you that, whatever his political views may have been, he certainly was not an infidel.' " She was requested to do so, and accordingly wrote the following : — " ' Mr. Webster and my husband became acquaint- ed in early life, and the friendship of youth extended to riper years. They were truly congenial spirits, and sought each other's society as much as possible. But the cares of business at length separated them, and for many years they seldom met. My husband settled down in this place, and Mr. Webster went forth to battle for the right in the councils of the nation. •' ' For some time we were greatly prospered. A lucrative business brought us wealth almost beyond our hopes. Two children came like a sunbeam to light up our happy home with their joyous smiles, and to cheer our spirits with their innocent prattle. Those were happy days, and I love to recall them. But alas 1 they were soon covered with clouds of darkness, that even the eye of faith could hardly penetrate. " « Some of the firms in which my husband's funds were placed became involved, and our little all waa 280 MR. WEBSTEI) AND THE WIDOW. swept from our grasp. When he found that every effort to recover it but plunged him deeper into difficulty, he became disheartened. Soon his health failed, and he was compelled to give up his business entirely. He then sold the shop, and what else we could spare, and with the avails paid every debt except one. This was due to a friend who chose to wait for his money rather than take from us the cottage where we lived, the only property we could then call our own. " ' But hardly was the arrangement made when the gentleman died, leaving the note in the hands of one who knew not how to show mercy. He demanded immediate payment, and we were about to sell our house when our oldest child was taken down with a fever, and soon left us, as we hope, for a better world. The same disease prostrated my liusband; and when the physician told me he must die, I felt that my cup of sorrow was full. But no ; I was mistaken. " ' There was yet another drop to be mingled in that cup of bitterness. While my husband yet lin- gered between life and death, my daughter, the only remaining child, was taken sick also, and after five days' suffering, she too left us, to rejoin her brother in the "spirit land." " » Do you ask how I bore this second bereave- MR. WEBSTER AND THE WIDOW. 281 meat ? I believe I had not leisure to think of it. All my time, all my attention, were given to my husband, who was slowly but surely going down to the grave. I had even forgotten the hard-hearted creditor. But he did not forget. Inexorable as death itself, he came at the time appointed, and demanded the money. I think he must have been intoxicated, for I am sure no man in his sober senses could have been so cruel. I told him my husband was dying ; but he replied, " Sorry, sorry to hear it. He won't earn any more money, and, as you can't pay up, I'll just take the house. You can live somewhere else, as you have no one to look after." I interj'upted his cruel remarks, and, thinking to move his feelings, I led him to the room where lay the cold form of ray child. "'Vain hope! I might as well have tried to move an iceberg. After much entreaty, I obtained ■permission to remain in the house while my loved one lived, on condition that I gave up the furniture. This I promised, that I might no more be troubled with his loathsome presence. " ' The man left me, and I sank into a chair, utter!) overcome at the prospect of the desolation before me. At that moment I heard a rap at the door. I could not rise to obey the summons. I felt that my heart "was breaking But the door 282 PRATER AND BENEVOLENCE. slowly opened, and Mr Webster stood before me. He had come home on a visit, and, without know- ing any thing of our sorrows, he rode over to see and embrace his early friend. What was his sur- prise to find him thus ! And when the story of our troubles had been told, when he had assured himself that his long-cherished friend had but a few more hours to live, he sat down and wept. " ' Then he asked to see the corpse of his little pet, who, when he last visited us, sat upon his knee and played with his watch. As he rose to leave the bed, my husband said in ij whisper, " Fetch her to me, that I too may look upon her sweet face once more." " ' We placed the still beautiful form beside the bed, and standing near it, gave ourselves up to un- controllable grief. When able to command his voice, Mr. W. said, " Let us pray." And kneeling there, beside the dying and the dead, he prayed as none but a Christian can pray. Sure I am that a prayer so earnest, so full of faith and hope in the Redeemer, was never poured forth from the lips of an infidel. " ' Gladly would he have stopped with us through the night ; but business forbade his stay. He left us, and as he grasped for the last time the hand of nis dying fi'iend, those pale features were lighted up with a smile of hope, such as they had not worn for paAO'.n ANn benevolence. 283 many a day. The troubled spirit was at rest, for the assurance hai been given that the widow should be provided for in her affliction. " ' My husband died the next day. I saw no more of the hard-hearted creditor, and the house remained unsold. I still occupy it, and the room w'lere Mr. Webster kneeled in prayer is to me a sacred place.* " CHAPTER XVI. Mr. Webster never out of Order. — Sings with an old Lady. — Religious Allusions. — The Bible is " the Book. ' — Piety ol. his Brother Ezekiel. — An Evening Scene and Scripture Quo- tation. — Mr. Webster's Remarks on Job. — He prefers John. — Constant in Attendance on Public Worship. — His Opinion of Sermonizing. — His Opinion of Prayer. — Mr. Kirk's Ser- mon. — Mr. Webster's Remarks upon it. — Believer in the Atone- ment. — Requests Prayer on board a Steamboat. — Influence of Prayer. — Arithmetic of Heaven. — His Religious Views. — Pleased with Dr. Watts's Hymns. — Mr. Alden's Eulogy. — Recognition of Divine Providence. — Evidences of Christian- ity. — Writes the Inscription for his own Monument. — Its Importance. A QUESTION in which a large portion of the com- munity cherish a deep interest is that which has re- spect to the reUgious opinions and character of our most eminent statesmen. That there are any among them addicted to profanity, drunkenness, and other immoralities, is an occasion of grief and humiUa- tion. An account of the disgraceful, belhgereni scenes which have occasionally transpired in Con- gress has sent a wave of sadness throughout the land. Such occurrences have been deplored ootb publicly and privately. They have furnished topics for penitential confession and earnest prayer in the services of the sanctuary, and in the private devo- 284 QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE. )iSb tions of the closet. It will be a fortunate day for our country when immorality of character, or a positive disregard for Christianity, shall be sufficient to prevent the election of any individual, however eminent he may be in other respects, to any office of responsibility. In canvassing the qualifications of candidates, the time has come when a higher estimate should be placed upon moral requisites. We need men of good hearts, as well as strong minds. Integrity of character should be the ballast of the ship of state ; and this should be developed not only in the laws which are passed, but in those who enact and execute them. With reference to Mr. Webster, it is stated thm during his long congressional career, though he was frequently placed in circumstances of the most ex- citing character, and was ofttimes the subject of personal and irritating allusion, he .never depaited from the proprieties of debate. He was never called to order. If this rigid adherence to the rules of parliamentary decorum had been imitated by others, the various scenes of congressional rowdyism which have dishonored the halls of our national' legislation would have been avoided. But Mr. Webster was governed by something higher than a mere regard to decorum. He knew that the character of his country was, in the opinion of foreign nations, implicated in these scenes of 286 MH. WEBSTER AND A\ OLD WOMAN. disorder, and that they were at variance witli thai spirit of good will towards others which is so prom- inent and beautiful an element of Christianity. Patriotism and religion combined to guide his course. His parents, as we have seen, were Christians of the Puritan stock. His " excellent mother " in- stilled into his mind, from his earliest childhood, sentiments of piety. He was, when quite younj^, taught the Catechism and the hymns of Dr. Watts. The history and precepts of the Scriptures were also impressed upon his mind. He was taught to regard the Sabbath and to reverence the institution of Christianity. Theie early influences were not in vain. He became hopefully pious, and, when a young man, united with the Orthodox Congrega- tional Church. He had, even at that time, attained to such a reputation, that the following incident, comparatively trifling in itself, which occurred then, is remembered to the present day. On the occasion of his making a public profession of religion, the only occupant of the same pew with hiK5--»ras a " very poor, and a very old, woman." The service was closed with singing. After Mr. Webster had found the hymn, he offered a part of the book to the poor woman, and they both sung together from the same page — a beautiful symbol of the union existing between the piety of youth and that of age. HIS ALLUSIONS TO HELIGION. 287 Even though their voices might have been discord- ant, they were one in spirit. This pleasant incident IS still a topic of fireside conversation among the members of the parish. When he deUvered his Fourth of .Tuly Oration at Hanover, during his collegiate course, he took occa- sion to express the obligations of the people to cher- ish sentiments of thanksgiving towards the Ruler of nations for the blessings they enjoyed. His lan- guage was as follows : " If piety be the rational exercise of the human soul, if religion be not a chimera, and if the vestiges of heavenly assistance are clearly traced in those events which mark the annals of our nation, it becomes us on this day, in consideration of the great things which have been done for us, to render the tribute of unfeigned thanks to that God who superintends the universe, and holds aloft the scale that weiglis the destinies of nations." These sentiments are important. They are wor- thy of being incorporated in every oration on our national anniversary. We should never forget oui indebtedness to the Ruler of nations for the political freedom with which he has blessed us. Tlie Fourth of July ought to bo a day of national thanksgiving. With our various demonstrations of joy there should be mingled feelings of devout gratitude. Of this i88 HIS LOVE FOR THE BIBLE. the youthful orator was convinced, and has earnestly expressed it in the quotation we have givien. Being a firm behever in the divine origin of the Scriptures, he has on various occasions expressed himself warmly upon the importance of malting them a subject of study. A correspondent of the Commercial Advertiser says, — " Some years ago we had the pleasure of spend- ing several days in company with Mr. Webster at the residence of a mutual friend, Harvey Ely, Esq., at Rochester. During that intercourse, we had more than one opportunity of conversing on religious sub- jects — sometimes on doctrinal points, but more gen- erally on the importance of the Holy Scriptures, as containing the plan of man's salvation, through the atonement of Christ. So far as our knowledge of the subject extends, Mr Webster was as orthodox as any we ever conversed with. «' On one occasion, when seated in the drawing room with Mr. and Mrs. Ely, Mr. Webster laid his hand on a copy of the Scriptures, saying, with great emphasis, « This is the book ! ' This led to a con- versation on the importance of the Scriptures, and the too frequent neglect of the study of the Bible by gentlemen of the legal profession, their pursuits iu life leading them to the almost exclusive study of works having reference to their profession. Mr PIETT OF BIS BROTHER. VS9 Webster said, ' I have read through the entire Bible many times. I now make a practice to go through it once a year. It is the book of all others for law- yers as well as for divines ; and I pity the man that cannot find in it a rich supply of thought, and of rules for his conduct ; it fits man for life — it pre- pares him for death.' " The conversation then turned upon sudden deaths ; and Mr. Webster adverted to the then re- cent death of his brother, who expired suddenly at Concord, N. H. ' My brother,' he continued, ' knew the importance of Bible truths. The Bible led him to prayer, and prayer was his communion with God. On the day on which he died, he was engaged in an important cause in the court then in session. But this cause, important as it was, did not keep bim from his duty to his God ; he found time for prayer, for on the desk which he had just left was found a paper writ- ten by him on that day, which for fervent piety, a devotedness to his heavenly Master, and for expres- sions of humility, I think was never excelled.' " Mr. Webster then mentioned the satisfaction he had derived from the preaching of certain clergymen, observing that ' men were so constituted, that we lould not all expect the same spiritual benefit under the ministry of the same clergymen.' He regretted that there was not more harmony of feeling among professors generally, who believed in the great truths 290. uttekestimo soene. of our common Christianity. Difference of opin- ion, he admitted, was proper ; but yet, with that difference, the main objects should be love to God — love to our fellow-creatures. In all Mr. Web- ster's conversations, he maintained true catholicity of feeling." The editor of the Boston Atlas, as quoted by General Lyman, in his Memorials, says, — " It was our fortune to pass several days at his home in Marshfield, some six or seven years ago ; and well we remember one beautiful night, when the heavens seemed to be studded with countless myri- ads of stars, that about nine o'clock in the evening, we walked out, and he stood beneath the beautiful weeping elm which raises its majestic form within a few paces of his dwelling, and, looking up through the leafy branches, he appeared for several minutes to be wrapped in deep thought, and, at length, as if the scene, so soft and so beautiful, had suggested the lines, he quoted certain verses of the eighth Psalm, beginning with the words, ' When I con- sider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him ? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor,' &c. The deep, low tone in which he repeated these inspired words, HIS REMARKS ON JOB. 291 and the deep, rapt attention with which he gazed up through the branches of the elm, struck us with a feeling of greater awe and solemnity than we ever felt, when, a year or two later, we visited some of the most magnificent cathedrals of the old world, venerable with the ivy of centuries, and mellowed with the glories of a daily church service for a thou- sand years. " We remained out beneath the tree for an hour, and all the time he conversed about the Scriptures, which no man has studied with greater attention, and of which no man whom we ever saw knew so much, or appeared to understand and appreciate so well. He talked of the books of the Old Testament espe- cially, and dwelt with unaffected pleasure upon Isaiah, the Psalms, and especially the Book of Job. The Book of Job, he said, taken as a mere work of literary genius, was one of the most wonderful pro- ductions of any age, or in emy language. As an epic poem, he deemed it far superior to either the Iliad or Odyssey. The two last, he said, received much of their attraction from the mere narration 3f warlike deeds, and from the perilous escape of the chief personages from death and slaughter ; but the Book of Job was a' purely intellectual narra- tive. Its power was shown in the dialogue of characters introduced. The story was simple in its soustruction, and there was little in it to excite the 292 HE EXPLAINS THE SCRIPTURES. imagination or arouse the sympathy. It was purely an intellectual production, and depended upon the power of the dialogue, and not upon the interest of the story, to produce its effects. This was consid- ering it merely as an intellectual work. He read it through very often, and always with renewed delight. Ii his judgment, it was the greatest epic ever written. " We well remember his quotation of some of the verses in the thirty-eighth chapter: 'Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge 1 Gird up now thy loins like a man ; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth ? Declare, if thou hast understanding,' &c. Ml-. Webster was a fine reader, and his recitation of particular passages, to which he felt warm, were never surpassed, and were capable of giving the most exquisite delight to those who could appreciate them." With regard to this attachment to the Bible, the author of Mr. Webster's Private Life says , — " Indeed, he loved and he read that priceless vol- ume as it ought to be loved and read ; and he once told the writer that he could not remember the time when he was unable to read a chapter therein. He read it aloud to his family on every Sunday morning, HIS RKVEllENCK FOR THE SCRIPTURES. 291! and often delivered extempore sermons of great power and eloquence. He never made a journey without carrying a copy with him, and the writer would testify that he never listened to the story of the Savior, or heard one of the prophecies of Isaiah, when it sounded so superbly eloquent as when com- ing from his lips. Those admitted to the inti- macy of his conversation alone can tell of the eloquent fervor with which he habitually spoke of the inspired writings ; how much light lie could throw on a difficult text ; how much beauty lend to expressions that would escape all but the eye of genius ; what new vigor he could give to the most earnest thought; and what elevation even to sublimity. " It would be impossible, as C. W. March has said, for any one to listen half an hour to one of his dissertations on the Scriptures, and not believe in their inspiration or his. And yet, while his private conversations and public productions attest how deeply he was imbued with the spirit of the Scriptures, neither the one nor the other ever con- tained the slightest irreverent allusion to any passage in them, any thing in the way of illusti-ation, anal- ogy, or quotation, which would seem to question their sanctity. He was scrupulously delicate in this regard, and therein differed widely from most of his contemporaries in public life ; as he read and 20 294 HIS PREFERENCE FOR JOHN. fidmired the Bible for its eloquence, so did he veuei ate it for its sacredness." At a dinner table at the Revere House, Boston, one of the party made a remark upon the poetry of the Scriptures. " Ah, my friend," immediately re- plied Mr. Webster, " the poetry of Isaiah, and .Tob, and Habakkuk is beautiful indeed ; but when you reach your sixty-ninth year, you will give more for the fourteenth or the seventeenth chapter of .Tohn's Gos- pel, or for one of the Epistles, than for all the poetry of the Bible." It may be asked. If Mr. Webster was so deeply impressed with the value of the sacred Scriptures, ifhy did he never give expression to his views at the anniversary of some of the Bible Societies ? He stated in the above interview, that he had declined speaking at Bible Societies, " from fear that the mo- tives prompting to such a step would be regarded as sinister." * He expressed deep regret that he had never recorded his opinion of the word of God in some public manner, and intimated a willingness to comply, if invited to speak at the anniversary of the American Bible Society. But the arrangement was never made, owing, probably, to the speedy decease of the clergyman to whom the matter was suggested. It is reasonable to suppose that one who waa so ♦ Rev. Dr. Choiiles's Sermon. CONSTANTLT ATTENDS CHURCH. 295 sincerely a lover of the Bible would not be uninter- ested in the public services of the sanctuary. The following fact will illustrate Mr. Webster's views nnd practice upon this point : — He was accustomed, at one period of his life, to spend his months of summer recreation in Dorches- ter, Massachusetts. The late Rev. Dr. Codman was at that time pastor of the Orthodox Congregational Church in that town. At the time he became a res- ident of the place, Mr. Webster called upon Dr. Codman, " with whom he held similar religious opinions," and said to him, — " Sir, I am come to be one of your parishioners. Not one of your fashionable ones ; but you will find me in my sear both in the morning and in the after- noon." He is said to have been true to his word. His example in this respect furnishes an impressive re- buke to those " fashionable " worshippers whose con- science and heart are satisfied with a single attend- ance upon the public services of the Sabbath. May we not see in it, also, the influence of home educa- tion ? Being taught, when a boy, to be in his seat on both parts of the day, he continued the practice in subsequent years. He did not go there for amusement, nor to while away an hour that would have otherwise hung heavily on his hands. Indeed, any thing in the form of a sermon which furnished 296 CRITICIZES A SERMON. mere intellectual entertainment seemed to him out if place. To Rev. Mr. Aldcn, of Marshfield, the pastoi whose ministrations he attended when at home he said with emplweis, " When 1 attend the preach- ing of the gospel, I wish it to be made a personal matter, A PERSONAL matter, a personal MATTER." On another occasion he expressed his views of preaching to a gentleman who afterwards gave thein to the public in the Congregational Journal, in the following article : — " A few evenings since," says this writer, " sitting by his own fireside, after a day of severe labor in the Supreme Court, Mr. Webster introduced the last Sabbath's sermon, and discoursed in animated and glowing eloquence for an hour, on the great truths of the gospel. I cannot but regard the opinions of such a man in some sense as public property. This is my apology for attempting to recall some of those remarks which were uttered in the privacy of the domestic circle. " Said Mr. Webster, ' Last Sabbath I listened to an able and learned discourse upon the evidences of Christianity. The arguments were drawn from prophecy, history, with internal evidence. They were stated with logical accuracy and force ; hut, as it seems to me, the clergyman failed to draw from CRITICIZES A SERMON. ^7 them the right conclusion. He came so near the truth that I was astonished he missed it. In sum- ming up liis arguments, he said the only ahernative presented by these evidences is this : Either Chris- tianity is true, or it is a delusion produced by an ex- cited imagination. Such is not the alternative,' said the critic ; « but it is this : the gospel is either true history, or it is a consummate fraud ; it is either a reality or an imposition. Christ was what he pro- fessed to be, or he was an impostor. There is no other alternative. His spotless life in his earnest enforcement of the truth, his suffering in its defence, forbids us to suppose that he was suffering an illusion of the heated brain. " ' Every act of his pure and holy life shows that he was the author of truth, the advocate of truth, the earnest defender of truth, and the uncomplaining suf- ferer for truth. Now, considering the purity of his doctrines, the simplicity of his life, and the sublimity of his death, is it possible that he would have died for ar illusion 1 In all his preaching the Savior made no popular appeals. His discourses were all directed to the individual. Christ and his apostles sought to impress upon every man the conviction that he must stand or fall alone — he must live for himself, and die for himself, and give up his account to the omniscient God, as though he were the only de- pendent creature in the universe. The gospel 298 OPINION OF PHEACHINC leaves the individual sinner alone with himself and his God. To his own Master he stands or falls. He has nothing to hope from the aid and sympathy of associates. The deluded advocates of new doe- trine do not so preach. Christ and his apostles, had they been deceivers, would not have so preached. " ' If clergymen in our days would return to the simplicity of the gospel, and preach more to indi- viduals and less to the crowd, there would not be so much complaint of the decline of true religion. Many of the ministers of the present day take their text from St. Paul, and preach from the newspapers. When they do so, I prefer to enjoy my own thoughts rather than to listen. I want my pastor to come to me in the spirit of the gospel, saying, " You are mortal! your probation is brief; your work must be done speedily. You are immortal, too. You are hastening to the bar of God ; the .fudge standetb before the door." When I am thus admonished, I have no disposition to muse or to sleep. These topics,' said Mr. Webster, ' have often occupied my thoughts ; and if I had time I would write on them myself.' " The above remarks are but a meagre and im- perfect abstract, from memory, of one of the most eloquent sermons to which I ever listened." These are the true, common-sense views to be taken of the subject. It will be a most desirable A CHANGK NEEDETV 299 change in public opinion when these views become popular. There are many to whom no preaching is so interesting as that which indulges in all kinds of flowery and imaginative description of scenes, cir- cumstances, and characters, but which leaves the conscience unaddressed. To hold the mirror of divine truth before them, and show them the moral deformities of their character, is to perform a most unwelcome service. But instead of censuring them- selves, and striving for amendment, they make the preacher the subject of their complaints, or else find fault with the truth he utters. Probation, mortality, and eternity are themes too sombre for the contem- plation of such. They take no pleasure in them. How widely different was it with Mr. Webster ! " 1 want my pastor to come to me in the spirit of the gospel, saying, 'You are mortal! your probation is brief; your work must be done speedily. You are immortal, too. You are hastening to the bar of God; the Judge standeth at the door.'" A great mind wants great themes for its contemplation. No wonder that he added, " These topics have often occupied my thoughts." Reader, permit them to occupy your thoughts. You can dwell upon nothing invested with more profound interest. In comparison with these, all other subjects dwindle into insignificaiice. Your present life is brief. Yet for all your conduct here 30(1 WKBSTER S OPINION OF PRATER. you are accountable at the tribunal of your Maker It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. Then will follow your immortality, the character of which will depend upon the course of life which you have followed here. How ex- plicit is the language of revelation! — "Be not de- ceived ; God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sovveth, that shall he also reap. He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." Let the young especially remember that this life is their seedtime ; that the harvest will be reaped in another world, and the nature of that harvest mil depend upon the character of the seed sown here. Being a believer in the Bible, Mr. Webster was convinced of the efiicacy of prayer. The last time he attended church, this was the subject of discourse. It was delivered by that warm-hearted, earnest preacher, and indefatigable laborer in the vineyard of Christ, Rev. E. N. Kirk, of Boston. Hearing that this gentleman was to preach m Duxbury, a few miles from Marshfield, Mr. W., with some of his guests, rode over to hear him. Mr. Charles Lanman, who was one of the nuinber, has given the following account of the circumstance, with some additional remai-ks, of which we gladly avail ourselves, coming as they do from one who waa BEARS A SERMON ON PRAYER. 301 favored mth the enjoyment of a close personal intimacy with the great statesman. " The last time that he ever attended church, it was my rare fortune to be his companion. He had been informed that the Rev. E. N. Kirk, of Boston, was expected to preach in Duxbury, some three miles from Marshfield ; and packing oiF his guests and a part of his household in a couple of carriages, he reserved a gig for himself, and in this did we attend. The sermon was on the efficacy of prayer, and was distinguished not only for its eloquence, but for its powerful arguments. It dealt in nothing but pure Bible doctrines, as understood by the orthodox church. Mr. Webster listened with marked atten- tion to the whole discourse, and, after the services were closed, went up and congratulated the preacher. On our return home, his conversation turned upon the sermon, and he said it was a remarkable, a great effort. He said the arguments adduced were imsmswerable, and that if a man would only live ac- cording to the lessons of such preaching, he would be a happy man both in this world and the world to come. He said, moreover, ' There is not a single sentiment in that discourse with which I do not fully concur. And this remark, when appended, as it ought tc be, to the sermon when hereafter published, will serve to convince the world that his views of religion were most substantial and satisfactoiy. 302 RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. During the whole of our ride home, he conversed upon matters contained in or suggested by the discourse ; and I deeply regret that I did not take more ample notes of what he said on the occasion. The distinct impression left upon my mind, however, was, that if he were not a genuine Christian, the promises of the Bible were all a fable; and God knows that I would rather die than, for a moment, even imagine such a state of things. " He was a believer in the great atonement ; and though, living as he did in a sphere of peculiar temp- tations, he may have committed errors, he needed no promptings to lead him to a speedy repentance. He was actuated by a spirit of charity which knew no bounds. He treasured no animosities to his fellow- men, and when once wronged by those in whom he had confided with all the guilelessness of a child, he did not retaliate, but simply moved in another sphere beyond their reach. He was a student of the Bible, and read it habitually in his family whenever the annoyances of his official position did not prevent ; and never sat down, when with his family alone, to enjoy the bounties of his table, without first implor- ing a blessing. No man ever thought or talked with more reverence of the power and holiness of God. He came of a race of good men ; was baptized into, and became a member, in his college days, of the Congregational church, but died in the communion SCENE IN A STATE BOOH. 803 of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which he was a devout memher ; and oue of the most im- pressive scenes that I ever witnessed, going to prove -the matchless beauty of our religion, was to see him, in full view of the Capitol, the principal theatre of his exploits, upon his knees before the altar, partak- ing of the sacrament of the Lord's supper. That spectacle, and the grandeur of his death, are to me more eloquent than a thousand sermons from human lips." The sermon alluded to, preached by Mr. Kirk, will ever be interesting, not only on account of its intrinsic merits, but as being the last which Mr. Webster ever heard, and as drawing from him the sentiments he then uttered. He was a believer in the eiiicacy and the obliga- tion of prayer. He has given the whole weight of his influence to sanction a practice which not a few affect to despise. "Many years ago," says Rev. Dr. Choules, " 1834, in passing through the Sound, we occupied the captain's state room. At night Mr. Webster took up my Bible and read the twenty-third Psaln>, and then made some fine remarks upon the character of David, observing that the varied experience of David as a shepherd boy, a King, victorious and vanquished, had made him acquainted with all the diversified feelings of human nature, and had 304 REASCNABLENESS OF PRATEB. thus qualified him to be the chorister of the church in all future ages. After this, he asked mc to com- mend ourselves to God, remarking that none needed prayer more than ' the wayfaring man.' " " How absurd," says one, " to imagine that our poor requests- receive any attention from the Sov- ereign of the universe, or secure any benefit to our- selves !" " How superstitious," says another, " to with- draw to some place of retirement, and there pretend to talk to some unseen God ! " Tlie spirit of such harmonizes vi^ith certain ones of old, who impiously said, " It is vain to serve God," and " What is the Almighty, that we should serve him ? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him ? " Not so thougfit Mr. Webster. If his opinion on other sulijects be valuable, it is certainly not worth- less on this. He was a believer in the importance of prayer, and performed the duty with more or less frequency. And why should not you, my young reader 1 The Bible enjoins the duty with great frequency. It promises that it shall not be performed in vain. Various interesting instances are given when jirayer was answered. How reasonable is it that feeble creatures like ourselves should, in this way, manifest our dependence upon that great and good Being who called us into existence, and who supplies our daily wants Even if it were not true that prayer is REASONABLENESS OF PRAYER. 305 answered, its reflex influence upon the worshipper's mind and heart would justify its perforraance. To draw voluntarily near to God ; to hold, in the exercise of faith, converse with him ; to acknowledge our weaknesses ; to confess our sins ; to render thanksgiv ing for the innumerable blessings we have received, and earnestly to implore more, — all this has a tendency to deepen within us feelings of humility, penitence, gratitude, and devotion'. It makes us more sensible of our weakness and our dependence upon Him who is the object of our prayers. In respect to his religious sentiments, in addition to what Mr. Lanman has said, Rev. Mr. Kirk, in his sermon on the death of 3Ir. Webster, entitled Great Men are God's Gift:, uses the following language : — " Having noticed that on several occasions gen- tlemen have endeavored to show that his religious views were not definite, but indefinite, or, as some would teim it, liberal, I would here mention an an- ecdote, whicli, from his own lips, I am authorized to say is authentic. Being asked by a Unitarian gentle- man, as he was coming out of an Episcopal church in this city, whether he believed that three and one are the same thing, he replied in a manner perfectly characteristic, as it properly disposes of the real difiiculty of the Trinity, ' Sir, I believe you and I do not understand the arithmetic of heaven.' " 306 HIS OPINION OF EDWARDS. In further illustration of his religious sentiments, we mention the following incident, as related by Rev. Dr. Choules, in his sermon on Mr. Webster's death : — " That evening I asked Mr. Webster if his religious views were those of the Orthodox Congregational ists, with whom I had heard that he united in early life. • Yes,' he said, ' he thought that he had never changed his religious opinions ; that he regarded .Tonathan Edwards as being as nearly the stamp of truth as any mere human writer. He spoke of liis History of Redemption as having greatly interested him, and added, ' But I prefer to find truth as it is conveyed to us in the word, without system, yet sf clear and lucid.' In regard to the atonement, he expressed the most abiding confidence, observing that it seemed to him the great peculiarity of the gospel, to deny which, was to reduce it to a level with other systems of religion. He observed that he had ' no taste for metaphysical refinement in theology, and preferred plain statements of truth.' He thought the pulpit had much to answer for in pro- ducing differences of opinion among Christians, and pressed with the remark, '1 take the JJible to be in- spired, Hod it must not be treated as thnugb it mere HIS LOVE FOR WATTS'S HYMNS. SOT ly contained a revelation ; it is a revelation. You ministers make a great mistake in not dwelling more upon the great facts of Christianity ; they are the foundations of the system, and there is a power con- nected with their statement ; it seems to me that Peter and Paul understood this. Plain preaching is what we all want, and as much illustration as you can bring up. I once heard Dr. Beecher, in Hano- ver Street, Boston, talk for an hour on God's law, in its application to the heart and life ; he did it in my idea of good preaching.' " Mr. Webster was particularly pleased with those psalms and hymns by Dr. Watts which dwelt upon the atonement and salvation by faith in Christ. He regretted the modern alteration in some of them, by which, he said, their classic beauty, not less than their devotional character, has suiFered. The hymn now commencing, — " Here at thy cross, my dying Lord," &c. he would have read, as in the original, — " Here at Ihy cross, my dying God," &c. the b&iutiful hymn on the Christian Sabbath, eiosiiig with the stanza, as now altered, — " My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, Till called to rise and soar away To everlasting; bliss,'' — 308 HIS pastor's TESTEttONT. he would have, as Watts wrote it, — " My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, And sit and sing Jierself away To everlasting bliss ; " the last two lines having a fine classic allusion to the, swan, thus indicating, more effectively, the devotional spirit. He often repeated the fifty-first psalm, and referred particularly to the stanza, — " No blood of beasts, nor heifers slam, For sin could e'er atone, The blood of Christ must still remain, Sufficient and alone." Rev. Mr. Alden, the minister of Marshfield, in his address at Mr. Webster's funeral, said, — " Those who were present upon the morning of that Sabbath upon which this head of a family con- ducted the worship of his household will never for- get, as he read from our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, the emphasis which he alone was capable of giving to that passage which speaks of the divine nature of forgiveness. They saw beaming from that eye, now closed in death, the spirit of Him who first uttered that godlike sentiment. " And he who, by the direction of the dying man, upon a subsequent morning of the day of rest, read in their connection these words, ' Lord, I believe ; help thou my unbelief;' and then the closing chaj)- PHEPARATION FOR DEATH. 309 ler of our Savior's last words to his disciples, being particularly requested to dwell upon this clause of the verse,' ' Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are,' beheld a sublime illustration of the indwelling and abiding power of Christian faith. " And if these tender remembrances only cause our tears to flow more freely, it may not be improper for us to present the example of the father, when his great heart was rent by the loss of a daughter whom he most dearly loved. Those present on that occasion well remember, when the struggle of mortal agony was over, retiring from the presence of the dead, bowing together before the presence of God, and joining with the afflicted father as he poured forth his soul, pleading for grace and strength from on high. " As upon the morning of his death we conversed upon the evident fact that, for the last few weeks, his mind had been engaged in preparation for an exchange of worlds, one who knew him well re- marked, ' His whole life has been that preparation.' The people of this rural neighborhood, among whom he spent the last twenty years of his life, among whom he died, and with whom he is to rest, have been accustomed to regard him with mingled ven- eration and love. Those who knew him best can the most truly appreciate the lessons both from his 21 310 REVERENCE FOR THE SUPREME BEING. lips and example, teaching the sustaining power of the gospel. " A mind like Mr. Webster's, active, thoughtful. penetrating, sedate, could not but meditate deeply on the eondition of man below, and feel its respon- sibilities. He could not look on this mighty sys- tem, — • This universal frame, thus wondrous fair, without feeling that it was created and upheld by an InteUigence to which all other intelligence must be responsible. I am bound to say that in the course of my life I never met with an in- dividual, in any profession or condition, who al- ways spoke and always thought with such awful reverence of the power and presence of God. No irreverence, no lightness, even no too familiar allusion to God and his attributes ever escaped his lips. The very notion of a Supreme Being was, with him, made up of awe and solemnity. It filled the whole of his great mind with the strongest emo- tions. A man like him, with all his proper senti- ments and sensibilities alive in him, must, in this state of existence, have something to beUeve, and something to hope for ; or else, as life is advancing to its close, all is heart-sinking and oppression. De- pend upon it, whatever may be the mind of an old man, old age is tnly really happy when, on feeling RECOGNITION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 311 the enjoyments of tliis world pass away, it begins to lay a stronger hold on the realities of another. "Mr. Webster's religious sentiments and feelings were the crowning glories of his character." The Hon. Mr. Barstow, mayor of Providence, when alluding to the demise oC Mr. Webster, related the following interesting facts : — " He also recognized God in his providence. Who does not remember, after the sad catastrophe of the steamer Atlantic, of his rising in his seat in the American Senate, and recording there three providential deliverances from impending death ? The first I have forgotten. The second was on the occasion of the loss of the Lexington. He was in New York, and had engaged passage home in her, and, if I mistake not, went to the boat, but was led, for some cause which then appeared slight, to change his mind. He went back to his hotel, and his life was saved. The third was on that fatal thanksgiv- ing eve when the Atlantic was lost. He was on his way to Washington, and had taken passage in her at Norwich. When the boat touched at New Lon- don, he deemed it unwise to proceed in such a gale. But,' it was replied, 'the boat is new and stanch, and never has stopped for wind or weather ; it is the storm Une.' He went on shore, and in one half hour an event occurred which left that strong boat to the mercy of the wind and waves, and sent 312 girard's will. mourning through the land. He did not ascribe these deliverances to accident, luck, fortune, chance, but to the good providence of God, who suffers not the sparrcw to fall to the ground without his notice." It will be appropriate, in this connection, to give some extracts from an important plea of Mr. Web ster, in which he has expressed more fully his sen timents upon Christianity. Mr. Stephen Girard, in his devise for the endow- ment of Girard College, Philadelphia, imposed, among others, the following restriction : — " I enjoin and require, that no ecclesiastic, mis- sionary, or minister of any sect whatever, shall ever hold or exercise any station or duty whatever in the said college ; nor shall any such person ever be ad- mitted for any purpose, or as a visitor, vvitliin the premises appropriated to the purposes of the said college." The heirs at law were desirous of breaking the will of Mr. Girard, and for this purpose suit was in- stituted in the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where the decision was against them. The case was then carried to the Supreme Court of the United Utates, where Mr. Webster de- livered this speech, February 20, 1844. After giving his testimony in favor of the exalted character and deep-toned piety of the American clergy, and speak- ing of the wrong done by excluding them from MR. Webster's plea. 313 privileges granted even to the, basest of men, he proceeds to say, — " la the next place, this scheme of education is derogatory to Cliristianity, because it proceeds upipn tlie presumption that tlie Christian religion is not the only true foundation, or any necessary foundation, of morals. The ground taken is, that religion is not necessary to morality; that benevolence may be insured by habit ; and that all the virtues may flour- ish, and be safely left to the chance of flourishing, without touching the waters of the living spring of religious responsibility. With him who thinks thus, what can be the value of the Christian revelation 1 So the Christian world has not thought ; for by that Christian world, throughout its broadest extent, it has been, and is, held as a fundamental truth, that religion is the o;ily solid basis of morals, and that moral instruction not resting on this basis is only a building upon sand. And at what age of the Chris- - tian era have those who profess to teach tlie Chris- tian religion, or to believe in its authority and im- portance, not iuiiisted on the absolute necessity of inculcating its principles and its precepts upon the minds of the ypung 1 En what age, by wliat sect, where, when, by whom, has religious truth been ex- cluded from the education of youth ? Nowhere — never. Every where, and at all times, it has been, and is, regarded as esseotial. It is the essence, the ;il4 THE DECALOGUE. vitality, of useful instruction. From all this Mr Girard dissents. His plan denies the necessity and ilie propriety of religious instruction as a part of the education of youth. He dissents, not only from all the sentiments of Christian mankind, fi-om all common conviction, and from the results of all ex- perience, but he dissents also from still higher au- thority — the word of God itself. My learned friend has referred, with propriety, to one of the commands of the decalogue ; but there is another, a first commandment, and that is a precept of religion ; and it is in subordination to this, that the moral pre- cepts of the decalogue are proclaimed. This first great commandment -teaches man that there is one, and only one, great First Cause ; one, and only one, proper object of human worship. This is the great, the ever-fresh, the overflowing fountain of all re- vealed truth. Without it, human life is a desert, of no known termination on any side, but shut in on all sides by a dark and impenetrable horizon. Without the light of tliis truth, man knows nothing of his origin, and nothing of his end. And when the decalogue was delivered to the Jews, with this great announcement and command at its head, what said the inspired lawgiver 1 That it should be reserved as a communication fit only for mature age ? Far, far otherwise. ' And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart : nnd RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF VOUTH. 315 thou shalt teach them diUgently unto thy children, and shah t^lk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when tliou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.' ^ " There is an authority still more unposing and awful. When little cliildren were brought into the presence of the Son of God, his disciples proposed to send them away ; but he said, ' Suffer little children to come unto me.' Unto me! He did not send them first for lessons in morals to the schools of the Pharisees, or to the unbelieving Sadducees, nor to read the precepts and lessons phylacteried on the garments of the Jewish priesthood ; he said nothing of different creeds or clashing doctrines ; but he opened at once to the youthful mind the ever- lasting fountain of living waters, the only source of eternal truths. ' Suffer little children to come unto me.' And that injunction is of perpetual obligation. It addresses itself to-day with the same earnestness and the same authority which attended its first utterance to the Christian world. It is of force every where, and at all times. It extends to the ends of the earth, it will reach to the end of time, always and every where sounding in the ears of men, with an emphasis which no repetition can weaken, and with an authority which 'nothing can supersede. ' Suffer little children to come unto me.' 316 EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY. '' And not only my heart and ray judgment, my belief and my conscience, instruct me that this great precept sliould be obeyed, but the idea is so sacred, the solemn thoughts connected with it so crowd upon me, it is so utterly at variance with this system of philosophical morality which we have heard advo- cated, tliat I stand and speak here in fear of being influenced by my feelings to exceed the proper line of my professional duties. Go thy way at this time, is the language of philosophical morality, and I will send for thee at a more convenient season. This is the language of Mr. Girard in his will. In this ;here is neither religion nor reason." It had been Mr. Webster's desire to prepare a work on the evidences of Christianity ; but the press- ure of public duties prevented. During his last ill- ness at Marshfield, when this subject was made a topic of conversation, and knowing his inability to accomplish it, he resolved to leave, as a substitute, an epitaph to be engraven upon his monument, contain- ing an unequivocal expression of his confidence in the religion of Christ. This was done on Sabbath evening, October 10, 1852. He requested a friend who was then with him to read the ninth chapter of the Gospel by Mark, in which occurs that interesting narrative of a parent bringing his afflicted son to Jesus to be healed, to whom the Savior said, " If thou canst believe, all things are possible to bim that MH. Webster's epitaph. 317 believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief." He then desired to hear another passage, commencing John x. 42 — "And many believed on him there." Both of these por- tions of Scripture contain instances of faith in Christ. After the reading of them was finished, he dictated a few sentences, which, after correction, were left as follows : — SLaxts, a fteltebe; ijelj tjou mfne nnbeliet. Phllosopliical Argument, especially that drawn from the Vaslncss of the Universe, in Comparison with the apparent Insignificance of this Globe, has some- times siiakeii my Reason for the Faith which is in me j but my Heart has always assured and reassured me tliat the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be a Divine Reality. The Sermon on tlie Mount cannot be a merely human Production. This Belief enters into the very Depth of my Conscience. The whole History- of Man Proves it. Daniel Webster. This he requested should be dated, and subscribed with his name. After this he added, " This is the inscription to be placed on my mdnument." In further conversation he remarked, " If I get well, and write a book on Christianity, about which 318 IMPORTANT DOCUMENT. we have talked, we can attend more fully to this matter. But if I should be taken away suddenly, I do not wish to leave any duty of this kind unper- formed. I want to leave somewhere a declaration of my belief in Christianity. I do not wish to go into any doctrinal distinctions in regard to the person of Jesus, but I wish to express my belief in his divine mission." We regard the above clear and beautiful inscrip- tion as one of the most valuable documents Mr. Webster ever executed. We know nothing amongst all his able pleas, his earnest speeches, and his dignified state papers, that 'excels it in importance. It is the declaration of an eminently profound mind — a mind which thought for itself, instead of being carried away by the impassioned appeals or confi- dent assertions of others — a mind capable of de- tecting sophism under every guise, of exposing the fallacies of false reasoning, and feeling the power of all arguments for the truth; it is the declaration of such a mind "that the gospel 'of Jesus Christ must be a divine reality." By his confession of faith in the divine mission of Jesus, Mr. Webster gives the weight of his influence to Christianity ; and in so doing he administers a powerful rebuke to that flippant, popular infidelity which treats with irrev- erent familiarity the most sacred truths, which is filling the land with superficial sceptical theories and INFIDELITY REBUKED. 319 arguments that have been repeatedly overthrown, and by means of which the young and the thought- less are in danger of being led into the belief that the Bible is nothing more than a mass of cunningly- devised Oriental fables. CHAPTER XVII. Mr. Wsbster's Health fails. — He retires to Marshfield. — Hij Strength decreases. — Signs his Will. — Returns Thanks. — En- courages Dr. Jeflfries. — His Prediction. — It is fulfilled. — Ar- ranges for the Express. — Gives Instructions respecting his Af- fairs. — His last Interview with his Family. — Peter Harvey. — 24lh of October. — Gray's Elegy. — Calls in his Servants.— The Valley. — His Death. — Poetry. Having narrated some of the principal incidents in the life of Mr. Webster, and indulged in a few reflections which they naturally suggested, we come now to the closing scenes of his earthly career. During the summer of 1852, his health failed, and he retired to his mansion at Marshfield, to obtain some respite from the heavy pressure of his respon- sible public duties. Here every thing was done which affectionate so- licitude and medical experience could suggest to ar- rest his disease, but without avail. It was painfully evident that liis constitution was gradually yielding to its power. Of this no one was more fully con- vinced than Mr. Webster himself. Finding his strength was constantly diminishing, and being impressed with the belief that his life was 320 LAST SICKNESS. 321 hastening towards its termination, he made a final disposition of all temporal afTairs. On the evening of the 19th of October, he occu- pied for tlie last time his usual scat at his own fire- side. After his will was prepared, wliich . he Ijad drawn up liimself with great - care and minuteness, he had it laid aside, with tlie intention of delaying a little before affixing to it his signature ; but being convinced that he could survive but a short time, he nad that important document brought to him, and in the presence of his friends he signed it in a larger ind bolder manner than usual. He then folded his hands together, and in an impressive manner said, " I thank God for strength to perform a sensible act." After which he engaged in a most devout man- ner in audible prayer for several minutes, closing the exercise with the Lord's prayer, and the inscrip- tion, " And now unto God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be praise forevermore. Peace on earth, and good will to men. That is the happiness," he continued with great emphasis, clasping his hands together as before — " that is the happiness — the essence — good will towards men." Ue now requested all but Dr. Jeffries and the nurse to leave the room, that he might, if possible, get n little repose. But before going to sleep, he Raid, " Doctor, you look sober ; you think 1 shall 333 HIS PREDICTION. not be here in the morning, but I ahalL I ghall greet the morning light." His prediction was fulfilled. He did behold the morning light. During the forenoon he said to the physician, who, he thought, appeared sad, " Cheer up, doctor ; I shall not die to-day. You will get me along to-day." And so he did. But the next morning, conscious that his disease had in- creased in severity, and that he could not endure it long, he said to his physician in a distinct voice, and with great seriousness, " Doctor, you have carried me through the night. I think you will get me through the day. / shall die to-night." To which, after a brief pause, the physician replied, " You are right, sir." Mr. Webster then added, " I wish you, therefore, to send an express to Boston for some younger person to be with you. / shall die to- night.' You are exhausted, and must be relieved. Who shall it be ? " The doctor mentioned the name of Dr. J. Mason Warren. " Let him be sent for." When Dr. Jeffries returned from another room, where he had gone, after the above conversation, to prepare a note to send to Boston, he found that during his absence Mr. Webster had made all the necessary arrangements to send it, even designating the person, the horse, and the vehicle that should go, the route to be pursued, where a fresh horse should be BIS CALMNESS. 323 taken, and in what manner the errand should be ex ecuted in the city. He also suggested the propriety of mentioning some other physician, in case Dr. Warren could not be obtained. When told that this contingency was provided for, he added, "Right, right." After obtaining a little rest, he conversed with his wife and son, and with a few others who were " nearest and dearest to him in life, in the most af- fectionate and tender manner, not concealing from them his view of the approach of death, but consol- ing them with religious thoughts and assurances, as if support were more needful for their hearts than for his own. On different occasions, in the course of the day, he prayed audibly. Oftener he seemed to be in silent prayer and meditation. But, at all times, he was quickly attentive to whatever was doing or needed to be done. He gave detailed orders for the adjustment of whatever in his affairs required :, and superintended and arranged every tiling for his own departure from life, as if it had been that of another person, for whom it was his duty to take the minutest care." When informed that his last hour was approach- ing, he received the announcement with composure, and expressed a wish to see the female members of his family. In compliance with his request, Mrs. Webster, Mrs. Fletcher Webster, Mrs. J W. Paige, 824 HIS LAST INTERVIEWS. and Miss Downs, of New York, entered the room. He called each of them by name, and addressed to them individually a brief farewell, accompanied with a few words of religious consolation. It was a deeply-affecting scene. Whilst these belo\ed mem- bers of his family were around his couch bathed in tears, he over whose departure they were weeping was calm, and by the utterance of religious truth was endeavoring to impart rehef — the dying admin- istering comfort to the living. He next had the male members of his family, and the personal friends who were there, called in, viz., " Fletcher Webster, (his only surviving son,) Sam- uel A. Appleton, (his son-in-law,) J. W. Paige, Geprge T. Curtis, Edward Curtis, of New York, Peter Harvey and Charles Henry Thomas, of Marshfield, and Messrs. George J. Abbott, and W. C. Zantzinger, both of the state department at Washington. Addressing each by name, he referred to his past relations with them respectively, and, one by one, bade them an affectionate farewell. This was about half past six. " He now had Mr. Peter Harvey called in again, and said to him, ' Harvey, I am not so sick but that I know you — I am well enough to know you. I am well enough to love you, and well enough to call down tlie richest of Heaven's blessings upon you and yours. Harvey, don't leave me till I am dead grat's elegy. 325 — don't leave Marshfield till I am a dead man.' Then, as if speaking to himself, he said, ' On the 24th of October, all that is mortal of Daniel Web- ster will be no more.' " He now prayed in his natural usual voice — strong, full, and clear, ending with, - Heavenly Fa- ther, forgive my sins, and receive me to thyself, through Christ Jesus.' "Between ten and eleven o'clock, he repeated somewhat indistinctly the words, ' Poet, poetry. Gray, Gray.' Mr. Fletcher Webster repeated the first line of the elegy, — ' The curfew tolls the knell of parting day.' ' That's it, that's it,' said Mr. Webster ; and the book was brought, and some stanzas read to him, which seemed to give him pleasure." At another time he was heard to say, " This day I shall be in life, in glory, in blessedness." He did not deem it beneath him to remember his servants, most of whom had been for many years m his service, " and had become to him as aifectionate and faithful friends." These also were called into his chamber, to each of whom he addressed a few kind words, and left with them his dying blessing. From the time that he had announced to his phy- sician that " he should die that night," he seemed to be solicitoua to recognize his advance towards the 336 THE SHADOW OF DEATH. dark valley, and especially to know when he was actually entering it. " Once, being faint, he asked if he were not then dying ? and on being answered that he was not, but that he was near to death, he replied simply, ' Well ; ' as if the frank and exact reply were what he had desired to receive. A little later, when his kind physician repeated to him that striking text of Scripture, 'Yea, tliough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me,' he seemed less satisfied, and said, ' Yes ; but the fact, the fact I want ; ' desiring to know if he were to regard these words as an intimation that he was already within that dark valley. On another occa- sion, he inquired whether it were likely that he should again eject blood from his stomach before death, and, being told that it was improbable, he asked, ' Then what shall you do 1 ' Being answered that he would be supported by stimulants, and ren- dered as easy as possible by the opiates that had suited him so well, he inquired, at once, if the stim- ulant should not be given immediately ; anxious again to know if the hand of death were not already upon him. And on being told that it would not be then given, he replied, ' Wlien you give it to me, I shall know that I may drop off at once.' " Being satisfied on this point, and that he should, HIS TRANQUIL DEATH. 32? therefore, have a final warning, he said a mon.eiit afterwards, 'I will, then, put myself in a position to obtain a little repose.' In this lie was successful. He had intervals of rest to the last ; but on rousing from them, he showed that he was still intensely anx- ious to preserve his consciousness, and to watch for the moment and act of his departure, so as to com- prehend it. Awaking from one of these slumbers late in the night, he asked distinctly if he were alive ; and on being assured that he was, and that his fam- ily was collected around his bed, he said, in a per- fectly natural tone, as if assenting to what had been told him, because he himself perceived that it was true, ' I still live.' These were his last coherent and intelligible words. At tweuty-three minutes before three o'clock, without a struggle or a groan, all signs of life ceased to be visible ; his vital organs giving way at last so slowly and gradually as to indicate — what every thing during his illness had already shown — that liis intellectual and moral faculties still maintained an extraordinary mastery amidst the fail- ing resources of his physical constitution." « ' Still i Live.' — The flesh was failing ; All in vain the healer's skill ; Light in that deep eye was paling. And the mighty heart grew still 5 Yet the soul, its God adoring, Clad in armor firm and bright, O'er the body's ruin itoaring, • Uingled with the Infinite. 328 " I STILL LIVE." Where he sleeps, that man of glory, Marshfield's mournrul shades can lay, 4nd his weeping country's story Darkened on that funeral day ; But the love that deepest listened Caught such balm as heaven can give ; For an angel's pinion glistened At the echo, ' Still I Live.' " L. a. CHAPTER XVIII Faneral of Mr. Webster at ftlarshricld. — Appearance of hU Ro- tnains, — He is borne to the Grave by his Neighbors. — Boston in Mourning. — Impressive Arrangements. — Business Suspend- ed. — Appropriate Mottoes. — Funeral Obsequies in Boston oc the 30th of November. — Address of Mr. Hillard. — Closing Quotation. The funeral of Mr. Webster took place at Marsh- field, on Friday, October 29, 1852. Large ntim- bers of persons, of all sects and parties, from various parts of the commonwealth, were gathered there to testify their respect for the honored dead. Accord- ing to his own request, every thing was arranged \yith the greatest simplicity possible for so pubUc an occasion. His remains were attired in the dress which he usually wore, embalmed in an elegant coffin, and then, that all might have the opportunity of behold- ing once more his noble forin and manly brow, the coffin was brought from the library, and " placed in front of the house, beneath the open heavens, and under a tree which, in its summer foliage, was a conspicuous ornament of the spot. The majestic foxin reposed in the famihar garb of life, with more 329 330 THE FUNERAi-. than the dignity of life in its most Imposing mo- ments. Suffering had changed without impairing those noble features. The grandeur of the brow was untouched, and the attitude full of strength and peace. For more than three hours a constant stream of men and women, of all ages, passed on both sides, pausing for a moment to look upon that loved and honored form. Parents held their children by the hand, bade them contemplate the face of their benefactor, and charged them never to lose the memory of that spectacle and that hour. Many dissolved into tears as they turned aside ; and one — a man of plain garb and appearance — was heard to make, in a subdued voice, the striking remark, ' Daniel Webster, the world will seem lonesome without you.' " The funeral services were performed by Rev. Ebenezer Alden, pastor of the Orthodox Congrega- tional Church of the town, after which the embalmed remains were borne to the tomb by six of Mr. Web- ster's Marshfield neighbors, and deposited in the place of his own selection, where the voices of the wind, blending with the subdued notes of the rolling surf, furnish unceasingly a mournful re- quiem. The day of Mr. Webster's funeral at Marshfield was a day. of sorrow throughout the land. In Bos- ton, especially, it was observed with every mdication BOSTON IN MOURNING. 331 of sorrow. At no time since tiie death of General Washington has the city presented so universally the habiliments of woe. Business was suspended ; schools were discontinued ; banks, courts, markets, offices, and public institutions of all kinds were closed. A large proportion of the city was arrayed in the drapery of mourning. Hotels, stores, public buildings, and private edifices were clothed in mate- rials whose colors of black and white, mingling to gether, imparted to them a sombre and funereal as- pect. Flags of all kinds, tied with crape, appropri- ately ornamented, and containing inscriptions, were hung over doorways, on the fronts of the houses or festooned across .the streets. The impressiveness of these arrangements was increased by the fact that in the city there were no public exercises on that day ; no procession, no address, no religious service. As all business was suspended, the people were at leisure, and consequently large numbers spent the day in slowly perambulating the streets, gazing upon the drapery, reading the various mottoes and inscrip- tions, and indulging in their own mournful reflec- tions. Amongst the sentiments which were suspended in conspicuous places on that sad occasion were many beautifully significant and impressive. We give the following specimens : — 332 INSCRIPTIONS. THE QL0B1 OP THY LIFE, LIKE THE DAT OF Cm DEATH, . SHALL NOT FAIL FHOM THE BEMEMBBANCE OF H AN . HIS TTOBDS OP WISDOM, WITH BESISTLESS POTTEB, HAYE OBACED ODB BBIGHTEST, CHEEBED OUB DAUKEST HOUB. WHEBEVEB AMONG MEN A HEART SHALL BE FOUND THAT BZATS TO THE TEANSPORTS OP PATRIOTISM AND LIBElirT, ITS ASPIRATIONS SHALL BE TO CLAIM KINDRED WITH HIS SPIRIT. KNOW THOU, O STRANGER TO THE FAME - OF THIS MUOH-LOVED, MUCH-HONORED NAME, (fob none that knew him need BE TOLD,) A WABMER HEABT DEATH NE'ER MADE COLD. THOU ABT MIGHTY YET. THY SPIBIT WALKS ABROAD. THB OB£AT HEABT OP THE NATION THROBS HEAVILY AT THB PORTALS OF HIS OBAVE. LIVE LIKE PATBIOTS! LIVE LIKE AMEBICANS ! UNITED ALL, UNITED NOW, AND UNITED POBEVEB. THOU HAST INSTRUCTED MANY, AND THOU HAST STBENOTaENMl THE WEAK HANDS. ■WE'VE SCANNED THE ACTIONS OF HIS DAILY LIFE, AND NOTHING MEETS OUB EYES BUT DEEDS OF HONOR. SOME, WHEN THEY DIE, DIE ALL. THEIR MOULDERING CLAY tS BUT AN EMBLEM OP THEIR MEMORIES. BUT HE HAS LIVED. HE LEAVES A WORK BEHIND WHICH WILL PLUCK THE SHINING AGE FROM VULGAR TIME, AND GIVE IT WHOLE TO LATB P03TEE1TT. hillabd's eulogy. 833 Similar scenes were presented, when, oa the 30tL of November, the city of Boston gave another pub- lic expression of the hiifli lesoect entertained for the memory of Mr. Webster. A long and imposing sivic and military procession, with craped arms, shrouded flags, and muffled drums, passed through tliu streets to Faneuil Hall, where a chaste, eloquent, and highly appropriate eulogy was pronounced by Hon. George S. Hillard, the close of which will furnish an appropriate termination to this volume. " There, among the scenes that he loved in life, he sleeps well. He has left his name and memory to dwell forever upon those hills and valleys, to breathe a more spiritual tone into the winds that blow over his grave, to touch with finer light the line of the breaking wave, to throw a more solemn beauty upon the hues of autumn and the shadows of twilight. " But though his mortal form is there, his spirit is here. His words are written in living light along these walls. May that spirit rest upon us, and our children. May those words live in our hearts, and the hearts of those who come after us I May we honor his memory, and show our gratitude for his life, by taking heed to his counsels, and walking m the way on which the light of his wisdom shines ! " We here give a picture of the Family Tomb a\ Marshfield, in which now repose the mortal remains af the " ^reat American Statesman," DANIEL WEBSTER For a particular description of the Tomb, its lo- cation, the various inscriptions, etc., we refer the reader to page 214. APPEI^DIX. THE WEBSTER CENTENARY. To do honor to the memory of the most distin- guished jurist, orator, patriot and statesman America has produced, the leading minds of to-day have paid cheerful tribute by their presence and many splendid eulogies at meetings throughout New England and elsewhere in the country, on the one hundredth anni- versary of the birth of Daniel Webster. Many new facts in regard to the life of the great statesman, brought to light by the recent centenary observances, have been arranged in this appendix, and will be found pertinent and interesting. webstee's biethplacb. About the year 1764, Ebenezer Webster located in Salisbury — now West Franklin — N. H. He was one of the pioneers in the settlement of this part of New England, and his rude log home, the vestiges of which still remain, was near the spot on which was after- wards erected the house in which the great statesman was born. In the primitive structure Ezekiel and one of his sisters were born, and from it the father buried 337 338 WEBSTER'S BIRTHPLACE. Mehitable Smith, his first wift;, who passed away in March, 1774, and to it before the close of the same year, he brought his second companion, Abigail East- man. A fe* years later Mr. Webster constructed a frame house from lumber sawed at his own mill, which was the first built in the town. Its location was on Webster Brook, only a few rods from the cabin. The second house was located on the same lot, and quite near the original one. It was a small, one-story, modest-looking building, roughly but comfortably finished. On either side of the door in front was a simple window with corresponding ones in the rear, while on each end were three, two lower ones and another in the attic. About this primitive abode the owner took great pains to plant elms, one of which, a symmetrical and beautiful tree twenty-one feet girth, is now vigorous at the age of over a century. Under this old tree is the well that Ebenezer Webster dug. Quite a number of jears have elapsed since the upland farm passed from the possession of the Web- ster family. There were originally two hundred and twenty-five acres, but seventy-five of pasture land has been sold. Its location is on the East Andover road one-half mile from Shaw's Comer, and some three miles from either the " Webster Place," Franklin Centre, or the South Road village in Salisbury. The property is now owned by Hon. George W. Nesmith of Franklin, an old personal friend and admirer of the Webster's birthplace. 339 great statesman. Among the changes which occurred a long time ago on the homestead was the building of a two-story wooden house, which stands some four rods west of the old elm and well. At that time the larger portion of Ebenezer Webster's second home, including the "best room," was moved and used as the L of the new structure. This building, now much dilapidated, is occupied by John A. Frost, an intelli- gent farmer and family. The room in which Daniel Webster was born is used by the tenant as a carpenter's shop. The apartment is sixteen feet square and seven feet posted, and has vvindows opening both to the east and west. The door which opens toward the well and elm is the same that was in use before the change. On the north side of the room a fireplace has been built. There is not the slightest inscription or memo- rial of any kind to record the fact that within its sacred ft precincts the light of day first fell upon the eyes of one whose memory will be cherished so long as intellectual power, patriotism and statesmanship are revered by mankind. The placing of a monument of some char- acter or the restoration of the homestead is greatly desired by the personal friends of Webster and by the public at large. One project is to remove what was a part of the first frame house to its former site and then to restore it as nearly as possible to its original condition. It is probable that some action will soon be taken. 340 IN THE ACADEMY AT EXETER. As would be expected, the immediate surroundings of the birthplace are associated with many deeply inter- esting reminiscences and traditions of the Webster family. Three-quarters of a mile southwardly rises Searle's Hill, where the first meeting-house in Salis- bury was located. It was there that Daniel was bap- tized in infancy by Rev. Jonathan Searle. The old structure was long since abandoned and finally went to ruin ; but raoss-covered foundation stones mark the spot where it stood. A short distance from there is the ancient " Towdy House," in one of whose rooms Daniel attended a private school. He was then living at the River Farm, for he was only two years old when his fither removed there. Miss Sarah. Towdy, who died nine years since, was a pupil with Daniel, and to the last days of her life she took great pride in relating her recollections of him. He had a fund of Indian stories which his father had told him, one of which related to the massacre of the wife of Philip Call in 1753, which family then owned and lived on what is now the " Webster place.'' In this immediate neighborhood John Taylor, for a long time the manager of the Elms farm, and who is often mentioned in Webster's private correspondence, passed his last years, a local celebrity and a greatly esteemed man. IN THE ACADEMY AT EXETER. Webster's classmates were speedily left behind. WEBSTER AT, DARTMOUTH. 34I " Look your last upon Webster," said the usher, as he removed him to a higher room; " you will never see him again." WEBSTER AT DARTMOUTH. Governor Bell, in the course of his remarks at the re- cent Dartmouth Alumni meeting, related the following : " Mr. Webster came to the college after about fifteen months of preparatory study, and it is a remarkable cir- cumstance that up to the time of his admission to col- lege he had never had sufficient confidence in himself to declaim in public — he on whose lips ' listening Sen- ates were to hang expectant,' he who was to give to the world a new and a higher idea of oratory, had not sum- moned courage in his youth to speak in the friendly presence of his own schoolmates. But his college com- panions bear testimony to the prodigious stride with which he pursued the path of learningduringhis college course. He made himself one of the first scholars of his years, and in addition to this he became a ready and efficient debater. He found time, in addition to his college work, to read the best of the English classics, to edit a weekly newspaper, and to deliver two addresses, one on the death of a student, the other on the Fourth of July. Years after Mr. Webster enjoyed the oppor- tunity of nobly repaying the obligation that he owed to his college. The Legislature of New Hampshire was unwisely tempted to make radical change in the charter of that institution against the will of the trustees — the 342 COLLEGE EXPENSES. effect of which, no doubt, would have been to render the college the football of party. Suit was brought to test the validity of this change, and the case was carried to the highest legal tribunals of the land. There Mr. Webster appeared for the college ; in a very clear and cogent argument he carried the court with him, although the question involved was a new and difficult one. The speech he made on that occasion is presen'ed in his published works ; as it stands in print, it is a clear piece of legal logic, as impossible to escape from as from the grip of a vise. But as the speech was spoken it was more than that; it was the expression of love and gratitude for his college.'' HOW "webstee's college ex:penses were paid. In 1798, Timothy Bigelow was a young lawyer resid- ing at Groton. He was then in the midst of a very large and lucrative practice, which not only took him to the Middlesex, Worcester and Suffolk courts of Massa- chusetts, but also to Hillsboro, Rockingham and other counties of New Hampshire. In his legal circuits, Mr. Bigelow often tarried with Ebenezer Webster in Salis- bury, who, as is well known, was a farmer, innkeeper and a judge of the court of common pleas of Hillsboro county. One day, just after dinner, Judge Webster asked Mr. Bigelow if he knew of any gentleman, in or near Boston, who would pay a young man's college bills, because he had a son at Dartmouth, and unless such aid could be had, the son would have to be removed. COLLEGE EXPENSES. 343 It happened that the son in question was then at home, it being vacation, and Mr. Bigelow promised in the even- ing, after the court adjourned, to have a talk with the young man. This was done, and for two hours Timo- tliy Bigelow conversed with Daniel Webster as to his studies, mental aptitudes, life plans, etc. That the in- terview was satisfactory, may be gathered from what was said by Mr. Bigelow at its close. For he took young Webster by the hand and told him : " Young man, give yourself no uneasiness about your college bills. Send them to me, and they shall be paid." The promise then made was fulfilled to the letter, and for three years all the money wanted by Daniel Webster to meet his college expenses came from Timothy Bige- low. After graduating, Mr. Webster gave his note to Mr. Bigelow for the sums advanced by him, and it is somewhat remarkable that the principal was not paid for more than twenty years ! But this does not mean that Mr. Webster was not willing and did not offer to pay the same. For, in a letter dated Boscawen, Nov. 24, 1806, he writes to Mr. Bigelow : " How shall I pay you the interest on my note, and when must I pay you the principal ? " And again, in a letter from Ports- mouth, July 2, i8i I, Mr. Webster writes to his great benefactor : " Be so obliging as to inform me the amount due on my note to you and I will forward you a fresh note therefor, or the money, if it is more agree- able to vou." Mr. Bigelow was evidently most willing to have the principal remain unpaid, and it was not until 344 WEBSTER IN LOVE. after his death, in i82l,that Daniel Webster paid the long-continued and often-renewed note to John P. Bigelow, as executor of his father's estate. When Daniel Webster delivered his Plymouth address, Dec. 22, 1820, Timothy Bigelow was one of the vice-presi- dents of the day, and, as he sat in the church listening to that masterly oration, he whispered to Timothy Wil- liams, the then great Boston merchant, who sat beside him . '■ I had the honor and pleasure of paying that young man's college bills." Pride, in having aided such a student in obtaining a liberal education, doubtless had something to do in the long continuance of this particu- lar note. Mr. Webster repeatedly admitted to Mr. Bigelow' s children, Mrs. Abbott Lawrence, Rev. Dr. Andrew Bigelow and Hon. John P. Bigelow, his in- debtedness to thei-r father for his education, all of which was well known to them. The last time Dr. Bigelow met Daniel Webster was at President Everett's house, at Cambridge, on commencement. Mr. Webster sought out Dr. Bigelow, and, after an extended conversation on the improvement in collegiate education since he was at Dartmouth, he said : " Dr. Bigelow, had it not been for your father I never would have had a liberal education." WEBSTBR IN LOVE. After Mr. Webster had opened a law office in Bosca- wen he invariably returned to his father's at the close of the week. One Sunday as Capt. Webster and Daniel were on their way to the South Village church, they A SEVERE LOSS. 345 called at the Kelley house. As they were leaving, Mrs. Kelley said; " Daniel, you will not be likely to see many pretty girls at meeting." At noon, when they returned to the house, Daniel remarked that he saw a young lady whose appearance pleased him. As he proceeded to describe her Mrs. Kelley was greatly amused, and added that if he would wait he should have an introduc- tion. In a few moments the lady appeared and spoke for the first time to the young lawyer who was to be her future husband, and with whose memory her own name, by reason of the purity and beauty of her charac- ter and life, was to be associated for all coming time. It is almost supurfluous to add that she was Miss Grace Fletcher, whose father. Rev. Elijah Fletcher, had died at Hopkinton, and she was on a visit to her sister. Their union occurred at the Kelley home May 29, 1808. Down to the latest years of his life, Webster cherished an affection for Salisbury village second only to that for the Elms Farm. -After his marriage and before the re- moval of Judge Kelley to Concord he would often take his family there and pass happy weeks in summer. A SEVERE LOSS. When Webster first commenced practice at Boscawen he wrote his friend Bingham, May 4, 1805 ; "With the assistance of my friends I collected eighty-five dollars, and sent to Boston for the payment of a bookseller, with whom I had contracted for a few volumes. But the cash was stolen from the pocket of the bearer after 34^ 1 WEBSTER IN CONGRESS. he got into Boston, and I lose all. Books, therefore, I must go without for the present." That was not nec- essary, for the bookseller, Mr. Samuel H. Parker, on hearing of the misfortune, kindly gave credit, and was doubtless paid in due time. WEBSTER IN CONGEESS. President Pierce told a friend that upon his first ar- rival in Washington, as one of the youngest members of the lower house of Congress, he found a letter from Mr. Webster, urging him to be a frequent guest at his house, and a.ssuring him of the interest with which he should watch the career of the son of a Revolutionary patriot of his native State. The note closed with the delicate suggestion that when they met all subjects would be in order but politics. In appreciation of this kindly act of Webster toward a young man, it should be borne in mind that party feeling at the time was very bitter and party lines sharply drawn. In relating this anecdote. Gen. Pierce said that it was a matter es- pecially gratifying to him to remember that whatever might be the political bitterness of the times, no dis- paraging reinark respecting Mr. Webster, or one im- punging his patriotism, had ever escaped him. HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER In a recent address said : Mr. Webster was a great respecter of the laws of nations, of universal justice and personal rights, a hater of despotic power. Never WEBSTER AND THE " CODE OF HONOR." 347 shall I forget those tremendous anathemas which he pronounced on the Emperor of Russia should he violate the law of nations and harm the head of the .noble Kossuth. " If," said he, " the blood of Kossuth be taken, what will it appease ? What will it pacify ? It will mingle with the earth, it will mix with the waters of the ocean, the whole civilized world will snuff it in the air, and it will return with awful retribution on the violators of national laws and universal justice. There is something on earth greater than arbitrary or des- potic power. The lightning has its power, the whirl- wind has its power, and the earthquake has its power, but there is something among men more capable of shaking despotics' throne than lightning, whirlwind or earthquake, that is, the excited and aroused indigna- tion of the civilized world." WEBSTER AND THE " CODE OP HONOR." The great man did not escape the annoyances of the " code of honor." That political crank, John Ran- dolph of Roanoke, sent him a challenge for words spoken in debate, or rather for refusing to explain words spoken. Mr. Webster considered Mr. Ran- dolph's temper and style in the debates on the sugar tax, of a character to preclude any explanation as a matter of right or courtesy. At the close of his note in reply to the challenge, Mr. Webster said : " It is enough that I do not feel myself bound, at all times and under any circumstances, to accept from any man, 348 A SUBJECT OF POLITICAL SLANDER. who shall choose to risk his own life, an invitation of this sort, although I shall be always prepared to repel in a suitable manner the aggression of any man who may presume upon such a refusal." A SUBJECT OP POLITICAL SLANDEE. Mr. Webster was always a conspicuous mark for political slander. He was always a very formidable opponent, and, after [830, he was considered, at least by his friends, a candidate for the presidency, and was, of course, a fair target. He was at different times, and, indeed, at all times, held up to hatred as a " blue- light" Federalist, who had opposed the war of 1812 ; as a friend and promoter of the Hartford Convention ; as an aristocrat, who loved luxury and splendor ; a monarchist who preferred property to man, and wished to plant government upon it ; as a pensioner of the manufacturers, and a purchased tool of the United States Bank. Charges of corruption were made against him, in respect of his employment of the secret service fund when for the first time Secretary of State, and also in respect to his connection with the Bank of the United States, as a supposed debtor for great sums and as its attorney, to whom enormous fees had been paid. In his letter to Mr. Everett, when the latter (April 26, 1834) was serving on a committee to investigate the affairs of the bank, he says : " I never had any particular or unusual accommodation from the bank to 'the amount of a single dollar ; that, COMMANDING APPEAftANCE. 349 since I went to. Boston, in 1817, I have kept my ac- count and done my necessarj' banking business at the Boston office, and notes, bills of exchange, &c., &c.. with my name on them, have been collected and dis- counted as often as occasion required, precisely as would have been done in the case of any other person, and not otherwise. COMMANDING APPEAKANCE. It is true that Webster's marvelous abilities were supplemented by a magnificent personal presence that commanded consideration and attention for him at once and from all men. Indeed, Lord Brougham said, " No man could be so wise as Webster looked." So impressive was his appearance that strangers would follow him in the streets that they might get a full view of him. In fact, he had only to step out of doors to create a sensation. His sobriquet of the " God- like " was scarcely deemed extravagant by his friends. He was called in England " The Great Western," in allusion to the greatest Atlantic vessel of his time. He inspired even in our matter-of-fact age and coun- try a sentiment akin to the hero-worship of Greece and Rome. LOVE EOK HIS SON FLETCHBK. The following letter, recently found in an old desk of Mr. Webster's shows how warm was the feeling he always entertained for his son Fletcher: the allusion is to Fletcher's approaching graduation at Cambridge, 350 LOVE FOR HIS SON FLETCHER. and his engagement to deliver an address before some college organization. Pittsburg, July 5, 1833. My dear Son : It seems to become doubtful whether I can possibly get home to hear your oration. I regret this very much indeed, and shall still make every effort in my power to reach Boston in season, but I find so many causes of delay that I cannot say what I may be able to accomplish. I have seldom felt so much concern about anything of the kind as I do upon your success upon that occasion. I pray you spare no pains. Do your best and you will do well enough. It would be a good thing to have it printed if it should be well received. This part of the matter we can see about. I earnestly remind you of the necessity of acting with great caution in regard to all festivities. You remember what I said to you on that head, and I pray you to forget no part of it. You may ask Mr. H for any money which you .may have just occasion for. Give my best regards to Mr. Paige's and Mr. White's families. I have not heard from mother and Julia since they arrived at Saratoga. Ever yr. affectionate father, D. Webster. It used to be said, in his mature life, that Mr. Fletcher Webster, who had a lively and humorous dis- position and at least respectable talents, was benumbed by the overshadowing reputation of his father. It is possible, therefore, that he bore his absence on the HAS THE WESTERN FEVER. 351 appointed day with greater fortitude tlian the august parent himself. HAS THE WESTERN FBVEE. It seems that, in 1839, ^^- Webster had a strong inclination to remove to the West and settle on a tract of land he had purchased in Sangamon county, 111., where, in a later day President Lincoln used to locate so many " little " stories. But the nomination and election of General Harrison, his own invitation to the portfolio of the State department, and, probably, still more effectually, the collapse of all Western schemes and the lack of funds, dispelled that vision. The letter of February 10, 1837, however, in which he declares his intention not to desert his friends or " the great and glorious old commonwealth," was written before his visit to the West of that season, in the course of wliich he appears to have been much capti- vated with both the country and the people. MANNER OF PREPARING A CASE. A gentleman who accompanied Mr. Webster to Annapolis to inform him of the facts in the case he was about to argue, writes : " It was not until the day before the hearing that he seemed to address himself seriously to the labor of preparation. He then shut himself up in his room for the entire morning, coming occasionally into mine to ask about some question of fact, bringing half-sheets of common blue letter-paper, on which, he would say, he had been making 351 SPEAKS OF HIMSELF. " scratches," They were distinct propositions, texts rather than arguments, carefully studied, and, as was apparent from erasures and interlining, labored with a view to condensation, or to satisfy a fastidious judg- ment. Once, when I expressed a doubt whether one of his propositions was in accordance with certain facts, Mr. Webster drew his pen through it, saying, "So, then, that cock won't fight." The notes thus prepared were the brief of his argument, and he spoke from them. That the .glimpses thus afforded of the workings of a great intellect were extremely interesting may readily be imagined. SPEAKS OF HIMSELT. On the same occasion he described his early practice in New Hampshire, and told with almost boyish glee of overtaking, one bright moonlight night, a timber sled at the foot of a hill on which the snow lay deep. The driver had gone to a tavern ahead for an extra horse, and Mr. Webster, hitching his own horse as an addition to the team, got the load to the summit, where the teamster presently found it. " I had hidden behind a tree," said the narrator, " where I enjoyed the fun, and only came forth to stay the hand of the owner of the sled, who was ' larruping ' his horses because the ' tarnal critters ' had put him to the expense of hiring assistance, when they were able to do the work them- selves, and only refused their load to spite him." It was Webster's way of telling the story, and his imita- HIS PECUNIARV EMBARRASSMENT. 353 tion of the driver's tone and manner, that enhanced the drollery of the incident. Upon another occasion he gave an amusing account of his escape through the back window of an old-fash- ioned stage-coach when the horses were running away with it, and described the amazement of the driver, after they were stopped, when he found a member of Congress standing on the baggage rack and playing footman to a stage driver. Speaking, on another occasion, about the elements of success in professional life, Mr. Webster said, " Why, there is , a most learned lawyer, a most laborious man, and in all the relations of life absolutely unexcep- tionable, and yet, confound the fellow ! he never pro- duces results." The age of some one being mentioned one evening, Mr. Webster said, " The worst standard by which to measure a man's life is the parish clerk's register. Some men, sir, are born old ; others, again, never grow old." HIS PECtmiAKT EMBAEEASSMENT. Mr. Webster, writing to Mr. David Sears, Feb. 5, 1844, says : " In 1836, by the aid of friends and my own exertions, I settled up my concerns and owed no man anything." * * * "It was a day of buoyancy and great hope in matters of business, and what money I had or could get, I laid out in the West, principally in well-selected government lands. But times soon 354 THICK ROLL OF BANK BILLS. changed, and I have since had nothing but a struggle." " If, after this Congress, it should seem to friends desir- able that I should be in the Senate, and I should be able to see that I could possibly afford it, I should probably feel it right to put myself at their disposition." In December, 1845, Mr. Webster returned to the Senate, upon the retirement of Mr. Choate. March 21, 1846. Mr. David Sears, in behalf of himself and others, tendered to Mr. Webster an annuity of $37,000, depos- ited, on special contract, for Mr. Webster's benefit, with the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Com- pany. After Mr. Webster's death this annuity was continued, and such other dispositions made as to carry out his will as to his landed property. After he had been for some time in the office, a number of his per- sonal friends, not more than two of whom could be re- garded as bankers, sent him a few thousand dollars to meet the extrfiordinary expenses of his table. This touching incident is related by Mr. Curtis as happening on the Wednesday before Mr. Webster's death : " While taking an early dinner that day, in my own house in Boston, another gentleman rang at my door and called me out. As I met him he placed in my hand a THICK ROLL OF BANK BILLS, desiring me to convey it to Mr. Webster. When I asked from whom it came, he mentioned the name of a venerable and wealthy citizen of Boston, who had heard WEBSTKR AT MARSHFIELD. 355 that Mr. Webster was dying, and who had said that, ' at such a time, there ought to be no want of money in Mr. Webster's house.' All these arrangements and incidents are highly honorable to Mr. Webster? Boston friends, and not dishonorable to him, under the circumstances. But alas I ' the pity of it ! ' that the circumstances should have been such in the old age of our noble New Englander. Was Mr. Webster^ in a comfortable frame of mind ? Let him answer, In his letter to Mr. Sears, before quoted, he says : ' I will not affect to deny that, if all other things favored, I should prefer suitable public employment to returning to the bar at my age. I have seen enough of courts of law to desire to be in and among them no more. But my affairs require attention, and the means of living, you know, must be had.' To his son Edward, then at Dartmouth College, he wrote, Sept. 21, 1838 : ' I owe a good deal of money, and am at present receiving but a small income from my profession.' And, of Edward, he wrote to Mr. Everett, Feb. 2, 1841 : ' He must prepare himself to live by his own earnings.' " WEBSTEK AT MAESHFIELD. The Hon. Robert C. Winthrop at the recent meeting of the Marshfield club in Boston, said : " How could I ever forget those delightful days which I spent with him at Marshfield, forty years ago, more or less ! His matchless form rises to my eye at this moment, as he welcomed the British Minister and myself at his door 3S6 WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. on a midsummer morning, clad in his favorite rustic suit, with the broad-brimmed white hat overshadow- ing that Olympian brow — just as he may be seen in one of the most characteristic of his familiar portraits. He was a subject for Rembrandt on that morning, and Rembrandt never had a subject more worthy of his magic brush. " I remember well how proudly he treated us to frsh of his own catching, to game of his own shooting, to beef or mutton of his own raising, and to vegetables of every sort from his own gardens, with nothing on his table from any other source except the delicious black Hamburgs which grand old Colonel Perkins, his life- long and devoted friend, had just sent him from his greenhouse at Brookline. But his own presence and his own conversation were the choicest luxuries we en- joyed. He was not always gracious in society, and at other people's tables on ceremonious occasions he was sometimes reserved and moody. But he was the very prince of hosts at his own board ; on that occasion, certainly, his rich reminiscences and sparkling anec- dotes Outdid the meat, outdid the frolic wine, " And then I remember his taking us out to see the results of an experiment he was trying on the different fertilizers for his fields, pointing us to four carefully measured and exactly equal areas of Indian corn, one of them served with guano, one with kelp, one with fish from his own shores, and one with the common TENDERS HIS RESIGNATION AS SENATOR. 357 manure from his own barns ; bnt he was as conserva- tive in his agriculture as he was in his politics, and un- hesitatingly gave the palm to the old-fashioned article. On that day he was eminently and exclusively the farmer of Marshfield, discoursing on soils and climates, on English farming and Scotch farming, as if they had been the sole study of his life, and careful for nothing but his crops and his cattle,'' TENDERS HIS RESIGNATION AS SBNATOE. Washington, Jan. 31, 1837. My Dear Sir : Having formed the resolution of resigning my seat in the Senate in such season as shall enable the Legislature to fill it by another appointment at its present session, I feel it my duty to intimate that purpose at this time, to the end that members may have opportunity of turning their thoughts towards a successor. In making this communication, which is intended to be shown, in your discretion, to members of the Legislature, I will take leave to accompany it with a few brief remarks upon the reasons which have led me to adopt the resolution which I have men- tioned. In the first place, I feel it my duty to express my deep sense of the obligations I am under to the Legislature and people of Massachusetts. I owe them not only my most grateful thanks, but my most faith- ful and devoted services, also, whenever those services shall be required. I do not seek, at all, to relieve my- self from these obligations. But I have now been a 35''? TENDERS HIS RESIGNATION AS SENATOR. member of Congress from Massachusetts for fourteen successive years, during which long period I have not been absent from my seat any session, or any material part of a session, and during the recess of Congress in each year I have been under the necessity of giving constant and laborious attention to my professional engagements and pursuits. At length I feel the want of some respite, some leisure. I should be glad to find time to visit some, parts of the country which I have never been yet able to see ; and it will also be readily understood that my own qoncerns may require some- thing more of my attention than I have been able to give them for a long period. I pray you to make these suggestions known to our friends, and to assure them that it would give me great pain to adopt any course which they should not ap- prove. But I hope they will not think that what I now propose can be materially prejudicial to the public interest, or that it shows me deficient, either in grate- ful respect to friends, or in sincere and permanent attachment to the honor and interests of the common- wealth. I am, ray dear sir, with much regard, yours, Dan'l Webster. Mr. Webster was evidently in earnest in his inten- tion of retiring, at least for a period. But the Whig members of the Legislature, appointing a committee, of which Mr. Winthrop, the speaker, was chairman, to beg him not to press his resignation, he forebore to do A MEMORABLE DINNER. 359 One who was present at a dinner given in Franklin at the old family homestead by Webster, in the fall of 1851, the year after his famous seventh of IVIarch speech, says : " IVIany of his old Massachusetts friends had grown cold. Faneuil Hall had been closed to him. His anxieties for the future of the country, and his incessant labors to avert the impending danger, had worn upon his health and depressed his spirits, and he had come to his old home for rest and recu- peration. Among those present were General Pierce, Hon. Richard H. Ayer, Mr. Peter Harvey, Senator Atherton, Judge Nesmith, General Peaslee, Judge Upham, Hon. Austin F. Pike, and some fifteen other prominent men of the State. Of that dinner-party, I believe Judge Nesmith, Mr. Pike and myself are the only survivors. I was very young, and watched every movement of Webster with an irresistible fascination. ' At the close of the dinner. General Pierce who sat at the end of the table opposite Webster, rose and addressed him in a speech, which for tasteful, touching eloquence I have never heard surpassed. The tears flowed down Webster's cheeks like rain. I remember in his reply Mr. Webster spoke of his life-long affec- tion for General Pierce, his earnest love of his native State and for the old college, his Alma Mater, and his appreciation of the dangers he believed threatened the country. It was the first and only time I had heard Webster speak, and I was so fascinated with the man, and carried away by his magnificent oratory. 360 HIS WONDERFUL SELF-CONTROL. and my impressions of his exalted patriotism were such, that, Democrat as I was, I would have voted for him for President, if the opportunity had presented itself, a thousand times. It is greatly to be regretted that the speeches to which I have referred were never reported. HIS "WONDEEFUL SEI.P-CONTEOL. Mr. Webster had a wonderful control of his feelings under the most trying circumstances. When called upon the morning after the nomination of General Scott for the presidency, he showed not the slightest signs of discomfort and disappointment, but was found pleasant and placid as the summer sea without a ripple to ruffle its bosom. Wilder and Judge Nesmith who then called upon him, began to express their regrets that he did not receive the nomination as was expected, but as often as the subject was averted to he would avoid it, till finally, when Mr. Wilder introduced it, Mr. Webster with a smile, said, "How does guano work on your potatoes?" Mr. Wilder, having concluded by a reference to Webster's deep religious feelings, produced the veritable straw hat that the statesman once wore while working on his farm at Marshfield. Saying that he knew of no worthier person to wear this hat than the one at the head of the table, Mr. Wilder placed the hat upon the head of the governor amid the merriment of the company. WEBST^.R'S last RIUK. 361 Franklin Haven, Esq., gave the following interesting account of a visit paid by himself and wife to Webster, before the anniversary meeting of the Marshfield club in Boston : " In the second morning of my visit he proposed to take Mrs. Haven and myself for a drive over his place. He was quite feeble, but as he was urgent in his invi- tation, we went. Porter Wright was his driver ; the day was glorious. We were out for four hours. It was the last long drive that Mr. Webster took. We looked at his noble herd of cattle ; we visited Fletcher's house, a mile distant from his father's ; we stopped to look at an enclosed piece of land which Mr. Webster had selected and appropriated as a burial place for his family, and which was soon to become the depository of all that was mortal of himself. He described the ground, sacred in his thoughts, with a melancholy in- terest and apparent sad forebodings. We returned to his house, but on our way we passed a tract of land which brought to my mind what Mr. Webster had said to me when I passed the place with him on a previous visit. It was that he desired very much to purchase the land, but the owner was unwilling to sell it. So I asked him if he had succeeded in buying the land. He said no ; but he was then in treaty for and hoped shortly to buy it. Nothing more was said. Some fif- teen days thereafter, two weeks before he died, I re- ceived from him a note almost jubilant in its expression : ' I have bought that land, given my check on the 362 MORALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY CXJNSIDERED. Merchants' Bank for j^iooo. It will be made good by Mr. Paige, who will deposit $2500 for my credit. The deposit was made some days thereafter ; the great funeral at Marshfield took place, but the check was not presented. At last Mr. Cushman, who had the check for several weeks, presented it at the bank and received the money. Happening to be present, I put the ques- tion to him why he had held the check for so long a lime, and run the risk of the balance being drawn and the check not paid. He replied that he had not wanted the money, and he supposed that Mr. Webster's check would be good at any time." WEBSTER MORALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY CON- SIDEEED. Mr. Webster's pastor. Rev. S. K. Lothrop, gave the following personal reminiscences and anecdotes of the o-reat statesman at the Dartmouth alumni : " I per- fectly remember the hour when I first saw his magnif- icent countenance. It seems to me but yesterday, yet it is sixty-four years ago next November, when a boy of fourteen I called at his house in Summer street for my uncle, with whom I was living in Cambridge. As he lighted my uncle down-stairs, I wondered if the latter would get down safely, so terrible was Web- ster's face to me ; but; when he bade my uncle good- night his countenance was lighted up by a heavenly smile that transformed it. I felt that a man with uch a heavenly smile could have nothing but what MORAU.V AND RELIGOUSLY CONSIDERED. 363 was grand in his soul. From 1821 to 1827 or 1828 I was thrown a great deal into his society, and I had Jhe impression then that he was the greatest and most extraordinary man I had ever met. In 1834 I became his pastor, and retained that position so long as he continued to luive a domicile in Boston. One of the most extraordinary things about him was that he would in the midst of a conversation utter a short, terse, epigrammatic sentence that contained the whole thing under consideration. He once said to me, ' What a man does for others, not what they do for him, gives him immortality,' and he looked as if that were a foreboding of his own fate, that after rendering the most brilliant services to his country that man could render, he was to have none of the offices or the honors. Another extraordinary thing about him was that he seemed to have absorbed every book written on the subjects he talked about. He said of a sermon of mine, whose text was from Luke's Gospel, that after having read it, he had at once read that gospel in the original Greek, and he showed in con- versation that he was thoroughly familiar with Schlier- macher's commentary on that portion of the New Testament. 1 was at Webster's IVIarshfield home when a conversation on the schools of Boston led to a discussion of common schools in general and of colleges ; had a stranger heard him then he would have said that Webster was a man who devoted his time to educational pursuits. Webster's moral antl •364 MORALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY CONSIDERED. religious nature was one — the scale of his intellectual. In Washington in 1845, an extraordinary prayer by the president of the Senate led him to talk to me of prayer. What he said of it would have been credita- ble to any professor in any theological school in this country. His speech in the Girard College case showed that he was a profound master of moral and religious subjects, and that he knew what was the real value and what the evil influence of such an insti- tution. On the evening of the day that the remains of his son Edward were brought home, and those of his daughter, Mrs. Appleton, were buried, we sat speechless in his parlor, before an open fire, for what seemed to me an eternity, but perhaps it was not for more than five minutes. Then he said, ' I feel in this hour that all that gives glory to man is contained in the religion of Jesus Christ of Nazareth ; and I could wish, if it were not presumption, that on my tomb- stone at Marshfield, where I hope to be buried, after stating the time of my birth and the time of my death, the only thing else to be added should be, " He was a believer in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." ' He was instinctively and naturally a religious man ; the sentiment of religious faith, of religious reverence, of religious emotion, was strong within him. Hon. E. S. Tobey on the same occasion said he desired to speak with regard to Mr. Webster's moral character. It so happened that, unsought by him, he had received the testimony of Tellable people which HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. 36S proved that Mr. Webster was not in the habit of drinking to excess. Some of this evidence he gave to the meeting. One witness whom he quoted was Webster's family physician, who said it was not true. Another was the Hon. Caleb Sprague, who said he had been with Mr. Webster under all circumstances and on many occasions, and never had seen him unduly under the influence of stimulant. Another witness, who had testified to the same thing, wa; a neighbor who knew him intimately at Marshfield for thirty years. Mr. Tobey spoke eloquently of Mr. Webster's deep religious convictions, calling attention to many of his orations which revealed his deep moral principles and sentiments, and to his statement of religious faith made by him in writing when he was twenty-five years old. Mr. Stephen M. Allen, who had known Mr. Webster personally, and who had made diligent inquiries into the facts, was the next speaker. He bore testimony to Mr. Webster's good habits and high moral character. THE DISPUTED POINT as to Mr. Webster's church connections has been settled beyond doubt, by an entry in the records of the Congregational Church, at Salisbury. N, H., under date of September 13, 1807, in which is plainly written that on that date he united with that church. HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. The following letter of Daniel Webster to Rev. 366 HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. Thomas Worcester, formerly pastor of the Congrega-- tional Church in Salisbury, is accompanied with a con- fession of his religious faith, both of which are in his own handwriting. The letter and confession are as follows : BOSCAWEN, August 8, 1807. Dear Str: The other day we were conversing re- specting confessions of faith. Some time ago I wrote down, for my own use, a few propositions in the shape of articles, intending to exhibit a very short summary of the doctrines of the Christian religion as they im- press my mind. I have taken the liberty to enclose a copy fi r your perusal. I am, sir, with respect, yours, etc. D. Webster. .1 believe in the existence of Almighty God, who created and governs the whole world. I am taught this by the works of nature and the word of revelation. \ believe that God exists in three persons ; this I learn from revelation alone. Nor is it any objection to this belief that I cannot comprehend how one can be three or three one. I hold it my duty to believe, not what I can comprehend or account for, but what my Maker teaches me. I believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ment to be the will and word of God. I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. The miracles which he wrought establish, in my mind, his personal authority, and render it proper for me to be- lieve whatever he asserts ; I believe, therefore, all his HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. 367 declarations, as well when he declares himself to be the Son' of God as when he declares any other propo- sition. And I believe there is no other way of salva- tion than through the merits of his atonement. I believe that things past, present and to come, are all equally present in the mind of the Deity ; that with him there is no succession of time, nor of ideas; that, therefore, the relative terms, past, present and future, as used among men, cannot, with strict propriety, be applied to Deity. I believe in the doctrines of fore- knowledge and predestination, as thus expounded. I do not believe in those doctrines as imposing any fatality or necessity on men's actions, or any way in- fringing free agency. I believe in the utter inability of any human being to work out his own salvation without the constant aids of the spirit of all grace. I believe in those great peculiarities of the Christian religion — a resurrection from the dead and a day of judgment. I believe in the universal providence of God; and leave to Epicurus and his more unreasonable followers in modern times the inconsistency of believing that God made the world which he does not take the trouble of governing. Although I have great respect for some other forms of worship, I believe the Congregational mode, on the whole, to be preferable to any other. I believe religion to be a matter not of demonstra- 368 HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. tion, but of faith. God requires us to give credit to the truths which he reveals, not because we can prove them, but because he declares them. When the mind is reasonably convinced that the Bible is the word of God, the only remaining duty is to receive its doctrines with full confidence of their truth and practice them with a pure heart. I believe that the Bible is to be understood and re- ceived in the plain and obvious meaning of its pas- sages ; since I cannot persuade myself that a book intended for the instruction and conversion of the whole world should cover its true meaning in suc"h mystery and doutt that none but critics and philoso- phers can discover it. I believe that the experiments and subtleties of human wisdom are more likely to obscure than to enlighten the revealed will of God, and that he is the most accomplished Christian scholar who hath been educated at the feet of Jesus and in the college of fishermen. I believe that all true religion consists in the heart and the affections, and that, therefore, all creeds and confessions are fallible and uncertain evidences of evangelical piety. Finally, I believe that Christ has imposed on all his disciples a life of active benevolence ; that he who re- frains only from what he thinks to be sinful has per- formed but a part and a small part of his duty ; that he is bound to do good and communicate, to love his A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 369 neighbor, to give food and drink to his enemy, and to endeavor, as far as in him lies, to promote peace, truth, piety and happiness in a wicked and forlorn world, be- lieving that in the great day which is to come there will be no other standard of merit, no other criterion of character than that which is already established — " By their fruits ye shall know them, ' A EETEOSPECTIVE VIEW. The young men of the present day should learn how great was the acquiescence of the people of the Union in the settlement of 1850, after the lapse of a couple of years, and how that settlement came to be disturbed. Both the great political parties, the Whigs and the Democrats, in their national conventions of 1852, pledged themselves to the .support of the compromise measures of 1850, as a binding settlement never to be disturbed. The Whigs, rather inconsistently, nomi- nated General Scott, who was personally and politically somewhat affiliated with the Northern opponents of those measures. The Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce because the friends of Buchanan, Cass and Douglass would not give way to each other at ail, Pierce obtained the electoral votes of twenty-seven States, while Scott obtained but four States, and the sole cause of Pierce's great majority, which included every free State excepting Massachusetts and Vermont, was the determination of the people to uphold the great settlement of 1850. But, after Pierce's adminis- 370 THE MOST NOTABLE MEETING. tration had endured for a period not longer than two years, Mr. Douglass proposed and carried a bill to repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820, on the invio- lability of which the settlement of 1850 rested as its comer-stone, Mr. Douglass was a man of great energy, boldness and political power, and also of great rashness. He persuaded President Pierce to sign the bill, and from that sprang all our woes. That repeal threw open every Territory, especially Kansas, to a violent struggle between the pro-slavery and the anti- slavery interests, and consolidated all the anti-slavery feelings of the North into the Republican party. It utterly overthrew the sentiment of 1850, and left the two sections to a renewal of the agitation and antag- onism to which that settlement, as was believed, had put an end, and which could not have been renewed if that settlement had remained undisturbed. These things are essentially necessary to be learned by those of the rising generations, who would have a correct idea of the nature and purpose of the compromise measures of 1850, and of Mr. Webster's reasons for sup- porting them. THE MOST NOTABLE MEETING held in commemoration of Webster was that of the Marshfield Club, at the Parker House, in Boston, on the evening of January i8th, 1882. The speakers were the best in Massachusetts and numbered among them ex-Mayor Prince, Governor Long. Hon. Robert C, Webster's alma mater. 371 Winthrop, Mayor Samuel A. Green, Governor Bell of New Hampshire, Senator Jones of Florida, Hon. Mar- shall P. Wilder, ex-Senator Bradbury, General Wil- liamson, Franklin Haven, Esq., Hon. Charles Levi Woodbury, Hon. Leverett Saltonstall. Letters were received from prominent individuals in different parts of the country. Among the writers were Judge Lord, Mayor Boyd of St. John, Francis Brinly, E. P. Whipple, Judge E. R. Hoar, Hon. Samuel J. Tilden, and Hon. Alexander H. Stuart of Virginia, who was Secretary of the Interior when Webster was Secretary of State. THE DAKTMOUTH DIPLOMA STORY EXPLODED. Phillips Exeter Academy held memorial exercises in honor of her greatest pupil, and Dr. A. C. Perkins during his remarks at the academy took occasion to say that the story of Webster's having torn up his Dartmouth College diploma was utterly without foundation. Webster's alma mater. The members of the Dartmouth Alumni Associa- tion, resident in Boston and vicinity, held their seven- teenth annual reunion and dinner at the Revere House, on the evening of January 2Sth, 1882, the affair taking the form of the celebration of the centennial of the birth of Daniel Webster. The company numbered about one hundred and twenty, nearly all of whom were grraduates of the college. Among those present 37» XT WASHINOTON, D. C. were Governor Bell of New Hampshire, who presided at the tables, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, Hon. Wal- bridge A. Field of the Supreme Judicial Court, Rev. S. K. Lothrop, D. D., Hon. Stephen M. Allen, Hon. E. S. Tobey, Rev, William Burnet Wright, Josiah H. Benton, Jr., Mr. J. D. Philbrick, General Henry K. Oliver, Hon. Albert Palmer and Mr. George A. Marden. AT WASHINGTON, D. C. there were commemorative exercises on the one hun- dredth Webster anniversary. A committee was appointed to select a suitable monument to the great statesman, to be erected in that city, sufficient money for the purpose having been subscribed. Ex-Secretary Blaine was to have presided at the meeting, but was' prevented by a cold. He sent a letter of regret. A letter from President Arthur was read to the meeting. Webster's watch, which he gave his physician, Dr. John Jeffries, the day he died, October 21, 1852, was on exhibition in Boston a short time ago. It is a mas- sive gold open-faced Swiss watch, made in the earlv part of the century. The last pictures of Webster were two daguerreotypes, taken at Frankhn, N. H., and presented to the Hon. Stephen M. Allen of Ply- mouth about two months before Webster's death. One of them — a profile view while sitting in his library — is still an excellent likeness. The other, taken under a tree in the open air, is less distinct. AT WASHINGTON, D. C. 373 It is true that in a public and far more important sense, Daniel Webster cannot be claimed as belonging to any State. He is the common property of the entire country. His great services were bounded by no sub-divisional lines ; they were rendered to the whole American people. The idea of the Nation was ever uppermost in his mind. The fears he had for the future of the Republic were from parricidal attempts to destroy the Union. His fears were prophetic, but the good providence of God did not allow the Nation to be sundered in twain. If Mr. Webster could have lived to witness the civil war which he dreaded, he could have seen that his idea of the Constitution, as embodied in his reply to Hayne and to Calhoun, was that on which the defenders of the Union took their impregnable stand; and that the devotion to the Union which he always inculcated, survived the long and arduous struggle, and was triumphant in the end. Had his life been prolonged to this day, he would have enjoyed the heartfelt satisfaction of seeing the dread trial surmounted, the perpetuity of the Union under Providence assured, and of beholding tlie gorgeous ensign of the Republic that he apostrophized so beautifully, floating over a wisej^ a reunited and a reconciled people. REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. BY BEN PERLEY POOR. *' Such graves as his are Pilgrim shrines. Shrines to no code or creed confined ; The Delphian vales, the Palestines, The Meccas of the mind." Next to Mount Vernon, the rural home of Washing- ton, where his remains rest, no spot on this wide continent is more consecrated and more venerated than Marshfield, where Daniel Webster lived, and died, and was buried. It was my good fortune to visit Marshfield during the lifetime of its illustrious owner, and to enjoy his hospitality. It was just such an estate as "a fine old English gentleman " would select as a home, comprising about two thousand acres of undulating land on the green shore of Marshfield, bordered on one side by the ocean. When Mr. Webster began to practise law at Boston, he used to go every summer to the town of Sandwich, on the Cape, and pass several weeks there in shooting and fishing. The establishment of a glass foundry at Sandwich spoiled the sport there, and Mr. 374 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT .MARSHFIELD. 375 Webster next went to Marshfield, where he had been told that the gunning and fishing were excellent. He was so well pleased with the place that he purchased the farm of his host, Captain Thomas, whose father, Nathaniel Ray Thomas, a noted loyalist, had followed the British troops to Nova Scotia, Mr. Webster had the Saxon " land g^eed," and not only enlarged the boundaries of the Thomas farm, but greatly improved it. He increased and resuscitated the old weather- beaten orchards, and he protected his buildings and garden from the cold winds of winter, by planting belts of forest trees around the lawn of some twenty acres before his house. The seed which produced many of these trees was planted by Mr. Webster's own hands, and other trees were sent to him by friends. Between the buildings and the ocean were three ponds, fed from springs, the smaller one used by a large number of ducks of different varieties, while in the larger one was a flock of wild geese, well domes- ticated, although it was necessary to cut off the pinions of their wings to keep them from migrating as flocks flew overhead in the spring and fall. Once — Mr. Webster said — the tamed flock responded to the cry of the leader of a passing wild flock overhead, and started to follow them on foot, going quite a distance before their departure was discovered. The soil at Marshfield was naturally thin and unpro- ductive, but Mr. Webster (who had a practical knowl- edge of agriculture acquired in early youth, which he 376 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. always endeavored to improve) saw that the kelp cast on the neighboring beach, and the menhaden, easily taken in larger quantities, were excellent fertilizers. By their use the cultivated portion of Marshfield was made very productive, and the foreman asserted, the year before Mr. Webster's death, that they had cut that season nearly, if not quite, four hundred tons of English hay, besides raising a tholisand bushels of potatoes, eight hundred bushels of corn, five hundred bushels of turnips, five hundred bushels of oats, two hundred bushels of beets, and many other vegetables. Of course this result was only obtained by large expenditures in labor and for fertilizers. The house at Marshfield (which was unfortunately destroyed by fire a few years since) was a large wooden structure, with long piazzas fringed with the Virginia creeper and roses. Unlike the modern villas now dotted over New England, planned by city architects, and furnished with all the modern conveniences of city life, it had the appearance of having grown by successive additions, and not been built all at once after some successful speculations in shoddy or petro- leum. There were nine rooms on the first floor, if I remember right, opening from one into the other, so that it was necessary to use them all to get about the house. In the parlors were a great variety of pictures, engravings, bronzes and curiosities, while the library, the western room of all, was finished in somewhat of a gothic shape. Here hung the fine portraits of REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 377 Webster and Lord Ashburton, taken after their nego- tiation of a treaty between the United States and Great Britain, and now in the' Capitol at Washington, Congress having purchased them of Mrs. Fletcher Webster. There was also a small silhouette profile, cut out on black paper, in a simple frame, bearing the inscription : " My excellent mother, D. W." Near by stood on a pedestal, a fine marble bust of Pope Pius IX., sent by His Holiness to Mr. Webster. A large library chair was Mr. Wfbster's favorite seat, and in bookcases were books of reference — the standard editions of the works of Bacon, Washington and Franklin, the Encyclopsedia Britannica, a number of English and classical dictionaries, a collection of the British poets, Audubon's Birds of America, and a number of modern histories. He kept his agricultural library, and a very few law books in a study built in the garden, but his valuable law library was in his Boston office. Another interesting room at Marshfield was the dining-room, with its large sideboards covered with rare china and glassware, including a capacious punch- bowl. Breakfast, in accordance with the English custom, was served in a breakfast-room, which over- looked the ocean, and on the walls of which hungf a series of spirited engravings, representing the differ- ent phases of a fox-hunt. The cook was a colored woman named Monica McCarty, who was born and raised as the slave of Judge Cranch of Washington. 37S REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. Mr. Webster purchased her freedom for six hundred dollars, with the understanding that she was to work it out. He paid her her wages, however, without any reference to this indebtedness, and as she received many presents from the family and visitors, she had when Mr. Webster died about two thousand dollars in the savings bank. She was certainly an admirable cook, as every one who enjoyed Mr. Webster'.s hospi- tality could testify. True, she knew but little about French dishes, entremets and. releves, but no one could • send to the table 'roast meat, or fish, or game, cooked better than that from the kitchen over which aunt Monica presided. Her bread was remarkably excel- lent, and she was well versed in the making of griddle- cakes, waffles, biscuits and other Maryland delicacies. In tfie guest-chamber a% M^arshfield, when I was there, was a set of mahogany furniture which had evidently been used by Mr. Webster at his house in Boston — ponderous and massive, and respectable in appearance as was its owner. But the comfortable bed afforded me no morning nap, for soon after sun- rise there was a rap at the door, and a well-known sonorous voice asked if I would not like to get up and go and see the cattle. I, of course, hurried on my clothes, and, going down into the spacious hall, was joined by Mr. Webster, who had his trousers tucked into a pair of thick, high boots, a broad-brimmed felt hat on his head, and in his hand a long malacca staff. Going to the barns, we found the foreman, Mr. Wright, REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 379 who seemed to enjoy Mr. Webster's entire confidence. The cows were Devons and Ayrshires, the latter breed predominating, with a few Alderneys, then just coming into fashion, and some Hungarian cattle. Mr. Webster rather apologized for not keeping short-horns, but said that the soil at Marshfield was hardly up to the short- horn standard. While in England he had become impressed with the value of turnips as food for cattle,. and cultivated quite a large crop. Indeed, all his crops were on a larger scale than one generally sees in New England. He appeared to like quantity as well as quality, and he once told Peter Harvey not to speak of his grounds, saying, " I have no grounds, but a farm," The hogs were very fine, and a family of Chester county pigs appeared to be special favorites with their _owner, who scratched them with his long staff, and pointed out their good qualities with evident pride. The walk through the bams gave me a ravenous appetite for breakfast, and some blue-fish, which Mr. Webster had caught the day before, tasted better, I think, than any dish of fish I have ever eaten, and I have eaten a good many. After breakfast we went out and sat on a rustic bench beneath a magnificent elm-tree near the house, the limbs of which began to shoot out not far above the ground, and formed a large symmetrical canopy. It was soon after the nomination of General Taylor, and Mr. Webster had not been over-pleased with the course of the Boston Atlas, with which I was then 380 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. connected as its Washington correspondent. Some of his criticisms on leading Whigs who had deserted him at the nominating convention for the hero of Buena Vista were not complimentary, but he did not com- plain. There was something singularly winning and attractive to me, then a young man, in his rich, flexible voice, and his dignified, graceful manner. Indeed : " A combination, and the form, indeed. Whereupon God did seem to set his seal. To give the world assurance of a man. " When afterward Mr. Webster became Secretary of State, he had as one of his private secretaries my brother-in-law, Mr. Charles Lanman, and I saw a good deal of him at Washington. In private life he was simply delightful, unless something occurred to cross him. His fund of anecdote and of personal reminis- cences was inexhaustible. He had a keen sense of the ludicrous and loved and appreciated nice touches, of eccentric humor. There probably has never been a man on this continent who was personally acquainted with so many of its citizens, whether distinguished or obscure. In this respect Mr. Blaine resembles him very much, for he also always appears posted up with regard to what everybody has said or done. He was a man of wonderful imagination, and in his grave, constitutional arguments, as well as in his private conversation, his imagination reveled by giving poetic shapes and aspects to common things. He REMINISCF.NCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 381 would turn from the petty squabbles of political life to the grand old poetry of the Hebrew Bible, which awakened echoes in his own poetic soul. One of the most memorable instances of his imagination was afforded by his parting words to the crowd of Washington politicians — his parting words they were — when, on the night of the nomination of General Scott, they disturbed his slumbers by their call upon him to rejoice with them at the prostration of his life-long hopes. Rising superior to the office- holding crowd, and to the occasion, the noble soul of the " Expounder of the Constitution " sought consola- tion in his own high thoughts, while scornfully looking down on the little men before him : "I will sleep .sound this night," said he, "and if I wake I will know the hour by the constellation, for it is a glorious night." Mr. Webster had his faults, but the common cant about the greater immoralities of great men is well said to have its origin in the fact of the closer scrutiny applied to them. The spots on the sun are more noticed than those on the lesser planets, because the eye of the astronomer is more directed toward the greater luminaries. So of great and little men. Let us not, then, gaze too unpityingly or too closely at the specks which dim the shining orbs, but let us not prevaricate and excuse and pretend that Daniel Webster was a slandered man altogether. Apollo's steeds can draw no scavenger's cart, and his fair fame suffered 382 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. for the sins of friends, speculating on liis open, liberal nature, to which wealth was dross, easily gained and recklessly squandered. Like Charles James Fox, the great English statesman, he possessed a sovereign scorn for money and a disregard for pecuniary obliga- tions. He felt bitterly toward the close of his life the obligations which he had incurred by relinquishing his profession to plead the cause in Congress of the New England manufacturers, some of whom dis- courteously reminded him at different times that he had received their money and should be their servant. Doctor Ruggles said that once on parting Mr. Webster cordially remarked : " Come down to Washington, come often, I want none of your short-legged, sixty- day fellows about me with their three days' grace — I want men — long-legged men — who go striding down the century like those pre-Adamite birds in the old Connecticut Valley." In his mind's eye Mr. Webster doubtless saw them waddling down State street, and one or more of them perchance wondering whether a piece of sixty-days' paper they had put their names upon would be paid when it fell due by the honorable maker thereof, or by those who had been honored with the privilege of indorsing it. It was one of these cotton-spinning patrons who said to Mr. Webster when it was rumored that he was going abroad : " I hear, Mr. Webster, that you are going to England. What for, Mr. Webster — what for ? " REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 383 " 1 am going," said the solemn, dark-browed son of thunder, '• I am going over to see the Duke of Devonshire." " What for, Mr. Webster ; why do you want to see him ? " " Because," said Mr. Webster, " because he never made a bargain in his Ufe ! " Mr. Webster, in his magnificent eulogy on John C. Calhoun, in the Senate Chamber, said, half wonder- ingly, half admiringly : " He had no recreations. He never seemed to feel the necessity for amusement." Webster had his recreations. He was an enthusiastic angler, and equally enjoyed catching cod off Marsh- field, or bass at the Great Falls of the Potomac. But his favorite recreation was superintending the cultiva- tion of the soil, especially at Marshfield, where the rural sounds and the grand aspect of nature ministered to the delight of his acute sensibilities. " The smell of new-mown hay," says Mr. Hilliard, " and of the freshly turned furrows of spring, was cordial to his spirit. The whetting of the mower's scythe, the beat of the thresher's flail, the heavy groan of loaded wagons were music to his ear ! " The rich verdure of clover, the waving of the golden grain, the shriek of the sea-mew and the softest song of the nightingale — all the varying aspects of sky and field and sea, fur- nished him with a distinct and peculiar enjoyment. He loved the soil, and he loved to direct its cultivation. When, in June, 1852, the United States Agricultural 384 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. Society, headed by its founder-President, the Honorable Marshall P. Wilder, called on him to pay their respects, Mr. Wilder addressed him as the " Farmer of Marsh- field." Said he in reply : " You do me no more than justice when you call me ' Farmer of Marshfield.' My father was a farmer, and I am a farmer. When a boy among my native hills of New Hampshire, no cock crowed so early that I did not hear him, and np boy ran with more avidity to do errands at the bidding of the workmen than I did. You are engaged in a noble enterprise. The pros- perity and glory of the Union are based upon the achievements of agriculture. " Gentlemen, I will say to you, what I have never before said, that when at forty-five years of age I was called to Dartmouth College to pass my second gradua- tion, I determined, in my humble manner, to speak of the agricultural resources of the country, and to recom- mend for their more full development organized action and the formation of agricultural societies, and if mem- ory does not betray me, it was about the period of time that the first agricultural societies in this country were formed in old Berkshire and Philadelphia. [Loud cheers by delegates from Pennslyvania and Massachusetts.] And though I have never seen that unimportant production since that day, the partiality of some of my curious friends [bowing and laughing] may be gratified by exploring among the slumbering archives of Marshfield. When, some thirty years ago. REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 385 I was at Marshfield, some of my kind neighbors made a call to inquire the state of a matter involving a bit of law, but I told them ' I have come to reside among you as a farmer, and here I talk neither politics nor law.' " Gentlemen, I am naturally a farmer, I am most ardently attached to agricultural pursuits, and though I cultivate my lands with some little care, yet from the sterility of the soil, or from neglected husbandry on my part in consequence of my public engagements, they afford no subsistence to myself and family. To you, farmers of the west and south, the soil of Marsh- field may look barren and unfruitful. Sometimes the breezes of the broad Atlantic fan you; sometimes, indeed, unkindly suns smite you, but I love its quiet shades, and there I shall love to commune with you upon the ennobling pursuit in which we are so happily engaged. " Gentlemen, I thank you for this visit with which you have honored me. My interest and my sympathies are identified with yours. I shall remember you and this occasion which has called you together. I invoke for you an abundant han'est, and if we meet not again in time, I doubt not that hereafter we shall meet in a more genial clime and under a kinder sun. Brother farmers, I bid you good morning." Mr. Webster had a fund of anecdote and personal reminiscences, not only about Washington Congres- sional life and his cases in the courts, but about his 386 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. rural rambles at Marshfield. Once, as he used to narrate with great gusto, he was tramping over the Marshfield meadows shooting ducks with Seth Peter- son, when he encountered a couple of Boston sporting snobs, who happened to be in trouble just then about crossing a bog. Not knowing Mr. Webster, and believing him to be strong enough to help them over the water, they begged to be conveyed to a dry point upon his back. The request was of course com- plied with, and after the cockneys had paid him a quarter of a dollar each for his trouble, they inquired if " Old Webster was at home," for, as they had had poor luck in shooting, they would honor him with a call. Mr. Webster replied " that the gentleman alluded to was not at home just then, but would be as soon as he could walk to the house," and then added that " he would be glad to see them at dinner." As may be presumed, the cockneys were never seen to cross the threshold of " Old Webster." It was at Marshfield that he planned many of his most celebrated speeches, and it may be well to say that all of his speeches were carefully prepared. His famous address on Bunker Hill was thought over, it is asserted, while he was trout fishing near Marshfield, and the following well-known exclamation was, it is said, first heard by a couple of huge trout, immediately on their being transferred to his fishing- basket, as it subsequently was heard at Bunker Hill by many thousands of his fellow-citizens : " Venerable REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 387 men ! you have come down to us from a former genera- tion. Heaven has bounteously lengthened out your lives that you might behold this joyous day." On another occasion, so the story goes (when Secre- tary of State, but at home on a brief visit), he happened to be out fishing for mackerel in his smack, off Marsh- field. The fish were abundant, and there was quite a number of local fishermen on the ground. While the sport was at its height, however, Mr. Webster discov- ered in the offing, rapidly approaching, what he sup- posed to be a stranger sail. He questioned Seth Peterson in regard to the matter, and was convinced that his suspicions and fears were correct ; whereupon he impatiently demanded in what direction, with the present wind, the smack could sail the fastest. The reply was, " With her eye toward Provincetown ; " when Mr. Webster exclaimed, " It's a hard case, skipper, but press forward with all speed, for the master of yonder vessel is evidently an office-seeker." The truth was, there lived a man in the neighboring town of Scituate who had for months past been bother- ing him for an appointment as a lighthouse keeper, so that the fears of the secretary were well grounded. Mr. Webster, during his visit to England, was much impressed with the agricultural operations there on the large estates of the nobility. After he returned, it was his delight to go over the whole ground — plow- ing, sowing, cultivating, reaping, succession of crops, manures, stock-raising, sheep-tending, irrigating, and 388 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHPIELD. everything which he had seen in the fatherland. One piece of economy he related with minuteness : On the estate of the Duke of Devonshire he observed, late in the autumn, a man with a dibble in his hand, who went over a piece of ground from which the crop seemed to have been all gleaned, into which he dipped his tool and fetched up tiny roots, while a flock of sheep followed him at a respectful distance, nibbling. Mr. Webster asked the reason of this man's work. The Duke informed him that after the grass crop had been gathered in summer, the land had been planted with turnips, upon which, when grown, the sheep had been turned in to eat them from the ground, which they did very clean, except the tap-root, which they could not reach. The work of the man with the dib- ble was to fetch this root to the surface, and the flock followed him and consumed it. Mr. Webster's chosen " crony " in his later years was Charles March, much younger than he was, and also a New Hampshire man. Well educated, polished by travel, and free from pecuniary hamper, March was a most delightful companion, and his wit, keen as Saladin's cimetar, never wounded. Fletcher Webster was also a great favorite with his father, possessing what Charles Lever called, " the lost art of conversa- tion." Sometimes when Mr. Webster's path had been crossed, and he was as black as night, March and Fletcher would, by humorous rSpartees and witticisms, drive the clouds away, and gradually force him into REMINISCENCES OK WEBSTER AT MARSHKIELD. 389 a conversation, which would soon become enlivened by the " inextinguishable laughter of the gods." Mr. Webster was a great lawyer — may I not say the greatest of American lawyers — and his profession made him at times stifle his individual convictions to please his political followers as he would have argued the bad side of a case to earn the fee paid by a client. No finer speech was ever made in favor of free trade, than that made by Mr, Webster in 1816 in the House of Representatives, when he was a representative from New Hampshire, and in 1820 he made another speech in Faneuil Hall, on the same side of the question. But in 1824, acting in obedience to the wishes of the Boston merchants interested in cotton mills who supported him, he earnestly resisted the Southern attempt to repeal the tariff, and thenceforth he was a protec- tionist. So with the seventh of March speech. Mr. Webster had eloquently pleaded for the freedom of the Greeks, but when the emancipation of the Africans enslaved in the Southern States began to loom up in the politi- cal horizon, he yielded to the temptation of the South- ern Whigs, who offered him as a " retainer " promises that they would give him the Presidential nomina- tion. I do not believe the assertion that he had pre- pared himself to speak against the compromise, as he had been impressed by the horrors of the civil war which he saw would be inevitable, although he was laughed at by the Free Soil orators and press, 390 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. and as if to completely estrange him from New Eng- land, where public opinion was rapid!)', though imper- ceptibly, changing toward emancipation, the same Free Soil orators and editors brought personal charges against his integrity and morality. The most malignant and spiteful attack made upon Mr. Webster, was by Mr. Charles Allen, then a repre- sentative in Congress from Worcester One evening, at the close of a session, Mr. Allen said plumply that he would not intrust Mr. Webster with the making of arrangements to pay the three millions of Mexican indemnity. He stated that it was notorious that when he was called to take the office of Secretary of State he entered into a negotiation by which $25,000 was raised for him in State street, Boston, and $25,000 in Wall street. New York. Mr. Allen trusted that the Democratic party had yet honor enough left to inquire into this matter, and that the Whigs, even, would not palliate it, if satisfied of the fact. Mr. George Ash- mun, representative from the Springfield District, re- torted that Mr. Allen had eaten salt with Mr. Web- ster, had received benefits from him, and that he was the only one who dared thus mahgnantly to assail him. Mr. Ashmun alluded to a letter from Washing- ton, some time previously published in the Boston Atlas, stating that a member of the House had facts in his possession upon which to found a resolution charging a high officer with " corruption and treason," and he traced a connection between that letter and REMINISCENCES OK WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 39I Mr. Allen's insinuations. Mr. Julian, another promi- nent Free Soiler, seconded Mr. Allen, and tried to secure an investigation, if "not an impeachment of Mr. Webster. Mr. Ashmun declared on the floor of the House, by authority of Mr. Webster, that the statement of Mr. Allen was " false in all its length and breadth, and in all its details," but there was doubtless a foundation for the statement. The friends of Mr. Webster ad- mitted that a voluntary contribution had been tendered him as a compensation for the sacrifices he had made in abandoning his profession to accept the office of Secretary of State, and they justified his acceptance of the money, on the ground that after having devoted the labors of a long life to his profession, and attained in it a high rank which brought large fees, he should not be asked to relinquish those professional emolu- ments without — in justice to his obligations to his family — accepting an equivalent. Without indorsing the State street view of the case, it is to be regretted that the charges were made to trouble Mr. Webster's spirit, and sour his heart. That 'Mr. Webster felt keenly the attacks upon him is undeniable, and atonement cannot now be made by eulogizing him. It has been well said that if Charity is to be the veil- to cover a multitude of sins in the dead as well as in the living, Cant should not lift that veil to swear that those sins were virtues. Mr. Web- ster was sorely troubled by the attitude taken by many 392 REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. Massachusetts men, some of whom now seek to loudly eulogize him. He lost flesh, the color faded from his cheeks, the lids of his dark eyes were livid, and he was evidenty debilitated and infirm. At times he would be apparently unconscious of those around him, then he would rally and would display his wonderful con- versational qualities. Yet it was evident to those who knew him best that he was a broken-hearted man, who went " stumbling down,'' as Carlyle said of Mira- beau, " like a mighty heathen and Titan to his rest." In May, 1852, Mr. Webster was riding one morning from Marshfield to Plymouth, with his private secre- tary, Mr. Lanman, in a one-horse carriage. As they were ascending a hill the transom-bolt broke, the car- riage fell, and they were both violently thrown out. Mr. Lanman sprang to his feet uninjured, but Mr. Webster lay at first insensible, having cut his head, and badly injured his right arm and hand which he had put out to check the force of the fall. He was taken up, his face covered with blood, and carried to a house near by, where he was carefully attended, until he was able to be removed to Marshfield. Soon after the wound on his forehead had been dressed, the lady of the house entered the chamber and stood as if somewhat overawed. Mr. Webster observing her embarrassment said : " Madam, how diversified is the lot of humanity in this world ! A certain man, pass- ing from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among thieves, and was ill-treated. A man, passing from Marshfield to REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 393 Plymouth, fell among a very hospitable set of people, and was taken care of." It was not known at the time that Mr. Webster had been injured internally, but both his arms had been bruised and sprained, and for several weeks he could not easily sign his name. The post mortem examination after his death disclosed an injury to the brain. It was a remarkable physiological fact that this blow, which would have impaired the intellect, if not caused death in another, should in this instance have been attended with so little external evidence of an important injury to a vital organ. Mr. Webster stood up manfully against approaching dissolution. He went to Washington, and then re- turned to Boston," and thence went to his beloved home at Marshfield. There he wrestled with the grim Destroyer, showing a reluctance to abandon life, and looking into the future with apprehension rather than with hope. When he found that his end was approaching, he insisted that his surrounding friends should not leave him. " Don't, don't leave me," said he to Peter Harvey, " you promised that you would not leave the room until I was dead." When Dr. Jeffries repeated to him the soothing promises of the Great Physician, " Thy rod and Thy staff they com- fort me," the dying statesman exclaimed, " Yes ! that is what I want. Thy rod. Thy staff ! " He was no hypocrite, and although he prayed often and earnestly he did not pretend that he felt " that peace which 394 REMINISCENCES OP WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. passeth all understanding," but he did exhibit a de- voted submission and true reliance in Almighty God, " I still live ! " were his last words, and he sank into a state of tranquil unconsciousness, his breathing becoming fainter until it ceased, and his soul returned to its Creator. Well might Edward Everett, in closing his poetical description of the last moments of his illustrious friend, quote the following exquisite lines : " His sufferings ended with the day, Yet lived he at its close ; And breathed the long, long night away, In statue-like repose. But ere the sun in all its state. Illumined the eastern skies. He passed through glory's morning gate And walked in Paradise," It was my privilege to attend Mr. Webster's funeral at Marshfield on Friday, the twenty-ninth of October, 1852. It was a lovely October day, and the ride from Boston on a stage-coach was a delightful one. The weather was clear and cool, with evidences on every hand that summer also had departed. The topmost branches of the trees were motionless — only now and then a faded leaf whirled gently to the ground in obedience to the law that brings all things low. Every member of our party had known Mr. Webster personally, and many reminiscences were related as we rode along. The breaking of the harness REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTEK. AT MARSHFILLD. 395 delayed us, and when we arrived at the Marsh- field mansion-house we found thousands assem- bled of all ages, classes and conditions. There was no pomp or show — no armed sentinel or officious policeman — but nature herself seemed to suspend her breath in respectful attendance upon the obse- quies, and " All the air a solemn stillness held." Seeing a crowd gathered around the silver-leaf poplar tree in front of the house, we joined the throng, and there saw the mortal remains of the deceased statesman in an iron casket, the entire lid of which had been removed. The body was clothed in a suit which I had often seen Mr. Webster wear at Wash- ington — a blue broadcloth dress-coat with gilt but- tons, a white waistcoat, white trousers, low shoes and gaiters, a white cravat, and a turned-over shirt-collar. Death had not impaired the impressive beauty of his majestic brow, but his slightly-opened lips, partially disclosing his white teeth, clothed the lower portion of his countenance with a sarcastic smile. With swimming eyes the crowd of mournirtg neigh- bors, friends and political adherents moved slowly past the casket to take their last look at " the noble sleeper there." Some deposited floral tributes as they passed, and upon the breast of the deceased were placed wreaths of oak leaves, of roses, and of myrtle. 396 REMINISCENCES OF WEHSTEK AT MARSHFIELD. emblematic of undying affection and of immortal fame. About eleven o'clock a barouche drawn by four gray horses dashed up to the house. It contained General Franklin Pierce (then soon to be elected President), Rev. Dr. Putnam, Peter Harvey and James E. Thayer. After having paid his respects to Mrs. Webster, General Pierce came out on the lawn, and took his last look at the remains of Daniel Webster. Near him were Edward Everett, Rufus Choate, Robert C. Winthrop, Abbott Lawrence, George Ashmun, William L. Marcy, George S. Boutwell, William M. Evarts, Nathaniel P. Banks, Charles King, Ira Harris, Augustus Schell, Edward Curtis, Henry Wilson, Judge Sprague, Charles Stetson, George S. Hilliard, William Appleton, Cornelius C. Felton, Otis P. Lord, Rev. Dr. Edward Beecher, Rev. Hubbard Winslow, Father Finotti, Father Williams", Rev. Dr. Lambert, Rev. B. Stow, Rev. Dr. Neale, and other great, good and gifted men, mingling their tears in a common tide with the plainest farmers and poorest fishermen of Marsh- field, and gazing with a common sorrow upon the remains of him whose life and labors had been an equal benefit to all. At half-past twelve the religious services wrere com- menced by Rev. Ebenezer Alden, the young pastor of the neighboring Congregational Church. He stood in the front entry of the house, and so was heard by many in and out of doors. After reading extracts REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. 397 from the funeral service in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, he delivered an address, in which he gave Mr. Webster's religious belief, and closed with a long prayer, with consolations for the living. « The vast crowd was then formed into something like a procession by William Dehon, aided by a few gentlemeh without batons or badges, whose requests were promptly obeyed. The casket was closed, and placed on a funeral car, drawn by two black horses, and flanked by pall bearers, who had been selected by Mr. Webster before his death. They were not any of the distinguished citizens above enumerated, but six neighbors and townsmen, with shiny silk hats and coats of unfashionable cut, hard hands, and weather- beaten countenances. The names of these honored rural toilers were Seth Peterson, Asa Hewitt, Joseph P. Cushman, Seth Weston, Tilden Ames and Daniel Phillips. Fletcher Webster, leading his two sons, was the chief mourner. He had the sympathy of all, for it was known that his father, who had not much hope that he would ever succeed in money-making, had requested that his friends would not see his son driven to the necessity of begging his bread. Fletcher had witnessed the interment of the remains of his brother, Major Edward Webster, who died when on duty with the Massachusetts regiment in Mexico, but he could not have thought on that silent walk to his father's grave, that he himself would " die that the Republic REMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. might live," at the second Bull Run fight, almost within sight of the Capitol, which had been the scene of his father's greatness. His sons — Daniel and Ash- burton — are now no more, but his widow is living and resides at Marshfield. Behind Fletcher Webster and his boys followed James W. Paige and. Mrs. Webster's five brothers, the Le Roys of New York. Then came the officiating minister and the physicians of the deceased, the house^ servants, the farm hands, the selectmen of Marshfield and fifty townsmen. These were followed by the Governor and Council, the Boston City Government, a. delegation from Dartmouth College, and other delega- tions from cities, towns and societies, without any regard to precedence. The procession moved to the old Governor Winslow burial ground on the estate which Mr. Webster had had inclosed, and where rested in peace his first wife, his daughters Grace and Julia, his sons Edward and Charles, and two of his grandchildren. On arriving at the gate of the cemetery the casket was again placed on a bier and the cover removed, giving the relations and friends an opportunity to take a last look at the deceased. The Rev. Mr. Alden again offered prayer, ending with a benediction. The casket was then placed in a wooden case and deposited in the narrow tomb, over the door of which was inscribed on a marble tablet: Daniel Webstep The multitude then reverentially dispersed, while liEMINISCENCES OF WEBSTER AT MARSHFIELD. nature, as if grieving in genial sympatJiy with our sorrowing iiearts, veiled the declining sun with the cold mist of the moaning sea, and chilled us with its icy breath. " The rock shall guard his rest, and the ocean sound his dirge," for upon that monument is " One of the few, the immortal names, Which were riot born to die." Hi / ^