Vol. VIII.
No. 6.
BOSTON.
June, 1896.
DANIEL WEBSTER. By William C. Todd. THE presentation of a statue of Daniel Webster to the Capitol at Washington by New Hampshire, his native State, has called attention anew to the life and abilities of this gifted man, especially among those old enough to remember the time when he was so prominent in public affairs, and when Clay, Webster and Calhoun were the intel lectual giants of the American Congress. All his intimate friends have passed away; the venerable Robert C. Winthrop was the last; and but few, comparatively speaking, survive who ever listened to him. The writer remembers, when a little boy, hearing a guest at his father's fireside, just after the Knapp trials, say, " Daniel Webster is the smartest man in the United States," and ever after he was interested to learn all about this remark able man. The first time I saw Mr. Webster was at the great Whig convention on Bunker Hill, Sept. 10, 1840, which I attended largely to see him. And it was the most fitting of all places to look on him, for it had been asso ciated with one of his grandest oratorical efforts. There he had stood at the laying of the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill Mon ument, with Lafayette by his side, and be fore him the " venerable men," " remnant of many a well-fought field," whom he so feel ingly addressed. There, too, he delivered the oration at the completion of the Monument in 1843, and it is not easy now to look at the Monument and not think of Daniel Webster.
There had never before, probably, in our country been so large a convention, for the recent introduction of railroads had then first made such a gathering possible, nor has one since been more enthusiastic. The country had not recovered from the panic of 1837, and the hard times were charged, as usual, to the party in power. Log cabins and other things associated with Gen. Har rison were in procession; songs were sung with all sorts of changes on " Tippecanoe and Tyler too," " Van, little Van, Van is a used-up man "; and there were no bounds to the excitement of the crowd. The knowl edge, too, that Mr. Webster was .to preside on such an historic spot drew many who had never seen him, some of whom had come from all parts of New England in the strangest of vehicles, and took part in the long procession through the streets of Bos ton to Bunker Hill. Mr. Winthrop called the convention to order, and introduced Mr. Webster as the president of the day. He looked older and larger than I had imagined, and his hair, which he brushed back from his massive forehead, was becoming thin. He spoke briefly, and then with appropriate words introduced the different speakers, dis tinguished men from all parts of the coun try, to whom the place, the excitement of that remarkable campaign, and the immense crowd gave enthusiasm. In the evening he presided over a meeting in Faneuil Hall, which was crowded to its utmost capacity. The platform was then but little raised above 229
