Page images
PDF
EPUB

been endowed. His opponent had given to his argument such an air of plausibility as to deceive many. If he had not succeeded wholly in making the worse appear the better reason, he had staggered former convictions, and unsettled the most deliberate belief. All objections to his theory he had refuted and exposed to ridicule, and no one of his opponents had been able to recover from his vigorous and well-directed blows.

Within the scope of this work, it would be impossible to adduce sufficient of Mr. Webster's argument to justify a belief in his positions; a circumstance, the less to be regretted, perhaps, since to the general reader his propositions will appear self-evident truths. Still, no one in pursuit of examples of the most masterly logic; no one who seeks to acquire a certain knowledge of the theory and practice of CONSTITUTIONAL LAW; no one, in fine, who would behold the dignity of human reason in its loftiest expression, can safely pretermit the perusal and study of this great effort.

There was not the opportunity in this speech, as in the reply to Hayne, for the exhibition of the various powers of the speaker. Here no sarcasm was required, no humor, no wit, and no impassioned eloquence. The mind was to be convinced, not the passions excited. The effect was to be permanent, rather than immediate; and it was the cause of his country, not personal gratification, that the orator was to strive to establish.

In the earlier part of his speech, Mr. Webster made an allusion to his reply to Hayne. "Mr. President," he said,

"if I considered the constitutional question now before us as doubtful as it is important, and if I supposed this decision, either in the Senate or by the country, was likely to be influenced in any degree by the manner in which I might now discuss it, this would be to me a moment of deep solicitude. Such a moment has once existed. There has been a time, when, rising in this place, on the same question, I felt, I must confess, that something for good or evil to the Constitution of the country might depend on an effort of mine. But circumstances are changed. Since that day, sir, the public opinion has become awakened to this great question; it has grasped it; it has reasoned upon it, as becomes an intelligent and patriotic community; and has settled it, or now seems in the progress of settling it, by an authority which none can disobey -the authority of the people themselves."

Still it was well, that Mr. Webster put forth unreserved the energies of his mind on this occasion. Nullification had in part recovered from the severity of his first blow, and, fostered by Mr. Calhoun, was again rearing its horrid front against the Union. It might have been successful, but for Mr. Webster's gigantic argument, in theory; it may be successful hereafter, but can only be so, since such argument, by forceNo reason but ultima ratio regum-" the last reason of kings" or republics-can justify it now.

The words of solemn warning with which he concluded his argument, cannot be too often heard and repeated; and could not be more fitly introduced than now, when the idea of dis

union seems once more to occupy the weak imagination of fanatics, at either extremity of the Union. "Mr.President, if the friends of nullification should be able to propagate their opinions, and give them practical effect, they would, in my judgment, prove themselves the most skilful architects of ruin, the most effectual extinguishers of high-raised expectation, the greatest blasters of human hopes, which any age has produced. They would stand up to proclaim, in tones which would pierce the ears of half the human race, that the last great experiment of representative government had failed. They would send forth sounds, at the hearing of which, the doctrine of the divine right of kings would feel, even in its grave, a returning sensation of vitality and resuscitation. Millions of eyes, of those who now feed their inherent love of liberty on the success of the American example, would turn away from beholding our dismemberment, and find no place on earth whereon to rest their gratified sight. Amidst the incantations and orgies of nullification, secession, disunion, and revolution, would be celebrated the funereal rites of constitutional and republican liberty."

The thronged Senate-chamber, while it listened to the deep tones of the speaker, as in his most impressive manner he pronounced this eloquent admonition, surged like the sea. You saw the undulating motion of the crowd, leaning forward to catch each word as it fell, and forced back to its original position. It was late in the evening when the orator got through his speech. The emotions of the multitude, which

had been repressed during the day did not hesitate to find articulate and forcible expression under the protecting shadows of night; and hardly had the speaker concluded his remarks, before the galleries, rising to a man, gave a hearty, vociferous cheer, for "Daniel Webster, the defender of the Constitution."

Mr. Poindexter immediately started to his feet and moved an adjournment. But the presiding officer ordered the galleries to be cleared, refusing to put the motion to adjourn till after order had been restored; and then the Senate adjourned.

CHAPTER XII.

THE debate languished after the conclusion of Mr. Calhoun's and Mr. Webster's speeches. The crowd that had filled the Senate Chamber daily to hear them, gradually thinned. The public curiosity to listen to the debate, which had grown stronger from its first opening to the GREAT ARGUMENT, reached its highest point at the conclusion thereof, and thence subsided into its ordinary character of indifference. There were some good speeches on the subject, however, made later. Mr. Forsyth made an able argument for the bill, and refuted, with brief but emphatic logic, the objections urged against it. He had not prepared himself fully for the discussion, but he spoke enough to convince his audience of his ability to say more, equally well. Mr. Miller, of South Carolina, followed him on the other side, as briefly if not as ably. Speaking of Mr. Webster's position towards the administration as compared with his position in the Hayne controversy, he said: "The Senator from Massachusetts is now the alpha with the powers that be; it is not long since he was the omega." Mr. Poindexter also made a speech. How much or little of other

« PreviousContinue »