The great speeches and orations of Daniel Webster, with an essay on Daniel Webster as a master of English style

Front matter

B58 et lin SN a Od een Lee ee

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Ma T

Preface

i Beet of the present volume is not to supersede the -tandard edition of Daniel Webster’s Works, in six octavo volames, edited by Edward Everett, and originally issued in the. year 1851, by the publishers of this volume of Selections. It 3 rather the purpose of the present publication to call atten- ‘ion anew to the genius and character of Daniel Webster, as lawyer, statesman, diplomatist, patriot, and citizen, and, b Es publishing some of his prominent orations and speeches of ‘ 7 iversally acknowledged excellence, to revive public interest i the great body of his works. In the task of selection, 1% = las been impossible to do full justice to his powers; fo = at ong the speeches omitted in this collection are to be foune ie oassages of superlative eloquence, maxims of political and Op ral wisdom which might be taken as mottoes for elaboritia a veatises on the philosophy of law and legislation, and impor- o unt Ficts and principles which no student of history of the \ nited States can overlook without betraying an ignorance of\the great forces which influenced the legislation of the two . Touses of Congress, from the time Mr. Webster first entered i life to the day of his death. It isto be supposed that, when Mr. Everett consented to ie lit the six volumes of his works, Mr. Webster indicated to » the orations, Seen and diplommasre despatehGs which iv ald | i PERERA CR) am 7 a he intended them as a kind of legacy, — a bequest to his coun. trymen. | | | The publishers of this volume believe that a study of ae Webster’s mind, heart, and character, as exhibited in the selections contained in the present volume, will inevitably direct all sympathetic readers to the great body of Mr. Webster’s works. Among the eminent men who have influenced — egislative assemblies in Great Britain and the United States, ) ‘ uring the past hundred and twenty years, it is curious that | g only two have established themselves as men of the first | aM : lass in English and American literature. These two men i wv i 4 pre Edmund Burke and Daniel Webster; and it is only by a the complete study of every thing which they authorized to be published under their names, that we can adequately com- | | prehend either their position among the political forces of their time, or their rank among the great masters of English eloquence and style. |

Contents

T). <teL WEBSTER AS. A MASTER OF ENGLISH STYLE .

\»gument before the Supreme Court of the United States, at Washgton, on the 10th of March, 1818.

“mse, ‘SETTLEMENT OF NEw ENGLAND . : a4 Discourse delivered at Plymouth, on the 22d of Devembary 1820.