The letters of Daniel Webster; from documents owned principally by the New Hampshire Historical Society. Edited by C. H. Van Tyne.

by Daniel Webster

Excerpt from The Letters of Daniel Webster, From Documents Owned Principally by the New Hampshire Hitorical Society Jan. 1, 1849, p. 503; Jan. 16, 1849, p. 504; Feb. 5, 1849, p. 504; Feb. 16, 1849, p. 505; Feb. 24, 1849, p. 507; Feb. 25, 1849, p. 507 Feb. 27, 1849, p. 508; June 15, 1849, p. 524; May 26, 1850, p. 539 June 15, 1850, p. 550 Oct. 19, 1850, p. 572 Oct. 21, 1850, p. 572; Oct. 22, 1850, p. 574; May 25, 1851, p. 614; June 22, 1852, p. 657. 'letter not dated, p. 681. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Daniel Webster, was a leading American statesman during the nation's Antebellum Period. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests. His increasingly nationalistic views and the effectiveness with which he articulated them led Webster to become one of the most famous orators and influential Whig leaders of the Second Party System.

Daniel Webster was an attorney, and served as legal counsel in several cases that established important constitutional precedents that bolstered the authority of the Federal government. As Secretary of State, he negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty that established the definitive eastern border between the United States and Canada. Primarily recognized for his Senate tenure, Webster was a key figure in the institution's "Golden days". So well-known was his skill as a Senator throughout this period that Webster became a third and northern counterpart of what was and still is known today as the "Great Triumvirate," with his colleagues Henry Clay from the west and John C. Calhoun from the south. His "Reply to Hayne" in 1830 was generally regarded as "the most eloquent speech ever delivered in Congress."

As with Henry Clay, Webster's desire to see the Union preserved and conflict averted led him to search out compromises designed to stave off the sectionalism that threatened war between the North and South. Webster tried three times to achieve the Presidency; all three bids failed, the final one in part because of his compromises. Similarly, Webster's efforts to steer the nation away from civil war toward a definite peace ultimately proved futile. Despite this, Webster came to be esteemed for these efforts and was officially named by the Senate in 1957 as one of its five most outstanding members.