Part 26 (1/2)

JACKSON AND THE UNION.

TO THE PUPIL

1. Explain the rapid growth of the West.

2. Give an account of Jackson's experience in the Revolution.

3. What sort of a man was he in his home life?

4. What and where was The Hermitage?

5. What were his most prominent traits of character?

6. Tell about the Battle of New Orleans.

7. What did Jackson do for the Union?

CHAPTER XXII

Daniel Webster, the Defender and Expounder of the Const.i.tution

[1782-1852]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Daniel Webster.]

Andrew Jackson's stern rebuke of the nullification movement was a timely one, for there existed in the South a widespread feeling that the Union was not supreme over the States. In the North, on the contrary, the Union was regarded as superior to the States and qualified to enforce any law pa.s.sed by Congress unless the Supreme Court should declare such law unconst.i.tutional. Which point of view was correct? The answer to that momentous question involved a long and bitter struggle between the two parts of the Union. The great statesman who set forth the northern view was Daniel Webster.

He was born among the hills of New Hamps.h.i.+re, in Salisbury (now Franklin), in 1782, the son of a poor farmer and the ninth of ten children.

As Daniel was a frail child, not able to work much on the farm, his parents permitted him to spend much time in fis.h.i.+ng, hunting, and roaming at will over the hills. Thus he came into close touch with nature, and gained much knowledge which was useful to him in later years. It was his good fortune to have as a companion on these out-door excursions an old English soldier and sailor then living in a small house on the Webster farm. The two friends, so far apart in age, were good comrades, and were often seen walking together along the streams.

The old soldier entertained his young listener with many thrilling tales of adventure on land and sea, and the boy read to his friend from books which the old man liked well.

Daniel's father had also been a soldier, having served in Indian wars and in the Revolution, and related many interesting experiences to his son. One which always appealed to young Daniel was the account of a meeting, years before, with General Was.h.i.+ngton at the time when Arnold was found to be a traitor. In this interview Was.h.i.+ngton had taken Webster's hand and, looking seriously into his face, had said, ”Captain Webster, I believe I can trust you.” This expression of confidence by the general to his subordinate stirred the boy's imagination.

In these ways did his patriotism receive a great stimulus. An incident which occurred when he was only eight years old ill.u.s.trates the seriousness of his mind. Having seen at a store near his home a small cotton handkerchief with the Const.i.tution of the United States printed on it, he gathered up his small earnings to the amount of twenty-five cents and eagerly secured the treasure. From this remarkable copy he learned the Const.i.tution word for word, so that he could repeat it from beginning to end.

Of course this was an unusual thing for an eight-year-old boy to do, but the boy himself was unusual. He spent much of his time poring over books. They were few in number, but of good quality, and he read them over and over again until he made them a part of himself. It was a pleasure to him to memorize fine poems also, and n.o.ble selections from the Bible, for he learned easily and remembered well what he learned. In this way he stored his mind with the highest kind of truth.

Naturally his father was proud of his boy and longed to give him a good education. One day, when Daniel was only thirteen years old, they were at work together in the hay-field, when a college-bred man, also a member of Congress, stopped to speak with Mr. Webster. When the stranger had gone his way Mr. Webster expressed to his son deep regret that he himself was not an educated man, adding that because of his lack of education he had to work hard for a very small return.

”My dear father,” said Daniel, ”you shall not work. Brother and I will work for you, and will wear our hands out, and you shall rest.” Then Daniel, whose heart was tender and full of deep affection, cried bitterly.

”My child,” said Mr. Webster, ”it is of no importance to me. I now live but for my children. I could not give your elder brothers the advantage of knowledge, but I can do something for you. Exert yourself, improve your opportunities, learn, learn, and when I am gone you will not need to go through the hards.h.i.+ps which I have undergone, and which have made me an old man before my time.”

These words show the earnest purpose of the father. The next year the boy, now fourteen, was sent to Phillips Exeter Academy. The princ.i.p.al began Daniel's examination by directing him to read a pa.s.sage in the Bible. The boy's voice was so rich and musical and his reading so intelligent that he was allowed to read the entire chapter and then admitted without further questioning. This was only one ill.u.s.tration of his marvellous power as a reader. Teamsters used to stop at the home farm in order to hear that ”Webster boy,” as they called Daniel, read or recite poetry or verses of Scripture.

The boys he met at the academy were mostly from homes of wealth and culture. Some of them were rude and laughed at Daniel's plain dress and country manners. Of course the poor boy, whose health was still weak and who was by nature shy and independent, found such treatment hard to bear.

But he studied well, and soon commanded respect because of his high rank. One of his school duties, however, he found impossible to perform, and that was to stand before the school and declaim. He would carefully memorize and practise his declamation, but, when called on to speak, he could not rise from his seat and go upon the platform. During the nine months of his stay in the academy, he failed to overcome his deficiency in declaiming.

After leaving this school he studied for six months under Dr. Woods, a private tutor, who prepared him to enter Dartmouth, at the age of fifteen.