Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/320

 290 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

Congress dosed its session, in 1S50, upon September 30. and it was near its close, when Mr. Webster, being secretary of state,

GAVE HIS DINNER

to the ahnnni of Dartmouth College. It was his desire to have no graduate uninvited. The dinner may have been prompted by the presence of his nephew, Prof. Charles B. Haddock, who had just been appointed chars:;e d'af- faires to Portugal. Notwithstanding the presence of clergymen, Mr. Webster asked the blessing. Some one was speaking to Mr. Webster concerning his argument in the Girard will case, when a third person took occasion to say : " 'I'hat was the greatest effort of your life." Mr. Webster responded that that observation had been made respecting so many of his efforts by different per- sons, that he would like to have the question definitely settled, what one of his many noted efforts was really the greatest. '" What do you all say here, to-day? I ask the question of each and every one of you. What has been my greatest effort?" Then he commenced calling upon different ones for their opinions. Had the guests acted b>^ preconcert they could not have played their parts better to keep u}) the interest of the entertainment, for no one would bring up any effort that any one else had alkided to. We had the Girard will, the eulogy upon Adams and Jefferson, reply to Hayne, Bunker Hill monument, Plymouth Hock, Greek Revolution, Panama mission, etc. Mr. Webster listen- ed intently all the w!iile with apparent disintere-itedness. At length cxme a call for his oj^inion, which was responded to unanimo'jsly. Mr. Webster arose, moved back his chair, and spoke, as no one but Webster could speak, for a full hour, never once wetting his lips, but leaving us sitting at the table to eat, drink, and listen. It was a grand spectacle to have seen this unrivaled great man familiarly reviewing the notable productions of his life, and deducing a conclu- sion, well fortified by arguments, that no one anticipated. Here is a synopsis of his speech :

That is a man's greatest effort which brings to him the most opportunities for other great efforts, and does the most toward securing to him a permanent support for himself and family. No man ever arrived at eminence in his pro- fession, who can not look back upon some

PARTICULAR EFFORT

which laid the foundation for the most of his success in life. Hence every young man should do his utmost in every case, however unimportant it may seem to him, realizing that from some source, and oftentimes when least ex- pected, he may gain a foothold upon public respect, which, if persistently ad- hered to, may eventually establish his fame and fortune. After serving two terms as congressman from New Hampshire, he removed to Boston with the intention to devote the remainder of his life to a profession which he loved, and he thought his affection for it had increased with his years. He then de- scribed the eminent legal men who occupied all the ground in Boston. He wanted an opportunity, and for a while despaired of obtaining it. Dartmouth College, his Alma Mater, however, furnished it ; and ever after he felt that his professional sign was. " Daniel Webster and the Dartmouth College Case." That case soon gave him a practice equal to that of any of that illustrious group of attorneys who had so long and so meritoriously held sway in Boston. He might have obtained his position otherwise ; but at best it would have re- quired a longer time. But for that case, he might never have been in the house or senate, where he could have replied to Hayne of South Carolina, or made those other speeches which had been alluded to. His heart was in the

�� �