Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/48

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS / II IN REPLY TO HAYNE^ (1830) When the mariner has been tossed for many- days in thick weather, and on an unknown sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm, the earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude and ascertain how far the elements have driven him from his true course. Let us imitate this prudence, and, before we float farther on the waves of this debate, refer to the point from which we departed, that we may at least be able to conjecture where we now are. I ask for the reading of the resolution before the Senate. The gentleman, sir, in declining to postpone the debate, told the Senate, with the emphasis of his hand upon his heart, that there was some- thing rankling here, which he wished to relieve. [Mr. Hayne rose and disclaimed having used the word ranklmg.} It would not, Mr. Presi- ' Delivered in the United States Senate on January 26, 1830, and sometimes called the speech on the Foote Resolution. For che text of this resolution, see note to Hayne's speech on a previous page. Webster had prepared no written copy of his speech, hav- ing with him at the tirae only some notes jotted down on a few sheets of paper. Its delivery, says Lodge, one of his biographers, "was practically extemporaneous." Webster, in reply to inquiries as to what he had done to prepare himself, is reported to have said that "his whole life had been a preparation for the reply to Hayne." Abridged. 38