The Works of Daniel Webster, Volume 1Webster, Daniel
History
The Works of Daniel Webster, Volume 1
Webster, Daniel
United States -- Politics and government -- 1815-1861
The manner in which this was said was not such as to soften the
harshness of the sentiment. It will be difficult, in reverting to Mr.
Webster's speech, to find either in its substance or spirit any adequate
grounds for the feeling manifested by Mr. Hayne. Nor would it probably
be easy in the history of Congress to find another case in which a
similar act of accommodation in the way of postponing a subject has been
refused, at least on such a ground. Mr. Webster, in reply to Mr. Hayne's
remark, that he wished without delay to return his shot, said, "Let the
discussion proceed; I am ready now to receive the gentleman's fire."
Mr. Benton then addressed the Senate for about an hour, in conclusion of
the speech which he had commenced the day before. At the close of Mr.
Benton's argument, Mr. Bell of New Hampshire moved that the further
consideration of the subject should be postponed till Monday, but the
motion was negatived. Mr. Hayne then took the floor, and spoke for about
an hour in reply to Mr. Webster's remarks of the preceding day. Before
he had concluded his argument, the Senate adjourned till Monday. On that
day, January the 25th, he spoke for two hours and a half, and completed
his speech. Mr. Webster immediately rose to reply, but the day was far
advanced, and he yielded to a motion for adjournment.
The second speech of Mr. Hayne, to which Mr. Webster was now called
upon to reply, was still more strongly characterized than the first
with severity, not to say bitterness, towards the Eastern States. The
tone toward Mr. Webster personally was not courteous. It bordered on
the offensive. It was difficult not to find in both of the speeches of
the Senator from South Carolina the indication of a preconceived
purpose to hold up New England, and Mr. Webster as her most
distinguished representative, to public odium. In his second speech, Mr.
Hayne reaffirmed and urged those constitutional opinions which are
usually known as the doctrines of Nullification; that is to say, the
assumed right of a State, when she deems herself oppressed by an
unconstitutional act of Congress, to declare by State ordinance the
act of Congress null and void, and discharge the citizens of the State
from the duty of obedience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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