CONTENTS OF VOLUME L

CHAPTER I.

1782-1797.

Birth and Parentage-Boyhood-Early Education-Enters Dartmouth College, 1-20

CHAPTER II.

1797-1801.

College Life-Rank as a Student-Development and Acquisition

CHAPTER III.

1801-1807.

Begins the Study of the Law in Salisbury-Teaches a School in Maine-Enter the

Office of Mr. Gore, in Boston-Admission to the Bar-Refuses a Laentire

-Practises in Boscawen-Death of his Father-Removal to Portsmouth 4-6

CHAPTER VII.

1815-1816.

Fourteenth Congress-National Bank-Specie Resolutions-Tariff of 1816-Death

of Mr. Webster's Mother-Challenged by Mr. Randolph-Returns from Congress

-Removal to Boston

146-156

CHAPTER VIII.

1816-1819.

Congress in 1816-'17-Death of Little Grace-Retires from Public Life-Birth of

his Daughter Julia-Position at the Boston Bar-Social Life-Dartmouth Col-

lege Case-Robbery of Major Goodridge
157-175

CHAPTER IX.

1820-1822.

Mr. Calhoun's Visit to Boston-Professional Position-Convention to Revise the

Constitution of Massachusetts-The Plymouth Oration-Case of La Jeune

Eugenie Defence of Judge James Prescott-Elected to Congress from Bos-

ton

176-198

CHAPTER X.

1823-1824.

Reënters Congress-Speech on the Greek Revolution-Tariff of 1824-Proposed

Changes in the Judicial System-The Case of Gibbons vs. Ogden-Candidacy

of Mr. John Quincy Adams-First Visit to Marshfield—Reëlected to Con-

gress

199-221

CHAPTER XI.

1824-1825.

Visit to Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison-Death of his Son Charles-Election of

Mr. John Quincy Adams as President-Internal Improvements-Crimes Act,

1825-Correspondence with J. Evelyn Denison, Esq.-First Bunker-Hill Oration

-Journey to Niagara

222-255

CHAPTER XII.

1825-1826.

Correspondence-Amendment of the Judicial System-Speech on the Congress of

Panama-Eulogy on Adams and Jefferson-Reëlected to Congress 256-281

CHAPTER XIII.

1826-1827.

Bankrupt Law-Case of Ogden vs. Saunders-Difficulties in Georgia-Colonial

Trade-Spanish Claims .

282-288

CHAPTER XIV.

1827-1828.

Elected to the Senate of the United States-Illness and Death of Mrs. Webster, at

New York-Her Funeral, in Boston-Return of Mr. Webster to Washington

-Visited by Mr. Ticknor and Mr. Prescott-Speech for the Revolutionary

Officers-Speech on the Tariff-Public Dinner in Boston-The Presidential

Election-Prosecutes for a Libel-Address before the Boston Mechanics' As-

289-336

sociation

CHAPTER XV.

1828-1829.

Inauguration of President Jackson-Death of Mr. Ezekiel Webster-Second Mar.

riage
337-346

CHAPTER XVI.

1829-1830.

Power of Removal from Office-Nullification-The Two Speeches on Foot's Resolu-

tion-Reply to Hayne

847-385

CHAPTER XVII.

1830-1831.

Mr. Webster's Popularity-Character of General Jackson-Mr. Clay's Claims to the

Presidency-Antimasonry-Dinner to Mr. Webster, in New York-Gives up a

Journey to the West-Nomination of Mr. Clay as the Candidate of the National

Republicans-Relief of Insolvent Debtors of the United States-Miscellaneous

Correspondence

386-410

CHAPTER XVIII.

1831-1832.

Modification of the Tariff-Bill to Renew the Charter of the Bank-President

Jackson's "Veto "-Speech on the President's Objections-Rejection of Mr. Van

Buren as Minister to England-Report on the Apportionment of Representa-

tives-First Purchase at Marshfield
411-428

CHAPTER XIX.

1832-1833.

Nullification-Conduct of South Carolina-Speech at Worcester, in October, 1832

-Reëlection of General Jackson-Mr. Calhoun's Position-The President's

Proclamation-Mr. Clay's Compromise Bill-The Force Bill-Mr. Webster's

Views of the Proper Course to be pursued-Debate with Mr. Calhoun on the

Nature of the Government-President Jackson's Visit to New England-Mr.

Webster's Visit to the West-General Jackson's Sense of Mr. Webster's Ser-

vices-Correspondence .

429-469

CHAPTER XX.

1833-1834.

Mr. Webster's Financial Views-Removal of the Government Deposits from the Bank

of the United States-Mr. Clay's Resolution of Censure-Mr. Webster's Report

on the Removal of the Deposits-Introduces a Bill to meet the Crisis-The

President's Protest against the Resolutions of the Senate-Speech in Answer to

the Protest-Personal Relations to the Bank-Rise of the Whig Party 470-500

CHAPTER XXI.

1834-1835.

Nominated for the Presidency by the Whigs of Massachusetts-Various Popular

Demonstrations in other States-Correspondence with the Antimasons of Penn.

sylvania-General Harrison nominated by the whole Opposition, in Pennsyl-

vania-Difficulties with France-War averted-Defeat of the Fortification Bill

-French Spoliation before 1800-Speech on the Power of Removal from Office

-Mr. Benton's Expunging"

"Resolution-Regulation respecting Treasury

Drafts on the Deposit Banks .

CHAPTER XXII.

1835-1836.

501-520

The Independence of Texas achieved-Mr. Webster's Desire to have her remain a

Nation by herself-Early Spirit of the Antislavery Movement-Opinions of Mr.

Webster on the whole Subject of Slavery-Treatment of the Petitions for its

Abolition in the District of Columbia-" Incendiary Publications "-Acknowl-

edgment of Texan Independence-Loss of the Fortification Bill at the Previous

Session-Mr. Webster's Defence of his own Course-An Unpublished Speech-

Custody of the Public Funds-Regulation of the Deposit Banks-Distribution

of Surplus Revenues-Settlement of the Difficulty with France-Presidential

Election of 1836

521-539

CHAPTER XXIII.

1836-1837.

The "Specie Circular "-A "Constitutional Currency"-Mr. Benton's Expunging

Resolution-Mr. Webster's Protest-Slavery in the District of Columbia-Recep-

tion of Petitions-Farming Operations-Proposes to resign his Seat-Reception

in New York-Speech at Niblo's Saloon-Journey to the West-Special Session

of Congress in the Autumn of 1837-Mr. Van Buren's Financial Policy-Contro-

versy with Mr. Calhoun-Texas seeks Admission into the Union 540-570

CHAPTER XXIV.

1837-1838.

Project for a Great Western Farm-Separate Nationality of Texas-Slavery in the

District of Columbia-The Sub-Treasury-Preëmption Rights for Settlers on the

Public Lands-The Commonwealth Bank, in Boston-Correspondence, 571–580

APPENDIX AND NOTES.

581-612

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE-BOYHOOD-EARLY EDUCATION-ENTERS DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.

NEAR

EAR the centre of New Hampshire, where two moderate rivers unite, and form the Merrimac, a company of persons from Kingston, after the peace of 1763, obtained from the royal governor of the province a grant of a township of land, to which the name of Stevenstown was first given, from the name of Colonel Stevens, their leader. Among these persons was Ebenezer Webster, who was born in Kingston in 1739, the son of a farmer and freeholder of the same name. Like many of the young men of New England, he, in early life, enlisted in the provincial troops, raised to take part in the French War; and became a private in one of the companies of "Rangers," which were commanded by Major Robert Rogers, and which