passages which are expressly quoted from his reminiscences, which were written immediately after Mr. Webster's death, in 1852, but have been hitherto unpublished. My thanks are also due to the Hon. R. M. Blatchford, the Hon. Hiram Ketchum, and Charles A. Stetson, Esq., of this city; and to the Hon. Peter Harvey and Franklin Haven, Esq., of Boston-all dear and cherished friends of Mr. Webster-for the communication of important materials and information. The Right Hon. John Evelyn Denison, Speaker of the House of Commons, one of Mr. Webster's English friends, with whom he most frequently corresponded, has kindly placed at my disposal the letters which passed between them. To George J. Abbott, Esq., formerly of the State Department, and now United States Consul at Sheffield, England-who acted for a long time as Mr. Webster's private secretary, and was with him at Marshfield at the time of his death, who enjoyed Mr. Webster's full confidence, and was much beloved by him-I have to express the cordial thanks of the surviving literary executors for the services anticipated in the reference to him made in Mr. Webster's will. Although some of the letters which are embraced in this work have been in print since the year 1857, and a few of them had been published previously, their use, in the connection in which they are here found, was essential to the development of Mr. Webster's history, and the illustration of his character. A great many others of Mr. Webster's letters are now published for the first time. The portrait, which has been engraved for the first volume of this work, was painted by Healy, soon after the negotiation of the Treaty of Washington. Mr. Webster was painted many times, at different periods of his life, by other artists, but by no one better than by Mr. Healy, to whom he sat several times. The picture, of which I have made use, was kindly lent for the purpose by Mr. Blatchford. The portrait which has been engraved as a frontispiece for the second volume was painted by the late Chester Harding, Esq., when Mr. Webster was at the age of sixty-seven. It belongs to General James H. Van Alen, of New York, to whose kindness I am indebted for its use. The engraving at page 380 of the second volume is from a photograph. The various illustrations, in woodcut, contained in the body of the work, are from photographic views taken expressly for this purpose. They embrace "Elms Farm," and the burial-place of the Webster family, at Franklin, New Hampshire; Mr. Webster's house, in Summer Street, Bos the "Green Harbor" estate, at Marshfield; and the monuments erected at the tomb in which lie the remains of Mr. Webster, Mrs. Grace Webster, and their children. Mrs. Caroline Le Roy Webster, after the death of her husband, transferred to the trustees, under Mr. Webster's will, her interest in the estate at Marshfield, and came to reside in the city of New York, where she still survives, surrounded by the respect and interest of a large circle of friends. NEW YORK, Sept., 1869. CONTENTS OF VOLUME L Begins the Study of the Law in Salisbury-Teaches a School in Maine-Enters the Office of Mr. Gore, in Boston-Admission to the Bar-Refuses a Lucrative Office -Practises in Boscawen-Death of his Father-Removal to Portsmouth 47-80 Removal to Portsmouth-Marriage-The Buckminsters-Mr. Jeremiah Mason- Birth of a Daughter-The Embargo-Phi Beta Kappa Oration-War of 1812 -The English and French Decrees-Rockingham Memorial-Election to Con- gress-Resolutions on the alleged Repeal of the French Decrees Mr. Webster's Life at Portsmouth-Birth of Daniel Fletcher-Great Fire in the Town-Congress of 1813-'14-Resolutions on French Decrees-Military Trials for Treason-Encouragement of Enlistments-Modification of the Embargo- Repeal of the Restrictive System-Domestic Manufactures-Practice in Su- |