WEBSTER, DANIEI„ LL.D. (ante), was b. in a frontier settlement where schools and competent teachers were almost unknown, and received his early education mostly from his father, in the brief intervals of a farmer's domestic labors. After less than a year of preparation in a classical academy, and in the family of a country clergyman, lie entered Dartmouth college before he was 15 years of age, yet such was his force of char adter that he soon became first in his class, and held that rank till he graduated in 1801. Through the required course of reading and study for the profession of law he sup ported himself by teaching, copying legal documents, and reporting cases decided in the state and 17. S. courts. Admitted to the bar, he soon became widely known, and rapidly rose to honorable recognition in the courts, where he often conferred with such distin guished jurists as Joseph Story, Samuel Dexter, and Jeremiah Mason.
Thre war of I812 called into public life the strongest men of both political parties, and Webster, having adopted and advocated the principles of the party opposed to the war, was elected to represent the people of New Hampshire in congress. His reputation for thorough acquaintance with public affairs, domestic and foreign, pre ceded him and secured hint influential positions on the most important com mittees. His speeches for the repeal of the embargo, and the increase of the navy, and on the .great financial questions which ,then agitated and divided the nation, evidenced a 'comprehensive and deep insight into the principles involved, and the imme •diate necessities of the nation, as well as a firm adherence to the measures of the party he represented. They were imbued with such a spirit of lofty patriotism, and uttered with such manifest sincerity, that they secured for him, in congress and through the kcountry, universal respect.
After twice representing New Hampshire in congress, Mr. Webster made Boston his
!permanent home; and such was the general conviction of his superiority as a counselor And advocate, that the most important business in the highest courts of the country seemed by common consent to fall into his hands, and his clients were never disap pointed in their expectations as to his ability or integrity. In the celebrated case of Dartmouth college he supported his final argument with an array of judicial opinions and decisions so extensive and so pertinent to this case, and with appeals so convincing, that chief justice Marshall rendered the unanimous opinion of the U. S. supreme court, reversing the decisions of the state tribunals, and restoring the old board of trustees to their claimed right of property and jurisdiction. In conducting this important and dif ficult case through all its intricacies, and over all obstacles, to this successful termina tion, Webster far surpassed public expectation, and laid a solid foundation for his future popularity and success as a constitutional jurist and advocate.
In the trial of the Knapps, in Salem, for the murder of Crowninshield, and in the Girard will case, where he was, however, successfully opposed by that distinguished advocate, Horace Binney, Mr. Webster displayed mastery of the legal points involved, industry and discrimination in selecting and arranging judicial opinions and decisions, and orrtorieal powers to chain the attention and fasten the intelligent and moral con viction of both the learned and the unlearned. In his youth he made a public profes sion of religion, and through all his life was a diligent student of the Bible. Not long before his death he dictated, to be inscribed on his tombstone, a declaration of his unwavering belief in Christianity. • •