Daniel Webster

"Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!"

Legendary American politician (1782-1852). Famed orator, lawyer, and legislator. He was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire, graduated from Dartmouth College, and taught school while studying law. He gained some measure of fame as a skilled orator opposing the War of 1812 and was elected to the House of Representatives as a Federalist. He later left New Hampshire for Boston but was re-elected to the House as one of Massachusetts' representatives.

Webster ran for president in 1836 (he lost badly, and he spent the rest of his life chasing after the Presidency) and was named William Henry Harrison's Secretary of State in 1841. When Harrison died in office, Webster was the only cabinet member not to resign immediately when John Tyler took office -- he was putting the final touches on the Webster-Ashburton Treaty with Great Britain and didn't want to leave the job unfinished.

When he was elected to the Senate, Webster was a supporter of the National Bank and an opponent of the annexation of Texas. He was a tireless supporter of the Union, as well as an opponent of slavery. On March 7, 1850, he made a powerful speech which helped solidify support for the Compromise of 1850. However, abolitionist forces wanted no compromise with slavery supporters, and they denounced Webster vehemently. Webster was named Millard Fillmore's Secretary of State just a few months after that, but he died just two years later.

Webster is still considered one of the genuine good guys of American politics -- his integrity and commitment helped preserve the Union for decades. He is most famous for his powerful and patriotic oratory.

He is also, of course, the star character in "The Devil and Daniel Webster".

Research from www.biography.com and from www.marshfield.net/History/webster.htm

When Webster was on his deathbed his attending physician instructed a nurse to bring him brandy every half an hour to ease his pain. After several such doses, the doctor and nurse met again and after a brief discussion decided that Webster was too far gone for more brandy to be of any further help. Webster yelled his last words, "I still live" from the adjoining room to remind the two it was time for him to get more brandy.

Daniel Webster is a total freak.

He stands there every morning, looking down at me with his stern uncared for face. He is so old. He is so unloved. His park is not a circle, but a tiny slab of ugly grass.

No wonder he looks at me like that. He seems mad and bursting to tell me of the injustice of it all.

Daniel Webster's park stinks. Sometimes it smells so bad that I wonder what poor dead thing is hidden in the bushes.

Mr. Webster's park has fruit-bearing trees. But they are tiny sticky stinky fruits. Sometimes I step on them and they go squash. When the fruit are in season, short old asian women fill huge plastic bags with them. I wonder what they are making them into. Pies? Juice? Smelly pies and juice?

I used to think Mr. Webster had a bird on his head, like molded into the metal or whatever. But that was just a bird who happened to be there every time I looked up. Sitting there, on the man's head, like a freakish live hat. But today, Mr. Webster was hatless, birdless.

Birdless. Hatless. Ceaseless.