Inhaltsangabe
Excerpt from Mr. Webster's Andover Address and His Political Course While Secretary of State
It may not be improper to state here, that the writer in the present case has no connection whatever, either with the public journals, or with any canvassing for political office. He never sought or held any office whatever, of a political nature, w ich it was in the power of the government or of the people to bestow. He never expects to seek or receive one. At all events, then, his remarks are not prompted by the hopes of promotion, or of the emolu ments which flow from it. And as to the journals which, when embarked in any particular course, are reluctant to swerve from it, the present writer has no other interest in them than what their value excites, and no particular favoritism toward the course which any one of them pursues. Some of them he regards as entitled to his sincere approbation.
Having thus declared who he is not, he may, without farther preface, proceed to make some remarks, premising only that he shall, for convenience sake, and to avoid formality, employ the first person instead of the third, in the remainder of his communication.
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Reseña del editor
Excerpt from Mr. Webster's Andover Address and His Political Course While Secretary of State
The writer of the remarks which follow was present at the mass meeting in Andover, and heard the address which is designated by the inscription above. He has seen various criticisms in the public journals on the performance in question. With some of these he agrees for substance in opinion, while from others he feels himself obliged widely to dissent. In respect to those criticisms, (if they may be so called), which exhibit merely the feelings of party violence and rancour, he has little or nothing to say; as they are not founded on any sober inquiry into the merits of Mr. Webster's performance, much less on any aesthetical principles of judgment and decision, they do not demand, for the present purposes of the writer of these remarks, any distinctive notice or recognition. In what way, indeed, will any thinking and judicious man undertake to refute mere railing accusations? Will he make use of argument? No argument, nor even demonstration, would have any weight with the authors of such accusations. Their decisions proceed merely from violence of feeling and party bitterness. How can this be controlled by argumentative criticism? The truth is, that the greater a man's merits are who is opposed to their views, and the more distinguished his performance is, the more do they rail, and the more severe is their sentence of condemnation. It would be a hopeless task to oppose candid reasoning and fair argument to criticisms of this cast. One could only "revile again" in return for reviling, an undertaking in which, on grounds of propriety, decency, self-respect, and peaceable demeanor, the writer of these remarks can never consent to engage.
In some journals, however, conducted in general with decorum and regard to the proprieties of social intercourse and private feeling, there seems to be an inclination quite manifest to put Mr. Webster's Andover Address below his former efforts of a similar nature, "in the palmy days of Whig exertions and Whig triumphs which preceded the election of General Harrison." No controversy with the writers of these criticisms is designed on the present occasion. But as they have taken the liberty freely to express their opinion, it may be lawful, in a "land of liberty," to express another opinion somewhat different from theirs. The ultimate appeal must of course be to that part of the public, who have both the power of forming a critical judgment and the candor which is necessary to form it correctly. To them the writer of the following remarks will most cheerfully submit.
It may not be improper to state here, that the writer in the present case has no connection whatever, either with the public journals, or with any canvassing for political office. He never sought or held any office whatever, of a political nature, which it was in the power of the government or of the people to bestow. He never expects to seek or receive one. At all events, then, his remarks are not prompted by the hopes of promotion, or of the emoluments which flow from it. And as to the journals which, when embarked in any particular course, are reluctant to swerve from it, the present writer has no other interest in them than what their value excites, and no particular favoritism toward the course which any one of them pursues. Some of them he regards as entitled to his sincere approbation.
Having thus declared who he is not, he may, without farther preface, proceed to make some remarks, premising only that he shall, for convenience sake, and to avoid formality, employ the first person instead of the third, in the remainder of his communication.
It was my lot, as I have already hinted, to be present at the great meeting in Andover. And a great one it truly was.
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