fifteen years, for the purpose of grinding the town's corn.
In 1768 Judge Webster was first chosen moderator of a town-meeting in Salisbury, and he was elected forty-three times afterward, at different town-meetings in Salisbury, serving in March, 1803, for the last time.
In 1769 he was first elected select-man, and held that office for the years 1770, '72, '74, '76, '80, '85, '86 and 1788; resigned it, however, in September, 1776. and performed a six months' service in the army.
In 1771, 1772 and 1773, he was elected and served in the office of town-clerk. In 1778 and '80, he was elected representative of the classed towns of Salisbury and Boscawen; also, for Salisbury, 1790 and '91. He was elected senator for the years 1785, '86, '88, and '90; Hillsborough county electing two senators at this time, and Matthew Thornton, and Robert Wallace, of Henniker, served as colleagues, each for two of said years. He was in the senate in 1786, at Exeter, when the insurgents surrounded the house. His proclamation to them was "I command you to disperse."
In March, 1778, the town chose Capt. Ebenezer Webster and Capt. Matthew Pettengill as delegates to a convention to be held at Concord, Wednesday, June 10, "for the sole purpose of forming a permanent plan of government for the future well being of the good people of this state."
In 1788, January 16, Col. Webster was elected delegate to the convention at Exeter, for the purpose of considering the proposed United States Constitution. A committee was also chosen by the town to examine said constitution and advise with said delegate. This committee was composed of Joseph Bean, Esq., Jonathan Fifield, Esq., Jonathan Cram, Capt. Wilder, Dea. John Collins, Edward Eastman, John C. Gale, Capt. Robert Smith, Leonard Judkins, Dea. Jacob True, Lieut. Bean, Lieut. Severance, and John Smith. At the first meeting of the convention in February, Col. Webster opposed the constitution under instructions from his town.
A majority of the convention was found to be opposed to the adoption of the constitution. The convention adjourned to Concord, to meet in the succeeding month of June. In the meantime Col. Webster conferred with his constituents, advised with the committee on the subject, asked the privilege of supporting the constitution, and he was instructed to vote as he might think proper. His speech, made on this occasion, has been printed. It did great credit to the head and heart of the author:
"Mr. President: I have listened to the arguments for and against the constitution. I am convinced such a government as that constitution will establish, if adopted—a government acting directly on the people of the states,—is necessary for the common defence and the general welfare. It is the only government which will enable us to pay off the national debt. The debt which we owe for the Revolution, and which we are bound in honor fully and fairly to discharge. Beside, I have followed the lead of Washington through seven years of war, and I have never been misled. His name is subscribed to this constitution. He will not mislead us now. I shall vote for its adoption."
The constitution was finally adopted in the convention by a vote of 57 yeas, 47 nays.
Col. Webster gave his support to the constitution. He was one of the electors for president when Washington was first chosen to that office.
In the spring of 1791, Col. Webster was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Hillsborough. This office he held at the time of his decease in 1806. He was one of the magistrates, or justices of the peace, for Hillsborough county, for more than thirty-five years prior to his decease.
In church affairs, Judge Webster exercised great influence. As early as 1768 he was chosen by the town
