Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/180

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��pendence by night, by Sullivan and Langdon, the hundred barrels that did service on Bunker's Hill, or the last detail of the Revolution, Gen. Poor with his New Hampshire men directed by Washington to remain and rake up the coals and quench the embers of the camp-fires of war at Yorktown, or either hero in marble.

Stark has been mentioned, with the supposition added that were he select- ed, probably his grand-daughter, Miss Charlotte, would willingly present such statue to the state or nation.

What would we honor? There were giants later in law and on the bench, Mason, Smith, George Sullivan. The voices of those best conversant with the history of the state, in this informal vote, were for John Langdon, one of the framers of the constitution, United States senator, and four several times elected governor of New Hamp- shire. The offer of all his wealth,

��three thousand dollars in gold and as much in plate, with other goods, in the darkest hour of the Revolutionary struggle, is a gem of patriotism on the crown of New Hampshire that will never fade.

Our voice is for Langdon and Web- ster. It were creditable to the state to take action in this matter at once, and now that the legislature meets but once in two years, to ignore the sub- ject next session is to wait long. It is a matter for much reflection, for most deliberate consideration, nor less im- portant is it that the commission be given to a true as well as competent artist, and fit material secured, than that the right person be selected for the honor.

We present the subject to the citi- zens of New Hampshire, and leave it for their candid enlightened thought and calm decision.

��ANECDOTE OF DANIEL WEBSTER.

��BY JOSIAH EMERY.

��There is one incident in Daniel Webster's life that I have never seen published or heard mentioned since it happened. In 1819,1 think it was that year, the U. S. Supreme Court gave its decision in the famous Dartmouth* College case. At the Commencement in 1820, Mr. Webster was present and addressed the students. At a meeting of the Trustees and Faculty a draft of five hundred dollars was drawn in favor of Mr. Webster. Our President, Dr. Francis Brown, was very much out of health, and Mr. Webster urged him strongly to go south. Dr. Brown re- plied that perhaps it would be better to

��do so, but that he was poor and unable to bear the expense. Mr. Webster, without saying a word in reply, stepped to a desk in the room, took from his pocket the draft of $500 that had been given, indorsed it over to Mr. Brown, saying " that will help you, sir." On Mr. Brown's attempting to reply, " not a word, my dear sir, not a word, but go south and thank God for the means," said the, certainly then, " God-like Daniel." Mr. Brown did go south, but died the same year, in the autumn of 1820. This one act will balance all that the Ghouls are trying to dig up of faults in his character.

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