th all his strength. He was extremely impatient
of contradiction. The adulation to which he had been so long
accustomed tended to increase a natural, and perhaps not
wholly unjustifiable, haughtiness of manner.

The Government was represented by Asahel R. Huntington, of
Salem, District Attorney for the district which included Essex
and Middlesex. He was a man of great intellectual vigor,
unquestioned honesty and courage, possessed of a high sense
of the dignity and importance of his office, very plain spoken,
and not at all likely to be overawed by any opposing counsel,
whatever his fame or dignity. Yet he had a huge reverence
for Daniel Webster, whom, like the other Massachusetts Whigs
of that day, he probably thought as another described him--

The foremost living man of all the world!

The case was tried three times: The first time at Concord,
the second time at Lowell, and the third time at Concord.
Mr. Webster had several quite angry encounters with the court
and with the prosecuting attorney. He was once extremely
disrespectful to Judge Washburn, who replied with great mildness
that he was sure the eminent counsel's respect for his own
character would be enough to prevent him from any disrespect
to the court. Mr. Webster was disarmed by the quiet courtesy
of the judge, and gave him no further cause for complaint.
At Lowell, where Wyman was convicted, Webster saw the case
going against him, and interrupted the charge of the judge
several times. At last Judge Allen, who was presiding, said:
"Mr. Webster, I cannot suffer myself to be interrupted." Mr.
Webster replied: "I cannot suffer my client to be misrepresented,"
To which the judge answered: "Sit down, sir." Mr. Webster
resumed his seat. When the jury went out, Judge Allen turned
to the Bar where Mr. Webster was sitting and said: "Mr. Webster."
Mr. Webster rose with the unsurpassed courtesy and grace of
manner of which he was master, and said: "Will the court pardon
me a moment?" He then proceeded to express his regret for
the zeal which had impelled him to a seeming disrespect to
His Honor, and expressed his sorrow for what had occurred;
and the incident was at an end.

At the first trial at Concord, Mr. Webster had frequent altercations
with District Attorney Huntington. In his closing argument,
which is said to have been one of great power, and which he
began by an eloquent reference to the battle of Concord Bridge,
which, he said, was f