ed to Boston, and in 1827 was elected to the United States
Senate, which position he held for twelve years. In 1841, he was appointed
Secretary of State. He returned to the Senate in 1845. In 1850, he was
reappointed Secretary of State and continued in office until his death. He
died at his residence, in Marshfield, Mass. Mr. Webster's fame rests
chiefly on his state papers and speeches. As a speaker he was dignified
and stately, using clear, pure English. During all his life he took great
interest in agriculture, and was very fond of outdoor sports.

1. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my
heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that, in the beginning, we aimed
not at independence. But

"There's a divinity that shapes our ends."

The injustice of England has driven us to arms; and blinded to her own
interest, she has obstinately persisted, till independence is now within
our grasp. We have but to reach forth to it, and it is ours. Why then
should we defer the declaration? Is any man so weak as now to hope for a
reconciliation with England, which shall leave either safety to the
country and its liberties, or security to his own life and his own honor!
Are not you, sir, who sit in that chair, is not he, our venerable
colleague, near you, are you not both already the proscribed and
predestined objects of punishment and of vengeance? Cut off from all hope
of royal clemency, what are you, what can you be, while the power of
England remains, but outlaws?

2. If we postpone independence, do we mean to carry on, or to give up, the
war? Do we mean to submit, and consent that we shall be ground to powder,
and our country and its rights trodden down in the dust? I know we do not
mean to submit. We NEVER shall submit! Do we intend to violate that most
solemn obligation ever entered into by men, that plighting, before God, of
our sacred honor to Washington, when, putting him forth to incur the
dangers of war, as well as the political hazards of the times, we promised
to adhere to him in every extremity with our fortunes and our lives? I
know there is not a man here, who would not rather see a general
conflagration sweep over the land, or an earthquake sink it, than one jot
or tittle of that plighted faith fall to the ground. For myself, having
twelve months ago, in this place, moved you that George Washington be
appointed commander of the forces raised, or to be raised, for the defense
of Americ