al supervision of the work was undertaken by
EDWARD EVERETT, who has prefixed to the first volume a brief memoir of
the illustrious statesman, orator, and author, from the beginning and
the end of which we copy a few important paragraphs. Respecting the past
and present collections of these great compositions, Mr. Everett says:

"The first collection of Mr. Webster's speeches in the Congress
of the United States and on various public occasions, was
published in Boston in one volume octavo, in 1830. This volume
was more than once reprinted, and in 1835 a second volume was
published, containing the speeches made up to that time, and
not included in the first collection. Several impressions of
these two volumes were called for by the public. In 1843 a
third volume was prepared, containing a selection from the
speeches of Mr. Webster from the year 1835 till his entrance
into the cabinet of General Harrison. In the year 1848 appeared
a fourth volume of diplomatic papers, containing a portion of
Mr. Webster's official correspondence as Secretary of State.
The great favor with which these volumes' have been received
throughout the country, and the importance of the subjects
discussed in the Senate of the United States after Mr.
Webster's return to that body in 1845, have led his friends to
think that a valuable service would be rendered to the
community by bringing together his speeches of a later date
than those contained in the third volume of the former
collection, and on political subjects arising since that time.
Few periods of our history will be entitled to be remembered by
events of greater moment, such as the admission of Texas to the
Union, the settlement of the Oregon controversy, the Mexican
war, the acquisition of California and other Mexican provinces,
and the exciting questions which have grown out of the sudden
extension of the territory of the United States. Rarely have
public discussions been carried on with greater earnestness,
with more important consequences visibly at stake, or with
greater ability. The speeches made by Mr. Webster in the
Senate, and on public occasions of various kinds, during the
progress of these controversies, are more than sufficient to
fill two new volumes. The opportunity of their collection has
been taken by the enter