INTRODUCTION: WEBSTER.
One day in spring, Daniel Webster's father took Daniel to Exeter
Academy to prepare for college. All the boys laughed at his rustic
dress and manners.
He finally entered Dartmouth College at the age of fifteen. He was the
best student there. All the students liked him. At the age of eighteen
he gave a Fourth of July oration in his college town. After he had
finished at Dartmouth, he taught school in order to help his parents
send his older brother to school. Later, he entered Christopher Gore's
law office. He studied very hard and won name and fame as a lawyer.
The approach of the war of 1812 brought him into politics.
He was elected to Congress and took his seat in 1813.
INTRODUCTION: HENRY CLAY.
Henry Clay was born in Virginia at the year of Burgoyne's surrender,
1777. His father died when he was four years old. Little Henry lived
near the "Slashes" the name given to a low flat region and went to
school in a log cabin. He worked on a farm to do his share in the
support of the family. Sometimes he would be seen barefooted behind
the plow or else riding a horse to mill. From this he was called the
"Mill boy of the Slashes." At fourteen he was a clerk in a store but
he was made for better use.
He was put in the office of a famous lawyer who was a clerk in one
of Virginia's courts. He went to Richmond and studied law there. He
formed a debating club and was made leader. From here he went to
Lexington. There his rise in law was rapid, his fame grew and he was
known as a lawyer who seldom lost his case.
He was elected to the House of Representatives and was made speaker.
As speaker he helped to bring on the War of 1812.
INTRODUCTION: JOHN C. CALHOUN.
Calhoun was born in the same year as Webster, 1782. He was born in
South Carolina. His parents were Scotch-Irish. He learned more from
the woods than he did from books and filled his memory before people
could fill it. At the age of eighteen he began to prepare for college
with the aid of his brother-in-law, a Presbyterian minister. Two years
later he entered Yale College, studied hard and soon graduated with
much honor. He studied law for three years, a year and a half in his
own state and a year and a half in Connecticut. He began to practice
law in South Carolina. He did not have much success. Perhaps the law
was too dry for him or perhaps because he was soon to be elected to
Congress.
In 1811 he was married and elected to Congress.
Henry Clay (Speaker) immediately put Calhoun on an important
committee.
The next act will be John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay
speaking of the war of 1812.
CLAY (speaker): Members of Congress and fellow citizens: England has
been at war with France for a number of years. France under Napoleon
has secured a large part of Europe. England has tried in various ways
to injure France by proclaiming that no ships of any nation shall
trade with France.
Napoleon retorted, issuing a decree that no ships shall trade with
Europe and these laws hurt American commerce. Shall we stand this or
demand our rights?
Gentlemen, I say we must fight. On to Canada!
MEMBER OF HOUSE: I think we should be very careful about going to war
with Great Britain. She has a thousand war vessels, while the United
States has only ten or twelve first-class vessels.
MEMBER OF CONGRESS: England's troops are numerous, well drilled and
have had much experience. Our troops are few and poorly disciplined
and unused to war. I think, all matters in dispute could be arranged
without fighting.
MEMBER OF CONGRESS: We would make a great mistake to fight England
and France at the same time.
WEBSTER: The British in taking our men have made it a practice to stop
American merchant ships and seize the best sailors. They claim these
men are British citizens and could be rightfully seized. Whenever they
see a fine looking seaman, they say: "You are an Englishman, we will
take you!" We must fight with the navy. If the war must be continued
go to the ocean. There the united wishes and exertions of the nation
will go with you. Even our party divisions end at the water's edge.
MR. CALHOUN: We have tried in various ways to induce England and
France to change these laws. These are not the only grievances we
have. England has a large navy. She needs many sailors. When our
ships were in her parts, she has seized our men and forced them on
her ships. Is this right? Must we stand such treatment? No! So we
call forth the patriotism and resources of our country to help us.
_End of Act II._