"
The next great speech was made by Daniel Webster. Twenty years had
come and gone since he made his first great speech for Union. Now
thousands turned to him, begging him to reconcile the North and
South. And on the day he made his speech, the Senate Chamber was
packed from floor to ceiling.
"I speak today," he said, "not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a
Northern man, but as an American, having no locality but America.
I speak today for the preservation of the Union. Hear me for my
cause."
But to the men burning with zeal against slavery his speech seemed
lukewarm. "The law of Nature," he said, "settles forever that slavery
cannot exist in California." It was a useless taunt and reproach to
the slave holders to forbid slavery where slavery could not exist.
He blamed the North for having fallen short in its duty to the
South, and declared that the South had just cause for complaint.
Many applauded this speech, but to others it was like a blow in
the face.
"Webster," cried one, "is a fallen star! Lucifer descending from
heaven!"
A third great speech was made four days later by William H. Seward.
He spoke whole-heartedly for union.
"Slavery must vanish from the Union," he said, "but it would
vanish peacefully." He brushed aside as impossible the thought that
any state should break away from the Union. "I shall vote for the
admission of California directly," he said, "without conditions,
without qualifications, and without compromise.
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