Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 13.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[352] to an account! Doubtless it must be because those who leave this world depart to return no more, otherwise Massachusetts would have heard thy voice of reproach, rebuking her acceptance of this outrage upon the reputation of one of her most distinguished sons, as an offering to herself to be used for her benefit, although it might be done at his expense. Had he been allowed to mete out such punishment to the perverters and their tools, for their offences against him, as he might think they deserved, doubtless he would have required Webster and Story to read alternately to each other the rebuking comments of ‘The Republic of Republics,’ page by page and time after time, until they become sick to a surfeit of the precise character and nature of their misdeeds. How Daniel Webster would have writhed under such a damnable iteration, those who knew Daniel Webster may declare. There would have been no more perversions to be feared from him in the great charters of history. But, as far as we know, the great wrong to Noah Webster is still unpunished and unatoned. Even poetical justice, if invoked, is still sleeping unawakened and idle throughout all Massachusetts, notwithstanding the wrongs which call so loudly for vengeance. But, peace to their shades! Requiescani in pace, Daniel and Noah. Daniel doubtless has repented, if he ever had anything to do with the wrong to Noah, and by this time Noah has been convicted of so many sinful efforts to foist the new England lingo upon a confiding public, instead of the old English tongue, that he can have no heart to avenge private griefs, even if it were in his own power to do so. This is the account of the mode in which the American government was perverted, the American people deluded and the Southern section of the Union defrauded and cheated of their rights under the Constitution. Those who sinned, instead of exhibiting signs of repentance for this ill-treatment of their confederates, to whom they were solemnly pledged to have acted better, according to Lunt in his history of the late war, are claiming merit for having failed to hang those whom they charge with treason; but who are proved by this author to have committed none. And yet, says this true-hearted and noble-minded writer, ‘Supposing the States to have been guilty, were they not punished enough? Multitudes of their children were slain, and their whole people long mourned in bitter anguish. They were reduced to unmitigated ruin and wretchedness, and, worse than all, they lost completely their freedom of will, and were degraded and humiliated as were never States before, and now, or a very short time ago, have less freedom and protection than had Southern slaves; and, monstrous ’