History Plays for the Grammar Grades Part 10

ACT II.

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 s.h.i.+ps of any nation shall trade with France.

Napoleon retorted, issuing a decree that no s.h.i.+ps 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-cla.s.s 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps were in her parts, she has seized our men and forced them on her s.h.i.+ps. 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._

ACT III

INTRODUCTION:

From 1819 to 1821, Congress was debating over the Missouri Compromise.

The north opposed and the south favored. The excitement spread to the state Legislature and to the people. Many meetings were held.

Finally Henry Clay succeeded in getting Congress to pa.s.s the Missouri Compromise. This act admitted Missouri as a slave state.

Hayne had spoken against a protective tariff and for nullification and Daniel Webster felt called upon to reply so he made a great speech.

His speech was considered by good judges the best ever delivered in Congress. He was probably the greatest orator of his time.

South Carolina refused to pay the tariff in 1832 and nullified the law of Congress. President Jackson hurried the army and navy to make her pay.

John Calhoun was for nullification. He said to save the South from the North, a state had a right to nullify a law of Congress.

The third act will be Henry Clay, Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun, speaking on the right of nullification.

SPEAKER CLAY: Gentlemen, we have been debating on the right of a state to nullify. We must think of this matter in a calm manner. It is one of the most serious times of our country. Our Union is in danger. We have heard Mr. Hayne speak on Nullification; also Mr. Calhoun.

MEMBER OF CONGRESS: Congress has no right to force another state to pay a tariff and we declare a state has a right to nullify.

MEMBER OF CONGRESS: President Jackson says the Federal Union must and shall be preserved. He has warned the people of South Carolina that any attempt at resistance will be put down with a high hand. We of the North feel that this must be done in order to save the Union.

MEMBER OF CONGRESS: Tariff is helpful to the North but not to the South. There is always a difference between the North and South and we of the South feel that nullification is right to save us from the North.

CALHOUN: Mr. Clay.

CLAY: Mr. Calhoun.

CALHOUN: The Southern people using slave labor will raise more tobacco and cotton than they need so the tariff is hurtful to them. The Northern people using free labor will manufacture all kinds of things and the tariff is helpful to them. The Southern people are for agriculture. The Northern people for manufacturing. The Southern are for slavery and the Northern are for free labor. To protect the South from the North the state has the right to nullify a law of Congress.

The state has the right because the state is above the nation. The states made the const.i.tution.

I believe that nullification is a means of saving the Union from secession.

HAYNES: That is the way I feel, Gentlemen. Nullification is right.

MR. WEBSTER: Mr. Clay.

MR. CLAY: Mr. Webster.

MR. WEBSTER: We must not let South Carolina refuse to obey the laws of the Union. For if she does she leaves the Union. If South Carolina leaves the Union other states will also leave. Gentlemen of Congress: Nullification is another name for secession. When my eyes shall be turned to behold for the last time the sun in heaven, may I not see him s.h.i.+ning on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious nation. But may I see our flag without a single stripe erased or polluted, not a single star obscured but everywhere spread all over in characters of living light, that sentiment dear to every American heart, Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable.

MR. CLAY: Gentlemen: I offer a compromise hoping it will please both the North and South. I propose that the tariff be gradually reduced till 1842 when all duties shall be 20% on the value of the articles imported. I think, gentlemen this will be a solution of the question.

We will debate on it at the next meeting.