Webster. With this income he could relieve the
family from debt, make his father’s last years
comfortable, and smooth Ezekiel’s path to the
bar. When, however, he announced his good luck
to Mr. Gore, and his intention of immediately going
home to accept the position, that gentleman, to Mr.
Webster’s great surprise, strongly urged a contrary
course. He pointed out the possible reduction
of the salary, the fact that the office depended on
the favor of the judges, and, above all, that it led
to nothing, and destroyed the chances of any really
great career. This wise mentor said: “Go
on and finish your studies. You are poor enough,
but there are greater evils than poverty; live on
no man’s favor; what bread you do eat, let it
be the bread of independence; pursue your profession,
make yourself useful to your friends and a little
formidable to your enemies, and you have nothing to
fear.” Mr. Webster, always susceptible to
outside influences, saw the wisdom of this advice,
and accepted it. It would have been well if he
had never swerved even by a hair’s breadth from
the high and sound principles which it inculcated.
He acted then without delay. Going at once to
Salisbury, he broke the news of his unlooked-for determination
to his father, who was utterly amazed. Pride
in his son’s high spirit mingled somewhat with
disappointment at the prospect of continued hardships;
but the brave old man accepted the decision with the
Puritan stoicism which was so marked a trait in his
character, and the matter ended there.
Returning to Boston, Mr. Webster was admitted to the
bar in March, 1805. Mr. Gore moved his admission,
and, in the customary speech, prophesied his student’s
future eminence with a sure knowledge of the latent
powers which had dictated his own advice in the matter
of the clerkship. Soon after this, Mr. Webster
returned to New Hampshire and opened his office in
the little town of Boscawen, in order that he might
be near his father. Here he devoted himself assiduously
to business and study for more than two years, working
at his profession, and occasionally writing articles
for the “Boston Anthology.” During
this time he made his first appearance in court, his
father being on the bench. He gathered together
a practice worth five or six hundred a year, a very
creditable sum for a young country practitioner, and
won a reputation which made him known in the State.
In April, 1806, after a noble, toiling, unselfish
life of sixty-seven years, Ebenezer Webster died.
Daniel assumed his father’s debts, waited until
Ezekiel was admitted to the bar, and then, transferring
his business to his brother, moved, in the autumn
of 1807, to Portsmouth. This was the principal
town of the State, and offered, therefore, the larger
field which he felt he needed to give his talents
sufficient scope. Thus the first period in his
life closed, and he started out on the extended and
distinguished career which lay before him. These
early years had been years of hardship, but they were