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Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

 

Dates

  • Existence: 1782 - 1852

Biography

Daniel Webster was born on January 18, 1872 in Salisbury, New Hampshire. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1801, after which he began the study of law under Thomas W. Thompson and Christopher Gore. In 1805, he opens a law practice in Boscawen, New Hampshire where he stayed there until 1807. As a result of his opposition to the War of 1812, Webster is elected to the New Hampshire House of Representative in 1813 where he served until 1817. In 1816, he moves to Boston and is elected to the Massachusetts House of Representative (1823-1827) and the Senate (1827-1841 and 1845-1850). As a senator, he was a spokesman for American nationalism with powerful oratory that made him a key Whig leader. He spoke for conservatives and led the opposition to Democrat Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party, firmly challenging Jackson's policies in the Bank War. From 1841 to 1843 and 1850 to 1852, Webster served as the United States Secretary of State. As a diplomat, he is best known for negotiating the Webster–Ashburton Treaty of 1842 with Great Britain which established the Canada–United States border east of the Rocky Mountains. As a lawyer, Webster was highly regarded in the courtroom, shaping several key US Supreme Court cases that established important constitutional precedents and bolstered the authority of the federal government. One of the cases he argued was the Dartmouth College case in 1819. The case arose when the president of Dartmouth College was deposed by its trustees, leading to the New Hampshire legislature attempting to force the college to become a public institution and thereby place the ability to appoint trustees in the hands of the governor of New Hampshire. The Supreme Court upheld the sanctity of the original charter of the college, which pre-dated the creation of the State. The landmark case is considered one of the most important in United States history as it affirmed that the Constitution's contract clause protected private corporations from government interference. Webster died October 24, 1852.

Found in 2089 Collections and/or Records:

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 000246
Webster Mss 000246
Date(s): undated
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 000247
Webster Mss 000247
Date(s): undated
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842155
Webster Mss 842155
Date(s): 1842-02-05
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842201
Webster Mss 842201
Date(s): 1842-03-01
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842222
Webster Mss 842222
Date(s): 1842-03-22
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842223
Webster Mss 842223
Date(s): 1842-03-23
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842328
Webster Mss 842328
Date(s): 1842-05-28
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842328.1
Webster Mss 842328.1
Date(s): 1842-05-28
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842358
Webster Mss 842358
Date(s): 1842-06-08
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842372
Webster Mss 842372
Date(s): 1842-06-22
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842401
Webster Mss 842401
Date(s): 1842-07-01
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842401.1
Webster Mss 842401.1
Date(s): 1842-07-01
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842403
Webster Mss 842403
Date(s): 1842-07-03
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842251.1
Webster Mss 842251.1
Date(s): 1842-04-01
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842252
Webster Mss 842252
Date(s): 1842-04-02
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842252.1
Webster Mss 842252.1
Date(s): 1842-04-02
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842266
Webster Mss 842266
Date(s): 1842-04-16
Scope and Contents

Three-page letter from Daniel Webster in Washington to Governor Davis in Boston, Massachusetts in which he comments on Gov. Davis' recent Resolves and discusses current legislation concerning Maine and Massachusetts and speaks of a boundary issue.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842276
Webster Mss 842276
Date(s): 1842-04-26
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842290
Webster Mss 842290
Date(s): 1842-04
Abstract

In English.

Daniel Webster letter

 Item 1
Identifier: Mss 842416
Webster Mss 842416
Date(s): 1842-07-16
Abstract

In English.

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