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Four Great Americans: Washington, Franklin, Webster, Lincoln. A Book for Young Americans by James Baldwin, THE STORY OF DANIEL WEBSTER. XV.—THE LAST YEARS.

THE STORY OF DANIEL WEBSTER. XV.—THE LAST YEARS.

Many people believed that Daniel Webster would finally be elected president of the United States. And, indeed, there was no man in all this country who was better fitted for that high position than he.

But it so happened that inferior men, who were willing to stoop to the tricks of politics, always stepped in before him.

In the meanwhile the question of slavery was becoming, every day, more and more important. It was the one subject which claimed everybody's attention. Should slavery be allowed in the territories?

There was great excitement all over the country. There were many hot debates in Congress. It seemed as though the Union would be destroyed.

At last, the wiser and cooler-headed leaders in Congress said, "Let each side give up a little to the other. Let us have a compromise." On the 7th of March, 1850, Mr. Webster delivered a speech before the senate. It was a speech in favor of compromise, in favor of conciliation.

He thought that this was the only way to preserve the Union. And he was willing to sacrifice everything for the Constitution and the Union.

He declared that all the ends he aimed at were for his country's good. "I speak to-day for the preservation of the Union," he said. "Hear me for my cause! I speak to-day out of a solicitous and anxious heart, for the restoration to the country of that quiet and harmony, which make the blessings of this Union so rich and so dear to us all." He then went on to defend the law known as the Fugitive Slave Law. He declared that this law was in accordance with the Constitution, and hence it should be enforced according to its true meaning.

The speech was a great disappointment to his friends. They said that he had deserted them; that he had gone over to their enemies; that he was no longer a champion of freedom, but of slavery.

Those who had been his warmest supporters, now turned against him.

A few months after this, President Taylor died. The vice-president, Millard Fillmore, then became president. Mr. Fillmore was in sympathy with Daniel Webster, and soon gave him a seat in his cabinet as secretary of state.

This was the second time that Mr. Webster had been called to fill this high and honorable position. But, under President Fillmore, he did no very great or important thing.

He was still the leading man in the Whig party; and he hoped, in 1852, to be nominated for the presidency. But in this he was again disappointed.

He was now an old man. He had had great successes in life; but he felt that he had failed at the end of the race. His health was giving way. He went home to Marshfield for the quiet and rest which he so much needed.

In May, that same year, he was thrown from his carriage and severely hurt. From this hurt he never recovered. He offered to resign his seat in the cabinet, but Mr. Fillmore would not listen to this.

In September he became very feeble, and his friends knew that the end was near. On the 24th of October, 1852, he died. He was nearly seventy-one years old.

In every part of the land his death was sincerely mourned. Both friends and enemies felt that a great man had fallen. They felt that this country had lost its leading statesman, its noblest patriot, its worthiest citizen.

Rufus Choate, who had succeeded him as the foremost lawyer in New England, delivered a great oration upon his life and character. He said:

"Look in how manly a sort, in how high a moral tone, Mr. Webster uniformly dealt with the mind of his country. "Where do you find him flattering his countrymen, indirectly or directly, for a vote? On what did he ever place himself but good counsels and useful service?

"Who ever heard that voice cheering the people on to rapacity, to injustice, to a vain and guilty glory? "How anxiously, rather, did he prefer to teach, that by all possible acquired sobriety of mind, by asking reverently of the past, by obedience to the law, by habits of patient labor, by the cultivation of the mind, by the fear and worship of God, we educate ourselves for the future that is revealing."

THE STORY OF DANIEL WEBSTER. XV.—THE LAST YEARS. LA HISTORIA DE DANIEL WEBSTER. XV.-LOS ÚLTIMOS AÑOS. L'HISTOIRE DE DANIEL WEBSTER XV - LES DERNIÈRES ANNÉES. DANIEL WEBSTER'IN HİKAYESİ. XV.-SON YILLAR. 丹尼尔·韦伯斯特的故事。 XV.——最后几年。

Many people believed that Daniel Webster would finally be elected president of the United States. Pek çok kişi Daniel Webster'ın sonunda Birleşik Devletler Başkanı seçileceğine inanıyordu. Багато хто вірив, що Деніел Вебстер нарешті буде обраний президентом Сполучених Штатів. 许多人相信丹尼尔·韦伯斯特最终会当选美国总统。 And, indeed, there was no man in all this country who was better fitted for that high position than he. Ve gerçekten de bu ülkede bu yüksek mevki için ondan daha uygun bir adam yoktu. І справді, у всій цій країні не було людини, яка б краще за нього відповідала на цю високу посаду.

But it so happened that inferior men, who were willing to stoop to the tricks of politics, always stepped in before him. Ancak, siyasetin hilelerine tenezzül etmeye istekli olan aşağılık adamlar her zaman ondan önce adım attı. Але так сталося, що перед ним завжди виступали нижчі люди, які були готові піддатися хитрощам політики. 但偏偏总是有那些愿意屈尊于政治诡计的下等人在他面前站出来。

In the meanwhile the question of slavery was becoming, every day, more and more important. Bu arada kölelik sorunu her geçen gün daha da önemli hale geliyordu. Тим часом питання рабства з кожним днем ставало дедалі важливішим. 与此同时，奴隶制问题日益变得越来越重要。 It was the one subject which claimed everybody's attention. Bu, herkesin dikkatini çeken tek konuydu. Це була єдина тема, яка привернула загальну увагу. 这是一个引起所有人关注的主题。 Should slavery be allowed in the territories? Bölgelerde köleliğe izin verilmeli mi? Чи слід дозволити рабство на територіях? 领土上是否应该允许奴隶制？

There was great excitement all over the country. Tüm ülkede büyük bir heyecan vardı. По всій країні був великий ажіотаж. There were many hot debates in Congress. Kongre'de pek çok hararetli tartışma yaşandı. У Конгресі було багато гарячих дебатів. It seemed as though the Union would be destroyed. Здавалося, що Союз буде зруйновано.

At last, the wiser and cooler-headed leaders in Congress said, "Let each side give up a little to the other. Sonunda, Kongre'deki daha akıllı ve soğukkanlı liderler, "Her iki taraf da diğerine biraz ödün versin. Нарешті мудріші та холоднокровні лідери Конгресу сказали: «Нехай кожна сторона трохи поступиться іншій. 最后，国会中更明智、更冷静的领导人说：“让双方都向对方做出一点让步。 Let us have a compromise." Bir uzlaşmaya varalım." Давайте знайдемо компроміс». On the 7th of March, 1850, Mr. Webster delivered a speech before the senate. 7 Mart 1850'de Bay Webster senato önünde bir konuşma yaptı. 7 березня 1850 р. містер Вебстер виступив із промовою перед сенатом. It was a speech in favor of compromise, in favor of conciliation. Bu, uzlaşma ve uzlaştırma lehine bir konuşmaydı. Це була промова за компроміс, за примирення. 这是一次支持妥协、支持和解的演讲。

He thought that this was the only way to preserve the Union. Birliği korumanın tek yolunun bu olduğunu düşünüyordu. Він вважав, що тільки так можна зберегти Союз. And he was willing to sacrifice everything for the Constitution and the Union. Anayasa ve Birlik için her şeyini feda etmeye hazırdı. І він готовий був пожертвувати всім заради Конституції та Союзу.

He declared that all the ends he aimed at were for his country's good. Hedeflediği tüm amaçların ülkesinin iyiliği için olduğunu ilan etti. Він заявив, що всі цілі, які він переслідує, спрямовані на благо країни. 他宣称他的所有目标都是为了他的国家的利益。 "I speak to-day for the preservation of the Union," he said. "Bugün Birliğin korunması için konuşuyorum," dedi. «Сьогодні я виступаю за збереження Союзу», — сказав він. "Hear me for my cause! «Вислухайте мене за мою справу! I speak to-day out of a solicitous and anxious heart, for the restoration to the country of that quiet and harmony, which make the blessings of this Union so rich and so dear to us all." Bugün burada, bu Birliğin nimetlerini hepimiz için çok zengin ve çok değerli kılan sükunet ve uyumun ülkeye yeniden kazandırılması için endişeli ve kaygılı bir yürekle konuşuyorum." Я говорю сьогодні з турботою і тривогою про відновлення в країні тієї тиші та гармонії, які роблять благословення цього Союзу такими багатими та такими дорогими для всіх нас». 我今天怀着关切和焦虑的心情发表讲话，希望国家恢复平静与和谐，这使这个联邦的祝福对我们所有人来说如此丰富和珍贵。” He then went on to defend the law known as the Fugitive Slave Law. Daha sonra Kaçak Köle Yasası olarak bilinen yasayı savunmaya devam etti. Потім він захищав закон, відомий як Закон про втікачів. 然后他继续捍卫被称为“逃亡奴隶法”的法律。 He declared that this law was in accordance with the Constitution, and hence it should be enforced according to its true meaning. Bu yasanın Anayasa'ya uygun olduğunu ve dolayısıyla gerçek anlamına göre uygulanması gerektiğini beyan etti. Він заявив, що цей закон відповідає Конституції, а отже, його слід виконувати відповідно до його справжнього значення. 他宣称，这项法律符合宪法，因此应该按照其真正含义执行。

The speech was a great disappointment to his friends. Konuşma arkadaşları için büyük bir hayal kırıklığı oldu. Промова стала великим розчаруванням для його друзів. They said that he had deserted them; that he had gone over to their enemies; that he was no longer a champion of freedom, but of slavery. Kendilerini terk ettiğini, düşmanlarının tarafına geçtiğini, artık özgürlüğün değil köleliğin savunucusu olduğunu söylediler. Вони сказали, що він покинув їх; що він перейшов до їхніх ворогів; що він більше не борець за свободу, а за рабство. 他们说他抛弃了他们；他已经投奔了他们的敌人；他不再是自由的捍卫者，而是奴隶制的捍卫者。

Those who had been his warmest supporters, now turned against him. En sıcak destekçileri olanlar şimdi ona karşı cephe aldılar. Ті, хто були його гарячими прихильниками, тепер обернулися проти нього. 那些曾经是他最热情的支持者，现在却转而反对他。

A few months after this, President Taylor died. Bu olaydan birkaç ay sonra Başkan Taylor öldü. The vice-president, Millard Fillmore, then became president. Başkan yardımcısı Millard Fillmore daha sonra başkan oldu. 副总统米勒德·菲尔莫尔随后成为总统。 Mr. Fillmore was in sympathy with Daniel Webster, and soon gave him a seat in his cabinet as secretary of state. Bay Fillmore, Daniel Webster'a sempati duyuyordu ve kısa süre sonra ona kabinesinde Dışişleri Bakanı olarak yer verdi. Пан Філлмор симпатизував Деніелу Вебстеру і незабаром дав йому місце у своєму кабінеті як держсекретар.

This was the second time that Mr. Webster had been called to fill this high and honorable position. Bu, Bay Webster'ın bu yüksek ve onurlu pozisyonu doldurmak üzere ikinci kez çağrılmasıydı. Це був другий раз, коли містера Вебстера покликали зайняти цю високу та почесну посаду. 这是韦伯斯特先生第二次被任命担任这一崇高而光荣的职位。 But, under President Fillmore, he did no very great or important thing. Ancak Başkan Fillmore döneminde çok büyük ya da önemli bir şey yapmadı. Але за президента Філмора він не зробив нічого великого чи важливого.

He was still the leading man in the Whig party; and he hoped, in 1852, to be nominated for the presidency. Hala Whig partisinin önde gelen adamıydı ve 1852'de başkanlığa aday gösterilmeyi umuyordu. Він все ще був керівною людиною в партії вігів; і він сподівався, що в 1852 році його висунуть на пост президента. 他仍然是辉格党的领袖。 1852 年，他希望被提名为总统。 But in this he was again disappointed. Ancak bu konuda da hayal kırıklığına uğradı. Але в цьому він знову розчарувався.

He was now an old man. O artık yaşlı bir adamdı. Тепер він був старим. He had had great successes in life; but he felt that he had failed at the end of the race. Hayatta büyük başarılar elde etmişti; ancak yarışın sonunda başarısız olduğunu hissediyordu. Він мав великі успіхи в житті; але він відчув, що зазнав невдачі в кінці гонки. 他一生取得了巨大的成功；但他觉得自己在比赛结束时失败了。 His health was giving way. Sağlığı kötüye gidiyordu. Його здоров'я піддавалося. He went home to Marshfield for the quiet and rest which he so much needed. Çok ihtiyaç duyduğu sessizlik ve dinlenme için Marshfield'daki evine gitti.

In May, that same year, he was thrown from his carriage and severely hurt. Aynı yılın Mayıs ayında arabasından fırladı ve ağır yaralandı. У травні того ж року його викинуло з вагона й було важко поранено. 同年五月，他被从马车上摔下来，受了重伤。 From this hurt he never recovered. Bu acıdan sonra asla iyileşemedi. Від цього болю він так і не оговтався. He offered to resign his seat in the cabinet, but Mr. Fillmore would not listen to this. Kabinedeki görevinden istifa etmeyi teklif etti ama Bay Fillmore bunu dinlemedi. Він запропонував залишити своє місце в кабінеті, але містер Філлмор не хотів цього слухати. 他提出辞去内阁席位，但菲尔莫尔先生不听。

In September he became very feeble, and his friends knew that the end was near. Eylül ayında çok güçsüzleşti ve arkadaşları sonunun yaklaştığını anladılar. У вересні він дуже ослаб, і його друзі знали, що кінець близький. On the 24th of October, 1852, he died. 24 Ekim 1852'de öldü. He was nearly seventy-one years old. Neredeyse yetmiş bir yaşındaydı. Йому був майже сімдесят один рік.

In every part of the land his death was sincerely mourned. Ülkenin her yerinde ölümünün yası içtenlikle tutuldu. У всіх куточках землі його смерть щиро оплакували. 全国各地都对他的逝世表示诚挚的哀悼。 Both friends and enemies felt that a great man had fallen. І друзі, і вороги відчули, що велика людина впала. They felt that this country had lost its leading statesman, its noblest patriot, its worthiest citizen. Bu ülkenin önde gelen devlet adamını, en asil vatanseverini ve en değerli vatandaşını kaybettiğini düşünüyorlardı. Вони відчували, що ця країна втратила свого провідного державного діяча, свого найблагороднішого патріота, свого найдостойнішого громадянина.

Rufus Choate, who had succeeded him as the foremost lawyer in New England, delivered a great oration upon his life and character. Руфус Чот, який змінив його на посаді видатного юриста в Новій Англії, виголосив чудову промову про його життя та характер. 接替他成为新英格兰最杰出律师的鲁弗斯·乔特发表了关于他的生活和性格的精彩演讲。 He said:

"Look in how manly a sort, in how high a moral tone, Mr. Webster uniformly dealt with the mind of his country. "Bay Webster'ın ülkesinin zihniyle ne kadar erkekçe, ne kadar yüksek bir ahlaki tonda ilgilendiğine bir bakın. «Погляньте, як по-чоловічому, з яким високим моральним тоном містер Вебстер одноманітно поводився з розумом своєї країни. “看看韦伯斯特先生以多么有男子气概、多么高尚的道德语气，一致地对待他的国家的思想。 "Where do you find him flattering his countrymen, indirectly or directly, for a vote? "Bir oy için dolaylı ya da doğrudan vatandaşlarına iltifat ettiğini nerede gördünüz? «Де ви знайдете, щоб він підлещував своїх співвітчизників, опосередковано чи прямо, щоб проголосувати? “你在哪里发现他为了投票而间接或直接地奉承他的同胞？ On what did he ever place himself but good counsels and useful service? Kendisini iyi öğütler ve yararlı hizmetlerden başka neye adadı? На що він колись спирався, як не на добрі поради та корисне служіння? 除了良好的建议和有用的服务之外，他还把自己放在什么位置呢？

"Who ever heard that voice cheering the people on to rapacity, to injustice, to a vain and guilty glory? "İnsanları açgözlülüğe, adaletsizliğe, boş ve suçlu bir zafere teşvik eden o sesi kim duydu? «Хто коли-небудь чув цей голос, який підбадьорював людей до ненажерливості, до несправедливості, до марної та винної слави? “谁曾听过那个为人民的贪婪、不公正、虚荣和罪恶的荣耀欢呼的声音？ "How anxiously, rather, did he prefer to teach, that by all possible acquired sobriety of mind, by asking reverently of the past, by obedience to the law, by habits of patient labor, by the cultivation of the mind, by the fear and worship of God, we educate ourselves for the future that is revealing." "Bunun yerine, mümkün olan her türlü zihin ağırbaşlılığıyla, geçmişi saygıyla sorgulayarak, yasaya itaat ederek, sabırlı çalışma alışkanlıklarıyla, zihni geliştirerek, Tanrı korkusu ve tapınmasıyla, kendimizi açığa çıkan gelecek için eğittiğimizi öğretmeyi ne kadar da endişeyle tercih etti." «Наскільки занепокоєно, радше, він віддав перевагу навчанню, що завдяки всій можливості набутій тверезості розуму, трепетним ставленням до минулого, слухняністю закону, звичками терплячої праці, вдосконаленням розуму, страхом і поклоніння Богу, ми виховуємо себе для майбутнього, яке відкриває». “相反，他更愿意教导人们，通过一切可能的方式获得心灵的清醒，通过虔诚地询问过去，通过遵守法律，通过耐心劳动的习惯，通过思想的培养，通过恐惧并敬拜上帝，我们为未来的启示而教育自己。”