Daniel Webster (1782-1852)

He was a statesman who fought to preserve the Union and is remembered as one of America's most influential politicians and one of its greatest orators, earning him the sobriquet, the "Great Orator". Born in New Hampshire, he graduated from Dartmouth College and became a lawyer before entering politics as a Federalist congressman from New Hampshire in 1813. He gained national prominence through his exceptional oratory skills, earning the nickname "Godlike Daniel" for his powerful speeches. He served multiple terms in both the House of Representatives and Senate, representing first New Hampshire and later Massachusetts. As a leading Whig politician, Webster championed a strong federal government, protective tariffs, and national banking.

His most famous moments came during Senate debates, particularly his 1830 reply to Robert Hayne defending federal authority with the memorable phrase "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!" He also engaged in celebrated debates with John C. Calhoun over states' rights and nullification. He was Secretary of State under three Presidents: William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and Millard Fillmore. In this role, he negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842) with Britain, settling boundary disputes between the U.S. and Canada. Though he sought the presidency multiple times, Webster never achieved that goal. His support for the Compromise of 1850, including the Fugitive Slave Act, damaged his reputation among anti-slavery advocates. He died in 1852, remembered as one of the greatest American orators and constitutional lawyers of his era.