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Dedicated in 1900, this statue commemorates lawyer, orator, and statesman, Daniel Webster (1782-1852). A native of New Hampshire and graduate of Dartmouth College, he represented both his home state and Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1813-17, 1823-27) and the latter in the U.S Senate (1827-41, 1845-50). Webster, along with Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, composed what is often referred to as “the Great Triumvirate” of nineteenth-century American politics. He also served as U.S. secretary of state in three presidential administrations (1841-43, 1850-52), negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842), and brilliantly argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Roughly half a century after Webster’s death, Stilson Hutchins, publisher of 'The Washington Post' and fellow New Hampshirite, commissioned a statue of Webster. Congress authorized its erection in the nation’s capital in 1898 and appropriated $4,000 for its pedestal. Designed by sculptor Gaetano Trentanove, the bronze sculpture depicts Webster standing at ease, wearing a suit and long cape. To his right is a short stand on which sits two books, one of which he holds in his right hand. The statue rests on a tall, Italian rose granite pedestal. On opposite sides of the pedestal are two bronze reliefs, which feature renderings of two of Webster’s most famous speeches.

Daniel Webster Monument in Washington, D.C.

Sky, Plant, Pedestal, Cloud

One of the bronze reliefs affixed to the statue's granite pedestal

Photograph, Black, Sculpture, Temple

The other bronze relief

Horse, Temple, Sculpture, Art

Daniel Webster (1782-1852)

Hair, Face, Chin, Coat

Daniel Webster was born into a large family on January 18, 1782 in the small town of Salisbury, New Hampshire. His father was a farmer, tavern-keeper, and veteran of the Revolutionary War. Webster briefly attended Phillips Exeter Academy before enrolling at Dartmouth College at the age of fifteen. After graduating, he read law in the office of a prominent Boston attorney and gained admission to the bar in 1805. Webster then moved back to his native state, settling in Portsmouth and establishing what would become a thriving legal practice. 

In 1812, Webster embarked on a lengthy career of public service when he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. A member of the Federalist Party, he won reelection in 1814. While representing New Hampshire, Webster fiercely opposed the War of 1812 and flirted with the idea of nullification. In 1816, he declined to run for reelection, instead opting to relocate with his family to Boston. While residing in the city, he established another lucrative legal practice representing the city’s business community. During this time, Webster also brilliantly argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. His notable victories included Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819), McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), all of which helped to strengthen the authority of the federal government and encourage corporate enterprise. 

Webster returned to the political arena in 1822 when he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, this time representing his adopted state of Massachusetts. After two terms in the House, he became one of the state’s two U.S. senators, serving from 1827 until 1841. On Capitol Hill, Webster supported home industry and encouraged commerce by advocating for protective tariffs, internal improvements, and a national bank. In 1841, President William Henry Harrison nominated him to be U.S. secretary of state. After Harrison’s untimely death, Webster remained in the position during the early years of the Tyler administration. During his tenure, he helped to negotiate the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842), which settled long-standing border disputes between the United States and British-controlled Canada. In 1844, Webster won election again to the U.S. Senate. Fearing slavery’s extension into western lands, he spoke out against the annexation of Texas, the war with Mexico, and the acquisition of territory following it. Webster remained in the U.S. Senate until 1850, when he began a second stint as U.S. secretary of state, this time in Millard Fillmore’s administration. He held the position until his death on October 24, 1852 at the age of seventy. 

Roughly half a century later, Stilson Hutchins, founder of The Washington Post and fellow New Hampshirite, commissioned a statue of Webster. Congress authorized its erection in the nation’s capital in 1898 and appropriated $4,000 for its pedestal. Designed by sculptor Gaetano Trentanove and dedicated on January 18, 1900, the bronze sculpture depicts Webster standing at ease, wearing a suit and long cape. To his right is a short stand on which sits two books, one of which he holds in his right hand. The statue rests on a tall, Italian rose granite pedestal. On opposite sides of the pedestal are two bronze reliefs, which feature renderings of two of Webster’s most famous speeches.

Current, Richard N. "Daniel Webster." Encyclopædia Britannica. Web. 7 May 2021 <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Daniel-Webster>.

"Daniel Webster, (sculpture)." Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS). Web. 7 May 2021 <https://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!317634~!0#focus>.

"Daniel Webster Statue." historicsites.dcpreservation.org. DC Preservation League. Web. 7 May 2021 <https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/662>.

History.com Editors. "Daniel Webster." History. A&E Television Networks. 21 August 2018. Web. 7 May 2021 <https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/daniel-webster>.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Webster_Memorial

http://stationstart.com/2010/01/daniel-webster-memorial/

http://stationstart.com/2010/01/daniel-webster-memorial/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Webster