[1189] Wirt to Carr, Feb. 1, 1824, Kennedy, ii, 164.
[1190] Ib.
[1191] "Reminiscence," that betrayer of history, is responsible for the fanciful story, hitherto accepted, that Webster was speaking on the tariff in the House when he was suddenly notified that Gibbons vs. Ogden would be called for argument the next morning; and that, swiftly concluding his great tariff argument, he went home, took medicine, slept until ten o'clock that night, then rose, and in a strenuous effort worked until 9 A.M. on his argument in the steamboat case; and that this was all the preparation he had for that glorious address. (Ticknor's reminiscences of Webster, as quoted by Curtis, i, 216-17.)
On its face, Webster's argument shows that this could not have been true. The fact was that Webster had had charge of the case in the Supreme Court for three years; and that, since the argument was twice before expected, he had twice before prepared for it.
The legend about his being stopped in his tariff speech is utterly without foundation. The debate on that subject did not even begin in the House until February 11, 1824 (Annals, 18th Cong. 1st Sess. 1470), three days after the argument of Gibbons vs. Ogden was concluded; and Webster did not make his famous speech on the Tariff Bill of 1824 until April 1-2, one month after the steamboat case had been decided. (Ib. 2026-68.)
Moreover, as has been stated in the text, the debate on the survey of roads and canals was on in the House when the argument in Gibbons vs. Ogden was heard; had been in progress for three weeks previously and continued for some time afterward; and in this debate Webster did not participate. Indeed, the record shows that for more than a week before the steamboat argument Webster took almost no part in the House proceedings. (Ib. 1214-1318.)
[1192] 9 Wheaton, 3.
[1193] 9 Wheaton, 4-5.
[1194] Ib. 6-9.
[1195] Ib. 9.