Daniel Webster was a Senator from Massachusetts and twice Secretary of State just prior to the Civil War. Webster was known for his nationalistic views, his effectiveness as a speaker, and his leadership role within the Second Party System. Webster is also a Dartmouth alumnus, often considered "Dartmouth's Favorite Son." During his time as a constitutional lawyer, Webster argued for the trustees of Dartmouth College against William H. Woodward, the state-approved secretary of the new board of trustees, before the United States Supreme Court. The landmark court case of Dartmouth College v. Woodward upheld the Contract Clause and limited the power of the State to interfere with private charters, a precursor to the free American enterprise system.

This striking mezzotint was created from a famous painting by Chester Harding, which now hangs in the Boston Anthenaeum. Harding began his career painting portraits, and traveled throughout the United States to paint. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Design and even made a name for himself in London prior to settling down in Boston. Harding painted numerous portraits of prominent men and women during the mid-nineteenth century, including James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams. Engraved by J. Andrews & H. W. Smith and printed by E. H. Ball.

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Condition: B

A few minor abrasions and marginal soiling. There are some tears in the blank margins that have been closed on verso with archival tape, one of which enters 1.5" into the image at left.