Daniel Webster's July 17th address: A mediating influence in the 1850 compromise

Daniel Webster's campaign to achieve compromise in 1850 began on March seventh, when he delivered his first and most acclaimed speech. This essay focuses on his last speech in his Senate efforts, given on July seventeenth. While the March seventh speech created an atmosphere of compromise among Northerners, it had negligible impact in the Senate. The July address was designed to correct this situation. It was more pragmatic, more concerned with the legislative process, more directed at the immediate audience, and much more solicitous of Southern support than the March seventh speech.