In the heat of contemporary strife his enemies set it down as a mere bid to secure Southern support for the presidency, but this is a harsh and narrow view.
The longing for the presidency weakened Mr.Webster as a public man from the time when it first took possession of him after the reply to Hayne.

It undoubtedly had a weakening effect upon him in the winter of 1850, and had some influence upon the speech of the 7th of March.

But it is unjust to say that it did more.

It certainly was far removed from being a controlling motive.

His friends, on the other hand, declare that he was governed solely by the highest and most disinterested patriotism, by the truest wisdom.
This explanation, like that of his foes, fails by going too far and being too simple.