Everett

EDWARD EVERETT

Edward Everett born on 11 April 1794, at Dorchester, Mass. to Rev. Oliver

Everett, clergyman and judge, and Lucy Hill - fourth of eight children, with

four siblings surviving. Entered Havard College in 1808, aged 12, and

graduated in 1811, with highest honours even though youngest in class -

particularly gifted in classical studies. Then studied divinity, and

received M.A. in early 1814, showing already notable power as an orator -

led to him becoming on 9 February 1814 (so not yet 20) minister of the

prestigious Brattle Street Unitarian Church, and so pastor of the largest

and most fashionable congregation in Boston (including Emerson).

This promising career as minister then cut short a year later, when EE

offered the recently established chair of Greek literature at Harvard. Four

days after induction into professorship, EE sent off on full salary on

European tour to enter into what was to be four-yr preparation for his new

duties. Studied for a Ph.D. at Univ. of Gottingen, which he received in 1817

(becoming first American ever to receive a Ph.D. as no university in U.S.

offered the degree). Spent next 2 yrs travelling around Europe, he returned

to U.S. in 1819, having learned 7 languages and much on European culture,

and took up post at Harvard. During next few years, he became editor of the

'North American Review' (1820-24) - expanded circulation, raised American

sympathies for Greek independence (had met Bryon in London, see below) -

while establishing himself as a powerful lecturer on German literature and

scholarship, with intellectuals travelling from miles around to hear him

speak. In 1822 he married Charlotte Gray Brooks, daughter of Peter C.

Brooks, a leading Boston businessman (who loved EE as son and settled on him

allowance of $2,000 p.a. for rest of life, making him effectively

financially independent), with whom he had six children.

EE's numerous famous acquaintances: When a young preacher (1814-15), he

quickly gained reputation for his oratory, and Brattle Street Church was

frequently visited by Ralph Waldo Emerson specifically to hear hear him

preach. Had genius for seeking out and charming prominent people, even as

young man - e.g Europe 1815-19: when on way to Gottingen in June 1815 he

spent some time in England, visting at length with Byron, Sir Walter Scott

and others; at Gottingen became friendly with all his lecturers, including

Blumenbach; during eight-week German tour during 1816 he met Goethe; during

return trip to London sought out Wilhelm von Humboldt, William Wilberforce,

and others.

By 1824, EE gaining big reputation as orator: had intuitive dramatic sense,

grace of language, music of voice, and great personal magnetism, as well as

displaying great and careful learning in his orations. In 1824, EE delivered

his brilliant Phi Beta Kappa oration at Harvard on "The Circumstances

Favorable to the Progress of Literature in America" - Lafayette present at

speech, and EE - by this time also a great American patriot - directed his

closing words to the aging hero, which were delivered with such passion that

brought the house down. Lecture was reviewed and lauded in newspapers across

the eastern states and gave impetus to his much-wanted career in national

politics.

Prodigious memory: At school, c. 1808, learned Locke's Essay on Human

Understanding' practically by heart. Later, when preacher (1814-15),

lecturer and politician (1820s & 30s), and as a touring orator (1850s & 60s)

memory was to prove huge asset - he had only to write speech, then read it

through again making amendments, to know entire thing and be able to recite

it (and his speeches generally v. long and elaborate) with no notes. Each

oration prepared with great care, patient assembling of information, and

careful selection of figures of speech, anecdotes and appropriate citations

from classical literature - judged by today's (and some contemporary)

standards, his orations were too ornate and filiopietistic, with too little

substance - but were intentionally exaltations of the republic, patriotism,

liberty, and education, while generally avoiding the issues of the day.

1824 Lafayette oration had in fact immediate result of bringing him the

nomination, made by a convention of independent voters, for respresentative

to the Middlesex District, and he was duly elected to the House of

Representatives in November 1824. During his five terms in Congress

(1825-35), EE represented the dominant conservatism of his state, becoming a

spokesman for New England financial and manufacturing interests - was

reluctant to antagonize southern slaveholders (because of importance of

textile industry to New England), supported protectionism and the Bank of

the United States. In 1835, EE then elected governor of Massachusetts, and

was reelected for the next four years - main achievement during these four

years was the creation of a state board of education and a system of normal

schools (by supporting work of educational reformer Horace Mann), including

founding of the Lexington Normal School (first teacher's college in the

U.S., 1839), and the grant of a million dollars by the state to aid the

construction of a railroad to the Hudson River (Boston & Albany RR).

In 1839, EE defeated by Democrat Marcus Morton, and during period of rest

and travel that followed, he was instead appointed U.S. Minister to the

Court of St. James's, where he remained from Nov 1841 until August 1845. EE

extremely well-suited to post: had unusual scholarship and gift as orator,

which made him v. appealing to British, and great personal charm also - made

many friends in England, and socialized in highest eschelons etc. Principal

event of Anglo-American diplomacy during these years was the

Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842), which resolved - among other issues - the

northeastern boundary between Maine and New Brunswick. Other issues were

trickier, including differences between 2 countries over suppression of the

slave-trade on the coast of Africa - this became worse when new President

John Tyler appointed anti-British, pro-slavery John C. Calhoun as Secretary

of State, and in late 1845 he was about to be replaced when situation saved

by offer of presidency of Harvard College - took up post in Feb 1846.

President of Harvard, 1846-49: During his tenure the Lawrence Scientific

School was founded, and he passed statute allowing black applicants to take

Harvard entrance exam, though none was actually admitted. However, EE found

job almost entirely onerous, as had great trouble with un disciplined

students. Given the ponderous load of detailed and menial duties, presidency

was not really designed as position of leadership - Everett buried in

details of keeping records, dealing with discipline, etc, with approx 3 hrs

per day taken up with students judged guilty by the faculty of infractions

or indecorum. He complained: "Nominally the head of a great literary

institution, I find myself in reality the justice of a police court, without

any time I can call my own to read, write, or think." Was time of excessive

rules - whispering during chapel services or leading the services in a rush

were deemed offences, and Everett apparently entered as president convinced

that previously there had been too much laxity, but was sensitive man who

thought he would try to improve situation by kindly and reasonable appeals.

However, just meant students had a field day with him: in early days, they

placed a bale of hay outside his office and set fire to it; set fire to the

college chapel; six students expelled by July 1846; in March 1847 he was

burned in effigy, and few days later a fire was started in the entry hall to

his office. Although violence and disruption calmed down in his second yr,

all this was v. bad start - was extremely unhappy at Harvard (particularly

in comparison to legation in London), where he felt his job consisted simply

of combination of public humiliation and menial tasks. Resigned in 1849.

Following year, EE became involved in politics again when his good friend

Secretary of State Webster asked him to draft a letter defending the action

of President Zachary Taylor in sending a special agent to report on the

revolution in Hungary - addressed to Hulsemman (became known as the

"Hulsemann Letter"), the Austrian charge d'affaires in Washington: letter

highly patriotic, defending right of the U.S. to extend sympathy to another

nation struggling to achieve popular government, and again made him popular

figure with the public. On back of this, with death of Webster, President

Millard Fillmore appointed EE Secretary of State for the last 4 months of

Fillmore's term: during this period (December 1852-March 1853) he

participated in preparations for Commodore Matthew Perry's commercial treaty

with Japan (signed 1854), and delivered noted speech against proposal of

France and England that U.S. should unite with them on tripartite convention

guaranteeing to Spain the possession of Cuba - again, v. patriotic and

winning him public support.

Although losing his post in March 1853, EE was almost immediately elected to

the Senate for a six-year term by the Massachusetts legislature. Political

career now at its height, but within 15 months it had abruptly ended:

struggle over slavery question had broken out violently again over the

Kansas-Nebraska Bill - this part of controversial political doctrine of

popular sovereignty, by which people of federal territories could decide for

themselves whether would enter the Union as free or slaves states -

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) gave these states popular sovereignty and

repealed the prohibition of slavery north of a certain latitude. Although EE

was anti-slavery and he was opposed to bill, he left 2 hours before final

vote was taken (5am - was taken ill at 3 am), and his mainly abolitionist

constituents were outraged. Became so unpopular that he was forced to resign

• at root, was EE's reluctance to do anything that might threaten the Union:

foresaw how dangerous slavery question was, and fought always for

compromise, but this at time when conflict was becoming inevitable. Said

later in his famous Gettysburg address: "A sad foreboding of what would

ensue, if war should break out between North and South, has haunted me

through life, and led me, perhaps too long, to tread in the path of hopeless

compromise, in the fond endeavor to conciliate those who were predetermined

not to be conciliated."

Mount Vernon, 1854-59: For rest of 1850s, EE devoted his time to oratory -

was in fact most famous in his lifetime as an orator, thousands coming to

hear him speak: was known for breadth of his learning, strong mellow voice,

splendour of diction, and ability to hold attention - before each oration he

memorized the v. carefully prepared manuscript and practiced the gestures

that would enhance his delivery. Became known nationally for his "The

Character of Washington" speech, and became deeply involved in campaign to

purchase and restore Washington's decaying house at Mount Vernon, plus his

tomb, as national monument. Everett dedicated all funds from lectures to

Mount Vernon Association (founded Ann Pamela Cunningham), and travelled

thousands of miles by train through the South and West - by close of 1859

had given the "Washington" address 136 times and eventually raised approx

$90,000 for the project - $10,000 of which came from wrote weekly articles

he wrote for the 'New York Ledger'. By this work EE effectively saved Mount

Vernon, which is now major U.S. monument.

In 1860 EE attempted to return to politics again as vice-presidential

candidate of the Constitutional Union party (remnant of the old-line Whigs -

most Whigs having transferred allegiance to new Republican party), but was

not surprised when party lost the election. However, with firing on Fort

Sumner, EE ceased to be a moderate, and he immediately took up nationalist

Union cause wholeheartedly for the war effort. Result was that he spent most

of his time as a travelling speaker again, even though by now 67 yrs old,

and addressed large audiences across the North, exhorting them to support

righteous war effort etc. Of these speeches (23 in all, many often repeated)

most famous is the oration delivered at the dedication of the national

cemetery at Gettsyburg on 19 November 1863. Although after his two-hour

delivery, he was effectively upstaged by Abraham Lincoln's brief closing

remarks, EE's prestige and reputation was totally regained by his unstinting

war effort during these years, popular recognition of his war service

reaching its height at end of the presidential campaign of 1864 in which,

though in failing health, he had urged the reelection of Lincoln and the

vigorous prosecution of the war - at Faneuil Hall, Boston on election day he

was greeted with tumultuous applause by huge crowd, and was "quite

overcome". EE delivered his last speech at Faneuil Hall on 9 Jan 1865 - plea

for the relief of hungry civilians in occupied Savannah, but fell ill on

return home and died few days later, on 15 January 1865. His 'Orations and

Speeches on Various Occasions' was published in 4 volumes, 1853-68.