The Reading Room

The Best of the OLL No. 38: Daniel Webster, “Speech on the Draft” (1814)

This is part of “The Best of the Online Library of Liberty” which is a collection of some of the most important material in the OLL. A thematic list with links to HTML versions of the texts is available [here](/pages/best-of-the-oll). Daniel Webster gave a speech in the House of Representatives in which he opposed the introduction of conscription during the War of 1812 against Britain as a violation of the Constitution and the act of a failing government.