Mr.Hayne had touched on every conceivable subject of political importance, including slavery, which, however covered up, was really at the bottom of every Southern movement, and was certain sooner or later to come to the surface.
All these various topics Mr.Webster took up, one after another, displaying a most remarkable strength of grasp and ease of treatment.

He dealt with them all effectively and yet in just proportion.

Throughout there are bursts of eloquence skilfully mingled with statement and argument, so that the listeners were never wearied by a strained and continuous rhetorical display; and yet, while the attention was closely held by the even flow of lucid reasoning, the emotions and passions were from time to time deeply aroused and strongly excited.

In many passages of direct retort Mr.Webster used an irony which he employed always in a perfectly characteristic way.
He had a strong natural sense of humor, but he never made fun or descended to trivial efforts to excite laughter against his opponent.

He was not a witty man or a maker of epigrams.