Daniel Webster gave this speech in honor of George Washington on the centennial of the first US presidentâs birth. In it, he praises Washingtonâs attributes and recounts his service to America. He states that Washington is a man âwhose name is intimately blended with whatever belongs most essentially to the prosperity, the liberty, and the renown of our country.â In recounting the life and work of Washington, however, Websterâs speech also serves as a reflection on the past 100 years in American history and the birth of a great nation.