Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-06-16

as oblige one OF your readers. WIN
respect, sc.
On the arrival of the Hon. JOHN C..
CALHOUN, the Vice President of the
United States, in Abbeville, the place
of his nativity, his feAow-citizens,
prompted by desire to offer him some
testimony of their appreciation of his
public services, as well as OF their per-
sonal regard, invited him to partake
of public Dinner on the 9th of May,
at Abbeville Court House, prepared
for the occasion, by Captain Thomas
Tatem. PATRICK NOBLE, Esq. acted
as President, and Colonel ALEXANDER
BowIE assisted as Vice President. A
large number Of gentlemen sat down
to table, and the day was spent in har-
mony and rational hilarity. In the e.
vening Ball succeeded, given in no.
nor of this distinguished citizen, at
tended by numerous assemblage OF
ladies and gentlemen.
After the dinner was over and the
cloth was removed, the following toasts
were drank:
1. The Constitution the United States: Uni
form experience continues to display its wis
dom and efficacy.
2. The United !Staies: Their rapid advance
in virtue, knowledge and liberty, furnishes the
best comment on free principles
8. The PresiIentof the United States.
1 To-, I,,L.,o. 1'h. ,,,,r;ty Of bis charnr-
ter and principles, acquires new mstre from
the attacks Of his enemies.
| s. Tunes Monroe: His able and faithful adj
ministration is the monument of his fame.
6 Otr DISTINGUISHED Guest, the Fice P,esi-
have been exerted to promote the happiness
and prosperity of the whole Union.
AS soon as this toast was drank, MIR.
CALHOUN rose from his seat and adj
dressed the company as follows:
"Gentlenen: would lily deserve your
favor were | not sensibly affected by
your kind reception After SO long an
absence, and after having passed
through so many trying scenes, to re-
turn to the friends Of my youth, to
whose carly confidence, owe my first
advancement in public life, * to be thus
received, is indeed truly gratifying, and
will be held in grateful remembrance
SO long as l may live. Nor will it ter
inmate in mere emotion of gratitude,
but will animate and impel me with re-
doubled zeal to act on those principles
and views, by adhering to which here
tofore, have been SO fortunate, as to Sc
cnre your appreciation, and that of so
large a portion of our fellow-citizens.
Surrounded as ! am by my early acqain-
tances, it will not, trust, be consider
ed indicate to advert for a moment to
the principles, which have invariably
governed me in public life. From the
commencement ofmy public course to
this day, l have, under all circumstan-
ces, been directed by one great leading
principle, an entire confidence in the
virtue and intelligence Of the American
people. / believe them to be not only
capable of self government, but Of wise
self government; and thus believing,
never for a moment doubted that the
appreciation ofmy fellow citizens would
invariably follow an honest and enlight-
ened discharge of duty, if fairly and
fully explained. To understand then
the true interest of the country, and to
pursue it steadily under every difficult
ty, I resolved from the first, should be
my constant guide in my passage
through public life. had not been
long in the councils of the nation, be-
fore the firmness of my resolution was
put TO a severe test. You all remem-
Der the condition of our country in 1911
and 1912, during what is called the war
session. A war at that time apparent
ly interminable was waged between the
two great powers Of Europe, England
and France, in the progress of which,
long series of injuries had been in
hicted on our neutral rights. These
at length became insufferable. Every
attempt was made, by measures short
Of war, to redress our wrongs. They al,
failed. So far from arresting the course
OF belligerent aggression, our nea-
trail rights continued to be steadily en-
croached on in spite ofembargoes and
the whole system Of restrictive mea-
sures. We were at length, Cat the pc
Rod to which l refer) reduced to the
condition of humbly submitting, or of
making an open and bold appeal to
arms. There were not wanting in Con-
gress, many (and some Of them distin-
guished by high reputation for talents)
who preferred submission with all its
humiliation. Those members denied
not our country's wrongs. They were
in fact butloo manifest; but they doubt
ed, whether the people would bear the
burthens and privations of war. They
readily conceded that the people would
sustain their government in peace,
when but little efforts were necessary
to sustain it, but would by no means
concede to them that elevated intelli-