Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-12-24
IFrrm tho New York-Amsrlcsn
GREAT NATIONAL RE- 4lCAN MEEy-


A, a very large and respectable meeting OF the
hatnnal Republican Citizens nf Now York. conven-
Cd al the MasJ<;c Hall, in ,hc cty of New York. on
the evening of Monday. December 18th. I830-JoHN
7. LAWRENCE, ESQ. was called 20 he Chair rs Pres
ic"nt; and PETER SuARpK. and Is M,SARn. Esqrs,
appointed Vice Presidents ELLIS PoTrEn,
a>d JosEru HoxIe. E-Irs., we're appointed Secreta-
ties The call ofthc Meeting was thereupon read
in he words as follows, viz:
"Pu5iic yHceting.-The citizens Of Nav York,
friendly to the election OF HESRr CLAY a. President
ofthe United States, are requested 10 meet at Ma
sonic Hall, on Monday evening next. at O'clock to
take such measures as they may deem expedient to
effect that object"
DAvfb B. OeDEN Esq. then arose amidst the cheers
Of the meeting. and commenced his observations by
re,narkng that he had frequently been asked. SINCE
the meeting had been called. why was done g." soon
after the election? Was 1t wise to keep the public
mind in a perpetual state of excitement Would 1t
not have been better for the friends of Mr.. Clay 20
have waited until he approach of another election
before they noni a,ed him to the people as cahdl-
date for the first ofice in their gi' To thes. cnq"l
ries the answer wHs obvious. The public mind was
no tranquil than after the great excitement of
contested election; the storm has passed by, and We
now repoae in the calm that follows the Tempest
II is on this very that the friends of Mr. Clay
have deemed the present the most proper period in
which address themselves TO the sober sense OF the
people The great subject of their general welfare
!, is because they do not propose to appeal to snch
"a become excited only through the medium OF thor
passions that they have decnlod tho present occasion
the propitious and appropriate Tor inviting the
consideration Of their fellow citizens to the great sub
jects Of national concern. 1t Is noln when common
sense Ia ROT driven from her seat-when artificial
element produced by sklllful management may be
presumed to have undergone suspension OF It's pow
err tina. the friends of the Industrious individual nllu
tled TO denned il fitting and proper to come forth
md appea for support TO all those who are friendly to
the e urse of measures that he is so well known 70
advocate.
iion to be one of greater importance than any that
has taken place for long time IN our COUNTRY On
il may depend the continuance of the constitution.
1t is long time since have taken part in the pub
lie concerns. J have been. for series of years
prescribed mon, and because | would not yield to
the dicia. of party-bccause would no. GO to
T'ammany Hall. aid bow down to the golden calf,
and worship it. | have been considered and treated
as n stranger in tde i,rnd Of my JNhers. have
fused and dsdaned to sacrifice my principles for po
liicai advancemsn,-I love the constitution of my
country and all the offices earth shall not induce
me to abandon it. Ead been Influenced by other
considera ions. in1pedmens were in the way of
NV march. The path was open before me. 1t vas
easily found It veil beaten have seen hun
dreds travel it who formerly warm Fedora
lists ms ever was. I had nothing to do but to
march boldly to Tammany Hall, openly enlist under
the banner of the Regency, renouuc> my principles
ienonnce nv former friends and associates, and
should have been mirac uioueIy transformed ssinto
an original democrat. dyed in the wsol." By beip 2
faithlees former principles and former lends,
should have proved myself worthy to be entrusted
BIZ
But have adhered those principles Of public
policy which in nv conscience believed to be right,
and now deem il matter Of no ordinary fecitatian
address fellow cittzcus Upon subjects of deep
interest to their welfare.
Gpe history Of this republic Is deeply ntereseing
to the friends Of liberty throughout the world, and
full Of instruction to Americans themselves, Oar
revsluticn pecuiar in its nature and the cir
carnstance that attended it. II did net originate from
nuy actual state Of suffering in the colonies. Our
fathers did pledge their lives their fortunes and
their sacred honor for the relief of positive suffering
6,,f ufirin tod wac adh fol
principle, not the infection ofgrievance that inpel
ed them to 1t IVES because the British Para-
ucnt claimed to tax them without their consent, that
they appealed to force for The vndicatien Of their
rights They SAW, and they rightly, that if they
resise ed all they must resist at the outset Phey
perceived that in proportion they yielded, the en-
cm;es of their rights would advance and that at each
successive advance it would become more aud more
difficult TO repr They therefore took aa early
stand They dared rnuch--they suffered much
they nobly fought and they nobly prevailed
Al ter their triumohs had been completed and the
enemy had rcceded from shores, it found that
for want Of an efficient government, without which
no people can be happy no liberty secure, the revo-
luton in danger of being curse instead of
blessing 10 us; the States had been kept togefhey
Ia war by OF common danger and common
suering there great reason TO fear that their
Ioca conflicting interests would array them against
each other. 20 preserve the Union, and to guard
npninst the impending evils OF the times the consti-
tnion was formed Under it the Union has been
preserved the liberties OF the country secured. the
national ait redeemed, the Maternal honor maDt am
cd and our cnuatry has hibited Of pri
vate and public prosperity unexampled in the annals
ufthe world.
From this brief review of our political history, let
Americans learn these two important truths:
I. That a people dete rmined to live free, can
never be vanqushed; and
2. That to preserve liberty and independence,
our union is essential and the preservation of the
constitution is essential to preserve the union.
This constitution, my fellow citizens, il is our
solemn duty to preserve unrarnshed and unbroken.
But i, never can he preserved unless maintain
invinlao the freedom of the press and The purity of
elections BY the freedom ofthe prese, do not mean
that restricted sense Of the term which permits
cry man TO publish what he thinks proper, holding
hin, amenabe to the laws for what he does publish
but that great constitutional freedom OF the press,
which leaves it free from the corruption in1ence
the povernment--which leaves it. il ever ought
to be- free and willing to oppose the approaches of
arbitrary power and corruption, whenever they may
take mace and TO be the continual supporter of the