Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-04-07
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1881.
Mr. WEBSTER'S SPEECH.
1t The Public Di,aasr gioea to him in -NeA0 York

Having been Afterwards, TOT elSht years, See-
ye,arv Of State. and as long President, Mr..
Madison has had an experience IN the aiairs OF
the Constitution, second to no man. More thah
any other man living, and perhaps more than
any other who has lived, his whole public lille has
Neon incorporated, as it we're, into the Constiu-
t,on: in the original conception and project oil at
,.motina 10 form il, in its actual framing. IN
expiaining and recommending it, by speaking
and writing. i'm assisting at the first organization
or the Government under it, and in long adj
min,sfration of IFS executive powers, In those
yar;ons ways he has lived near the Constitution,
and with the power of imbbng ITS true SPIRIT,
and iphaing its very breath, from Its flrst pusa-
too of life. Again, therefore, | ask, it he can
not tell us what the Constitution Is, and what 1t
means. who can: lie had retired with the respect
and reqard Of the community, and might natural
Iv no s1nDosed not willing to interfere again IN
matters of political concern. He has, neVerthe.
less. not withholden his opinions on the vital
unestiou discussed on that OCCASION, which has
caused this meeting. lie has stated with an ac-
curacv almost peculiar to himself, and so stated
a, in nv opinion, to place almost beyond iur-
Their controversy. the true doctrines of the Con-
,titu,ion He has stated, not notions too loose
and irregular to be called even thcol y-not
ideas struck out by the feeling OF present lncon-
yenience or supposed MISUNDERSTANDING sug.
ues.iors of expetliepcv. or evasions OF fair and
straight forward construction elemental
rv nrincinles, clear and sound distinctions,
and INDISPENSABLE truths. am sure, Gen.
1lemep. that speak your sentiments as we'll las
INV own. when say. that for making public so
cIsarlv and distinctly as he has done, his own
on;nions on these vital questions of Constitution
Il law. MIR. Madison has founded new and
strnnp claim ON the gratitude of Il grateful conn
try. You will think with me, that at his adran-
ced are, and in the enjoyment OF general respect
and abprobation, for long career OF public SER
vices. It was an act of distinguished PATRIOTISM
when he saw notions promuga gated and maintained,
winch he deemed unspnnd and dangerous, not to
hesitate TO come forward, and to place the weight
This own opinion into what he deemed the right
sale. co,ae what, come might. l am sure, gentle
,,a, il cannot be doubted the manifestation is
cIear,-that the country feels gratefully the force
Of this new obligation.
Gentlemen. what have said of the benefits
Of the Constitution to your city. might be SAID
with little change, IN every other part OF the coun
try. Its benefits are not exclusive. What has
il left undone, which any government could do,
for the whole country? In what condition has
!, nlaced Us? Where do we now stand! Are
we elevated or degraded BY its operation? What
=
moment when some talk of arresting its power
and breaking its unitvs Do we not feel ourselves
On an emnence? Do we not challenge the respect
or tho whole world? What has placed US thus
birhP What has given us this just pride! What
nlse ;s IT, hut the unrestrained and free operation
of that same Federal Constitution. which II has
been proposed now to hamper, and manacle, ana
nnlGfy? Who is there among US that should ind
himself or any spot of the earth, where human
heirqs exist, and where the existence OF other
nations is known, that would not be proud to say
am an American? am acountryman OF wash
ing,on? am a citizen of that Republic, which,
although il has suddenly sprung up, yet there are
none on the globe who have ears TO hear anu
have not heard Of it-whO have eyes to see ana
have not read of it-who know any thing. and
vet do not know of its existence and ITS s'ory!-
And. Gentlemen. let me now reverse the picture
Let me ask who there is among US, 1t he were to
he found tomorrow in one of the civilized coun-
tr;es of Europe. and were there to learn that this
roodlv form OF Government had been overthrown
that the United States were no longer united
that ,eath blow had been struck upon their
hand of Union-that they themselves had destroy
e,l their chief GOOD and their chief honor,-whO
;s there. whose heart would not sink within
him. Who is there who would not cover his
face for very shame:
AT this very moment, gentlemen, our country
;sa general refuge for the distressed and the per-
scented of other nations. Whoever is in affection
from polit,cal occurrences in his own country,
iooIs here for shelter. Whether he be Republi-
can. flying from the oppression OF ,hrone 81:
,shctber he be monarch or monarchist, flying
f.nu, thrones that crumbe and fall under or
.ronnd him.-he feels equal assurance, that it he
Get foot hold on our soil, his person. is safe, and
his rights will be respected.
And who will venture to say, that in any TO
vernment now existing in the world, there Is
Greater security for persons or property than IN
sbs United States? We have tried these poPu,,
lar institutions in times Of great excitement anu
eommotion; they have stood suos'anta..y n nn
and steady, while the fountains OF the great Po'
I;t;cal deem have been elsewhere broken up
while thrones, resting on ages of prescription
have tottered and fallen; and while in other coun
tries. the earthquake Of unrestraned popular