Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-11-27
MIR. BUCHANAN's SPEECH.

AT the PUBIC uiuncT StNcu
p,ia OH the 21st.
The 9th toast having been offered, which was
received with the greatest enthusiasm, Mr.. bu
oBAsAN arose, and made the following reply, viz
Mr.. President and Feilow Citizens:
When accepted your kind invitation to par
take of public dinner, | stated the only reason
which could, under existing circumstances, have
brought me to this conclusion. Ii was solely
because | felt strong desire to increase the
number of nav friends and acquaintance in Phi
ladelphia Hitherto, have been personally al
most a stranger il the metropolis OF my native
state. have long entertained an ardent wish t.
change this relation; but business Of public and
priyate character has heretofore deprived me oil
the necessary leisure.
The place Of my cherished residence is but a
short distance from your city. Even that dis
lance will be almost removed upon the compile
ton of the rail road. desire to make personal
friends in Philadelphia. wish hereafter 10 feel
myself more at home when visit your city.
do not expect, and may add 10 not desire,
for the present, TO 90 again into public Lille.
trust, however, / shall still feel the inclination.
in private station, Of being useful to my state
and to my country. II | can in any degree be
instrumental in drawing closer the cords OF friend
shin between the state and its metropolis, shall
feel that have performed good work. Mu'
tually supporting and supported, they ought to
be proud Of their mutual dependence, and be
deeply sensible that what promotes the prOsperl.
~ of the one can never fail to be beneficial to
the other. =.
Nis for this reason that have availed myself
of the common hospitality Of our country to-
wards their ministers returning from foreign
mission. I am sensible this honor has been con
ferred on the public functiona1y, not on the prl'
vale man; but trust that ere we separate this
evening, l may acquire portion OF your per-
sonal regard. The cordial welcome which you
have given me, aud the enthusiasm With which
the toast In allusion to myself has just been re-
ceved, afford me an assurance that shall no
| longer be stranger amongst YOU. They have
made an impression on my heart which shall ne.
yer be effaced.
1t is not my intention to advert to all the to.
mics to which that toast refers. In it feel you
have done me much more than justice. There
is one of them, however, on which shall indulE re
myself i'm few remarks. refer to the humble
agency | had in the passage Of the Bill Tor the
relief of the Insolvent Debtors OF the United
States.
The President. with that enlightened humani
~ which is the dictate of a clear head and an
honest heart, recommended their relief. Our
merchants, under the impulse OF that enterpris-
ING spirit which liberty never fails to excite, had
pushed our commerce into every sea. 1t was
they who have chiefly paid into the public Trea-
sury the millions which have discharged the debt
of the revolution and Of the late war. In the
vicissitudes Of trade to which they were exposed
BY the peculiar condition of the world, many of
them, without the least imputation OF fraud, had
contracted debts to the government which they
were wholly unable to pay. Ii was in vain that
their private creditors, convinced OF their spot
less Integrity and their utter inability to meet
their engagements, were willing to release them
from responsibility. II was in vain that they had
surrendered up all their property to their gov
eminent and to their private creditors Sui the
weight of their debts due to the United States
like a mountain, crushed them to the earth.-
They were unable to engage again in business,
and their enterprise was thus rendered useless to
themselves and TO their country From my po
siton in the House. it became my duty to take
charge Of this subject did labor in their
righteous cause with all my heart; and success
has finally crowned the efforts of their friends.
| have been for ten years in Congress, and gene
rally took an, active part in the business Of the
House; but of all public acts in which have
ever been engaged, look back with the most
HEARTFELT pleasure to the agency which had in
assisting to pass this law. feel that in my last
hour i, will be qualification to me. This mea
sure has restored many Of our useful citizens to
their country. and many husbands and fathers to
their suffering families. But enough Of this.
never desired to leave my country upon a
foreign mission never should have done so,
for an indefinite period. Life is too short to
waste its best years in foreign land. The Pur.
pose for which was sent abroad has been &C.
but it would be highly improper Tor
ne to disclose, whether | had any meritorious
'gency in bringing TO successful conclusion
legotiaton which had been so long in agitation.
rejoice that am once more on the soil of my
country. and am confident shall never feel an
Inclination again to quit ITS happy shores.
Almost every American who has visited Eu-
ope has felt his attachment for his own country
nd its institutions to increase. 1t is almost i'm
ossible that it should be otherwise, with any
ian who goes abroad under the influence of pro.
er feelings. The contrast is indeed striking.
'urs is the only country on earth where man
,els that he is equal to has fellow man. From
lie lowest obscurity, he may rise to the highest
~