Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-11-09

Boston.
Mr. Chairman amt Gentlemen =. accept, Will
grateful respect, the present which is your plea
sure to make. | value il. II hears an expression
OF your regard for those political principles Which
have cndcavorcd to maintain aud though the ma
'erml were less costly or the workmanship les,
elegant, any durable evidence of your appreciation
could not but give me high satisfaction.
his appreciation is the more gratifying as il is
not bestowed for services connected with local
questions, or local interests or which are supposed
Ia have been peculiarly beneficial To Yourselves
but for efforts which had the interests OF the whole
country for their object, aud which were useful, if
useful at all, To all who live under the blessings
OF the Constitution ard Government of the nted
States.
II rs twelve or thirteen Years, gentlemen, since
was honorcd with a seat in Congress by the choice
OF the citizens OF Boston. They SAW fit TO repeat
that choice more than once and embrace, with
pleasure this opportunity of expressing To them my
sincere and profound sense of obligation for those
manifestations of confidence. At later period
the Legislature of this State saw fit to transfer me
to another place; and have again renewed that
trust, under circumstances which have felt TO i'm
pose on me new obligations of duty, and an in
creased devotion to the political welfare of the
county. These twelve or thirteen years. gentle
men, have been wears Of labor, and not without
sacrifices but both have been more than COM
pcnsatcd by the kindness, the good will, nnd the
favorable inlcI probation with Which my discharge
OF official duties has been received. In this chane-
ing world, we can hardly say that we possess VIVA,
is present, and the future is all unknown But the
past Is ours. Its acquisitions, and It's enjoy n.enis,
are salt" And among these acquisitions, among
the treasures OF the past most 10 be cherished and
preserved, shall reckon the proofs of esteem
/ :, nd which | hay iran the cit
liens Of Boston and the Legislature of Massachu-
sets.
In one respect, gentlemen, Your present OPP
presses me. 1t ovcrcomcs me, by its tone OF conf
mcndation. 1t assigns me character, OF which
feel am not worthy. The Defender of the
Constitutions" is title quite too high for me- lie
who shall prove himself the ablcst, among tin,
able men Of the country, he who shall sciv, il
longest, among those who may serve il long he
on whose labors all the stars of benenant FORUM,
shall shed their sclcccst influence will have praise
enough, and reward enough, if, AT the end of his
political and earthly career, thonchthat carecrmay
have been as bright, as the track OF the across
the sky, the marble under which he sleeps, and
that much better record the grateful breasts Of his
living countrymcn, shall pronounce him =" til. De-
fender Of the CONSTITUTIONS" 1t Is enough for me,
gentlemen, to be connected, in the most humble
manner, with the defence and maintenance of this
great wonder of modern times, and til, certain
wonder Of all future times. 1t IS enough for To
stand in the ranks. and only TO be counted as
OF its defenders.
The Constitution of the United States am
confident, will protect the name and the memory,
both of It's founders and It's friends, even of lis
humblcst friends 1t will impair, TO both some
thing of It's own cvcr-mcmorablc and enduring dis
tinction Il had almost said something of its
everlasting remembrance. Centuries hence, when
the vicssitudcs OF human affairs shall have broken
II, II ever they shall break it, into fragments, these
very fragments, every shattered column, every dis
placed foundation stone shall Vel be sure to bring
them all into rccollc con and TO attracto them the
respect and gratitude Of mankind.
Gentlemen, IT Is to pay respect TO this Constl-
tuition, 1t IS to manifest your attachment to II, Your
sense of its value, and your devotion to lis truro
principles, that you have sought this occasion. 1t
IS not to pay an o>tcntatiou> personal compliment
If it were, it would be unworthy, both OF you and
me. 1t is not to manifest attachment TO indisdu-
ais, independent OF all considerations OF pIinci-
pies if it were, should feel it my duty 10 tell
you, friends as you are, that You were dong that
which, at this very moment, constitutes one of the
most threatening dangers to the Constitution itself.
\ our gift would have no value. In my eyes, this
occasion would be regarded by me as an idle pa
geant, il did not know that they both but
modes, chosen by you, to signify Your attachment
to the true principles Of the Constitution, your
fixed purpose, far in YOU lies, to maintain
those principles, and your resolution TO support
public mon, and stand by them, long, and no
longer, than TREY shall support and stand by the
Constitution OF the Country. The Constitution
of the Country ~
Gentlemen often as am called to contemplate
this subject, its importance always rises, and mag
niies itself, more and more, before | cannot
view ITS preservation as concern of narrow eX-
tent, temporary duration. On the contrary,
see in it vast interest, which is to run down with
the generations of men, and to spread over great
portion OF the earth with direct, and over the resi-
with an Indirect, but most powerful influence.
W hen | speak of it here, in this thick crowd of
fellow citizens and friends yctbehold, lhronging
about me, much larger and more imposing crowd
| see a united rush Of the present and the future
| scc all the patriotic of our own land, and our own
time see also the many millions Of their pos
tcrtv, and sec, toe, the lovers OF human liberty
from every part OF the earth, from beneath the OPP
preston of thrones, and hlciarchies, and dynas,ics
from amidst the darkness Of ignorance, degrade
ton, and dcspotism, into which any ray OF polti-
cal light has penetrated | see all those countless
multitudes gather about us, and hear their unit
ed and earnest voices, conIuring ns, in whose
charge the treasure now is, to hold on and hold on
TO the last by that which is own highest enjoy
mcnt, and their best hope.
Filled with these sentiments, gentlemen, and
having, through my political life, hitherto, always
acted under the deepest conviction OF their truth and