Litchfield enquirer., 1838-08-09
MR. WEBsTER'S SPEECH,
AT rANuEIL HALL, BOSTON.


 President of the day, rose, and m inc naiI'e of the assembly thanked their Guest, MT: Webster, for his untiring and ever watchiu' care of the Constitution and the great me- rests of the whole people, and for his strenu, ous and powerful efforts to defend that sacreG charter against partiZan encroachmehtS anu violence. The thanks he offered were sn- dorsed by three times three cheers ana MT Everett proposed the following toast' wnlcn was received with long continued ahd en'hu" siastic applause:
 {" Dania WebstOr-the Statesman and the Man: his services are engraven alike on the pillars of the Constitution and the hearts ot the people. He is worthy of that place in the Councils of the nation, which he fills in the affections of his countrymen."
 Mir. Webster then rose, amidst repeated cheeings and the most deafening acclama- tions, and addressed the meeting as follows |:
 Gentlemen :-l shall be happy, indeed, if the state of my health and the condition of my voice shall enable me to express, in few words, my deep and heartfelt gratitude for this expression of your appreciation. Ii public life has its cares and its trials, 1t has, occasionally, its cancellations also. Among these one of the greatest and the chief, IS the appreciation of those whom we have honest ly endeavored to serve. This cup of conso- lation you have now administered,- -tull- crowded-abundantly overflowing.
 It is my desire at this time in few affec' tionate and spontaneous words, to render you the thanks of grateful heart. When i lately received your invitation in New York, nothing was further from my thoughts or expressions than that should meet such an assembly as now behold in Boston.
 But I was willing. to believe that It was not meant merely as a compliment, which it was expected would be declined, but that it was in truth your desire, at the close of the labors of a long session of Congress, that should meet you in this place, that we might mingle our mutual congratulations, and that we might enjoy together one happy social hour.
 The president of this assembly spoke of the late session as having been not only long, but arduous, and in some respects 1t does de- serve to be SO regarded. may indeed say, that in an experience of twenty years of pub- lie life, have never yet encountered labors or anxieties such as this session brought with it.
 We have been, with one short intermis- sion, continuously in session for nearly ten months from the commencement of the call ed session in September, to the close of the regular session the present month. During this unusually long period, the public ser- vice did not allow us to revisit our honaes.- On our part 1t has been rather struggle for prevention, than for the attainment of any positive benefit. ah.
 We had to do hard work in contending, in minority, against a majority-a majori- ty not indeed, as events have proved, rella- ble on or for all crises and for every case, but such majority as is relied on for the usu- al emergencies and purposes of legislation:
 For myself, and for those with whom have had the honor to act, our object has been to maintain opposition against new the, ories and schemes, at least until time should be allowed to have them submitted to the people for their own consideration. In what inavo dene, Ihave only acted with others. was but one in common band of associ- ates. was associated, especially, with the excellent and estimable MT. Davis, my col league in the Senate, and with a mass of dis tinguished gentlemen who represented in the other House the several districts of this conn monwealth. We acted together, as men holding, in almost all cases, common opin- ions, and acted for @ common end.
 In nothing do claim any praise for my good intent and for honest effort, which does not belong equally and alike to them all. No more of your appreciation is due to myself than to others, more distinguished, who pur- sued the same course. We all fought in common cause. and acted, rejoice to say, in spirit of the greatest harmony among ourselves. ..
 This is not an occasion in which it is fit or practicable to discuss, very minutely, and at length, questions which have been chiefly agitated during this long and laborious ses- sion of Congress. Yet, so important is the great and general question, which, for the last twelve or fifteen months has been pre- scented to the consideration of the legislature, that deem it proper on this, and all occa- sions, to state, at the risk of some repetition perhaps, what is the nature of that important question, and briefly to advert to some of the circumstances in which it had its origin.
 Whatever subordinate questions may have been raised touching the Sub-treasury, or a Constitutional Treasury, or Treasury in one, or in another, or in yet third form- take the question, the plain, the practical question to be this, viz: whether it be among the powers and the duties of Congress to take any farther care of the National Cur rency than to regulate the coinage of Gold and Silver!
 This is the question. From that all sub. ordinate questions. however they may have been multiplied or varied, have grown How, indeed, that should have become a question at this day, might be wonder for the wise: Tor It IS truth capaDle Of proof from the records of this Government for forty years-from the very first day that the Con. stitution drew breath as practical form for the administration of Government, it has uni formly been received and admitted as one of the duties of the Government to take care of the National Currency.
 In Washington's time, and in that of his successors, especially in the times of MT. Madison, when the peculiar circumstances of the country brought that subject into new importance, it was held to be the exclusive, or, at least, the paramount and unprecedented duty of Congress to regulate the action of the currency, whether of paper or specie, and that principle has been acted upon by every