Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-08-09
NV No. 4&.
THE WEBSTER FESTIVAL,
AT BOSTON.
SPEECH OF 3. s. PRENTlSS.

r.pres.stiyc m the ls. Consrsss the United States
We welcome hin' most cordially Jo,ln,l' ~ ,ns man,
he has fought the good fight, he has kept the hh ara
deserves and will receive the admiration nhd gfss'uas
oi his eOunr..
| The toast was received with immense aud
prolonged cheering. waving Of bsnkerchiets
and other expressions Of welcome and pleas
ure The first part Of Mr.. Prentiss' speech
was constantly interrupted by the most vio-
lent bursts OF applause. AT length however
the audience discovered that 1t was their best
way to listen in silence, and Mr.. Prentiss was
permitted TO 60 on with only oeeasiona! sn-
terruptions.
\ lie spoke ns follows -
H Mr.. President und Gentlcmen-Allowm me
10 return 10 you my most sincere and pro-
found thanks Tor the honor you have done To
INC, and 10 the State which have the good
fortune in part TO represent. In Setnrning
these thanks, hardly know in what mode to
express myself Ii has been my LOT 10 ad-
dress bodies OF my fellow citizens, IN various
situations and circumstances, IN the halls oi
| Congress and under the broad canopy ot hes
ven in populous cities and Oh the banks of
the mighty rivers Of the West but never
before have such emotions AS ! now feel
crowded on my soul for never before DID
hear the echo vi NY OWN voice IN old FaDeoa
Hall.
4 AsI look around, rccolleciions Of the old
| on time tlirong OH inc, and ! hardly know
! whether 10 address myself to the DIM and
!, dusky shadows of the past, or To tho more
| Joyous, the real aud palpable Johns which
meet my eye. OLD Funcuil Hall! known
| throughout the Union AS concentrating with
| in It's walls the pure aud subnnted essence
| of rcpublicansnI, and WhlglsIn, regarded oil
over the world as a sort Of political Mecca,
.If f,.l, 40 RI
ious to drink n at the fountain head tho pure
principles Of republican liberty. this Nee
ca ! come as II pilgrim, ANXIOUS and ready to
do honor to one OF the noblest and most dig
tinguished Of It's votaries. Every raitcr aud
niece of timber IN this old Hull seems Tedo-
lent Of patriotism aid liberty and would
recommend Ia those troubled with political
diseases, the blind, the halt, tho sore OF the
, political multitude, to come to tins place,
/ which may, indeed, be looked upon as u sort
| o. Bethesda for political sins, Sand here 20
F., be healed. Let them but p!ange in ut the
happy moment when the angel troubles tho
/ waters, and they assuredly inny come forth
pure and fair as when irst discussed from the
;, hand OF nature.
II came us u pilgrim and stranger, but
being here nin now about TO claim some
what more. beg you TO excuse my sgvtism
not only as friends, but us fellow citizens;
for too, claim to be native Of the Old Bay
State. In former tines when Maine, now
almost match for her foster mother, sought
protection under the wing Of Massachusetts,
aud constituted part OF the old Common
wealth, | drew my breath within her lmf,s
and under her broad and protective juTlsdlc-
ton. But even Oh higher ground, | cla'm
this right of fellowship, this right TO address
;; you as fellow citizens. As "a citizen jointly
! with you, Of tins broad Union, | come up ia
| common with you, to pay attribute to day,
| which we oil owe to him who fights the bat
! ties OF the Constitution far greater
and more important than the most tremcn-
dous contests OF conflicting physical power.
I And though count the distance to my pres
/ cnt home by thousands of long and weary
| miles, yet the motives and feelings which ac-
I tus,e you are faithfully re-echoed from tho
Dosoms OF my fellow citizens and myself
Tho safety and happiness Of my State rest
on the samo broad platform as yours-that
platform pointed out III the sentence Of your
!, illustrious guest, which now depicted before
1, you, forms so appropriate motto Tor tue
present occasion. (.Iere Mr.. Z. pointed to
the sentence from Websters last speech on
the Sub Treasury Bill. en,blazoned IN large
letters OF the front gallery-"l am where l
have and ever mean to be here-stand'ng
on the platform Of the general consinnt"D,
platform broad enough and firm enough to
uphold every interest Of the wkVlo county
I shull sill be lound")
n la The best days OF the Roman Republic,
he who saved the life Of a citizen, was re-
warded with civic crown and the highest
applause Of his fellows. To save the life Oft
citizen was regarded as the greatest service
which ccnld DC rendered to the State. But
how much greater are the services OF him
! who saves a Constitution, q Constitution
! chenply purchased by tho lives OF thousands
aud which would cheapy be preserved by
the lives OF tens of thousands!
\ The present, gentlemen, is no mean occa.
sion ; for though in former times, TO win the
field in physical battle, was regarded as the
highest achievement OF human power aud
virtue, IN these later days Of superior civil.
zaiion and knowledge it is well understood,
that IL requires more moral courage and he.
roic firnness, to fight tho civic battles OF
free people than TO carry on the mightiesi
conflict Of physical warfare, whether on
ocean or land. The adventure which zach
statesman undertakes is the rescue Of his
country from despo,ism, ialsehVod, aud tho
corruption Of party strife. lie buckles on hia
ormor like one ot those heroes rccouDtcd ~
the fables Of knight erantry, and goes for'li
to do battle, not fair md equal battle, n"t
foot TO foot and hand to hand, contest "nh
q single aud open foe, but like that. same
knight best in an enchanted castle. where
fortltude enables him to meet and snbd"e all
the nauscous, odious, and disgusting uppar-
tions which the force Of maglc co'Jures uP
+ against him. Many good knigh' VINO IN
those ancient stories. never gave way before
the sword Of an opponent iound ms nerves
! falling and himself shrinking from the shiny
poison of the reptiles, the grin OF the hyenss..
nuJ the roar ofihc lions, by which the art cr
] bis enemies sssailed Inn, So IN modern
times. the statesman has TO contend with the
shiny snakes Of party, who seek to crush hin,
! in their ycnon,ous folds: with the hyenss of
prejudice, aid as VIC oil know il is hardly n
metaphor to say tina, sometimes daring lion
meets him full in l,is path. In the State of
Tennessee at least such lions have been met
aud often.
Il Your public servants, fellow citizens, have
retired, from what ~ you have already been
told by your distinguished qvest and otiseUD
! has been n most arduous contest. They
ravnnt tndpeI hoast 90 havp bruuubf Inrk