The New York herald., 1844-08-29
The Immense Mass Convention
OF THE WHIGS OF TIE RIVER COUNTIES,
AT ALBANY, ON TUESDAY,.
MIR. Websters Great Speech


River Counties ofths State, took place on Tuesday
at Albany. The morning was very fine and the de-
legations came pouring in in great plumbers from
an early hour. The "Swallow," New jersey"
and Knickerbocker' brought the Clay Clubs
from this city, and large number of jealous wings
Of all ranks and conditions. II was originally ar
ranged that the procession should form at 10
o'clock, but unavoidable delays occurred, and it
was o'clock before it reached the ground select
ed for the assenblage of the multludes attracted
by the great rallying cry Of the wings of the
Empire State. This was a large field in the
vicinity of the residence of Stephen Van
Rensselaer,, Esquire. bounded on one side by
road leading % TYoy, and skirted on the South
and West by tall fr-trees. About the centre Of the
ground and beneath the shade OF three or four aged
trees, substantial platform had been erected, and
in front Of it. on the ground, q sort Of capacious
hogpen had been prepared for the reception of the
reporters, which was speedily filled up by miscel-
laneous crowd Of loafers, who managed to annoy
and inconvenience the gentlemen of the press"
efficiently as if they had been paid tor attending
to thar business. In thiswork Of annoyance very
active part was taken by two or three individuals
who pretended to be connected with the press
These things we mention in order to show the very
reporters
generally obliged to attend to their important du-
ties on such occasions, and in the hope that in f-
ture some degree Of suitable accommodation may
be provided for them by those who are interested
with the arrangements for the comfort of speakers
and the press at public meetings in the open air.
Animmense number OF the fair sex were pre-
sent, and amongst them we noticed quite liberal
sprinkling OF beautiful faces, and plump. round
c. e .Ysl -.
to the eye of the wsaried denizen Of the deserted
city.
We must confess, however, that the array of
the whig beauty on this occasion, did not quite
come up to that which we have observed At SINH
lar gatherings of the unterifed democracy of this
glorious State Many of the ladies were indeed
very fashionaby attired, but they had not in gene
raj so much Of that natural grace and fascination
which characterize the fair mothers and daughters
Of the party called par erceemcs, the 'bone and ST.
new" Still, after all, the Empire State, and the
good wings Of the Empire State had reason to re-
loice in the hronged lists of female loveliness and
virtue which graced the gathering OF the mighty
hest assembled under the banner of Clay and
Frenghuysen.
When the long procession filed in to the gather.
ing ground, and the various delegations, with their
drums beating and their banners floating gently in
the breeze took up their stations. the was in
terestng and imposing in the extreme. There
were probably v.ry nearly ten thousand persons on
the ground Our artist made beautiful sketch OF
the scene, which will appear in the Weekly Herald
of Saturday next.
The meeting was organized shortly after one
o'clock, by the appointment Of SAMUEL STEVENS,
Esq, as Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN after soliciting the observance Of
order and silence, proceeded to say-No county on
the face of the whole globe, except this blessed
land of ours has ever presented to the eye Of man
such a'spectacle we witness here to-day-the as
semtlage of free people to deliberate upon the
measures which will conduce to the best interests Of
free country. II is the intense excitement-the
deep interest which is felt, only by the citizens
of the State, but In every State of the Union
which has thus aroused the people in the majesty
OF their strength-which has gathered together the
thousands which are assembled here to-day-and,
fellow citizens, on an occasion like this, before
such an assembly as this, congregated for such
purpose as this cannot better subserve the great
interest Of my country, than by presenting TO you,
one, to whose lntelect-t0 whose patriotism-to
whose untiring exertons for the public veal, every
heart and every mind pays homage. loud cheers
beg leave then, fellow citizens, TO present to you
man who, on all eccasions-at ull times-in all
places-in the councils of the nation, and in the
walks of private life, has been the answering,
the able, the eloquent advocate of civil liberty.
(Cheers) One, fellow citizens, whose every fa-
Guilty has been devoted to those great measures
upon which the continuance of this Union, the
beet interests Of the great republic, lhe prosperity
and happiness Of this people depend. (Cheers.)
Fellow. .ctizens-I beg leave to present to your
acquaiutance-to commend to your regard
Daniel Webster. (Cheers.) Not Daniel Web
ster Of Massachusetts alone, but Daniel Webster
of the United States OF North America. (Great
cheering, clapping of hands, and waving Of Clay
pocket handkerchefs.)
Mr.. WEBSTER then advanced to the front Of the
platform, his eye'somewhat clouded, but his face
less pale and altogether looking in better health
and spirits than when we last saw him at Trenton
He spoke as follows:-
In the history Of the States and Of governments,
as in the lives Of individuals, epochs arise in which
attenively the present, and TO contemplate probable
futurity. We are. fellow citizens, upon the eve OF
general election, full OF Importance and interest,
involving questions which rise far above all consid.
erations OF the personal qualifications oil candidates
for office-questions OF the greatest and nearest
bearing upon past and existing interest, and likely
TO effect the prosperity of the country in all times
to come. In my judgment, therefore, II is highly
casion, that we bring the past into our immediate
presence, and consider and examine it-that we
ponder assiduously on existing interest and ex-
listing duties, and that we exercise whatev-
er Of forecast. or sagacity we possess, in en-
deavoring TO discover what is or what may be vet
before us. Oa the 8d day of March next, iifty-six
years will have passed since we began our nation
al character and existence under the present con-
stitution of the United States In the lapse Of that
period we have gone through fourteen President
elections, and have elected eight-and-twenty suo.
cessive Congresses Of the United States. Ofthsss
fourteen Presidential elections twelve have been
effected by the popular vote according to the pro-
visions Of the constitution, and two have taken
place in pursuance Of another constitutional prov-