The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-03-14


your confidence. ,...4. IN,
The Speaker Of the House, before
the adjournment Of Congress, delivered
the following address: ea".
Gentlemen of the House Of Representatives.:
The period has arrived which, for
the Congress, terminates our labors as
the representatives of the people; and
we are very soon to part. II may be to
meet no more. And before lperform
the last official duty Of my station, al
low me to return TO you, gentlemen,
nv sincere thanks for the very kind
expression OF appreciation Of my con-
duct which your resolution just adopt
ed, conveys; and to say, that if, in the
performance of a high public trust, you
with whom it has been my fortune and
my pleasure to act, have seen anything
in my course, as the presiding officer
of this House, to commend, to assure
you that your appreciation Of my con:
duct, the highest reward that faithful
public servant can ever receive, affords
to me satisfaction equalled only by
that enjoy arising lroma conscious
ness of having at all times faithfully, to
the best Of my poor abilities, perform
ed every public duty that has ever de-
volved upon me.
These duties, always important, al
ways arduous and difficult, are often
delicate in the extreme; and | have
sometimes doubted whether the digni-
ty and honor of the station, exalted as
it is, more than compensltes for the
deep anxiety and care which its du-
ties impose. SITS trapplngs al may see
but its anxieties and its trials must be
endured to be understood" In their
discharge may, and doubtless have,
often erred; but the generous conf
dence and support, the kind indulgence
which you have, under all cilcumstan-
ces, extended to me, afford the surest
guaranty that my errors, whatever they
may have been, have been errors of
the head and not of the heart; and Of
this desire no higher evidence than is
afforded by your resolution, which has
been this night adopted-a testimonial,
gentlemen, that shall long cherish as
one of the most pleasing recollections
of my life.
1t has been said that the power Of
Legislation is the highest trust that man
can confde to his felow-man. If this
be so, how strikingly must every men,
ber Of this body be impressed with the
increased magnitude CT the trust, in
view of the mighty questions upon
which you have been called upon to
act and to decide. There has, per-
haps, been no period in the history Of
this government, when SO many ques-
tions of deep and pervading interest
have agitated the public mind, and en-
gagged the deliberations of the Ameri.
can Congress. On one extreme Of our
Union an empire has been admitted
into this great confederacy; in another
direction your laws have, so far as re.
CARDS the action of this House, been
extended beyond the Rocky mountains
reaching to the shores Of The Pacific;
while Florida and Iowa, twin sisters.
have been admitted into the Union on
a footing of perfect equality with their
sister States. Thus have you enlarged
the area Of freedom, and secured to its
Inhabitants the blessings Of civil liberty
and of free government. rrr ~
That these great and agitating ques
itions should have been discussed and
decided in the spirit Of entire calmnes:
and moderation, was scarcely to have
been expected; and if, in the collision.
of discussion which heated Debate j.
but too apt to produce, san occasiona
spark of excitement shall have beef
struck out,'' may not the hope be in
idnlged "tbat, like that struck from IN,