Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-12-17
MIR. WEBSTER'S SPEECHES
At the Opening of the Northern Railroad 10
Lebanon, N. H., Nov. II, 1S47.


ted celebration of the opening of another link
(some 45 miles) in one of the grand chains OF
Railway by which Boston will soon be connect
ed with Lake Champlain. We mean that por-
ton Of the Northern IN. H. Railway extending
from Franklin to Lebanon, within some four
miles of Connecticut River.
OF the speeches and good things said and
done on the occasion, our readers will thank us
for laying tefore them the following Speeches
of DANIEL WEBsTER-the latter one, (whethel
from the witchery of the hour or the circum
stances) Icing by far the better. Indeed
we have rarely known Mr.. WEBSTER, or any
body else, to be more felicitous, and instructive
wthal, than in reply to the complimentary toast
at the supper table.
We copy from the Boston Daily Advertiser:
Soon after the loose of the dinner, Charles
Theodore Russell, Esq, of Boston, one of the
Directors of the Company, and the Chairman OF
the Committee of Arrangements, addressed the
meeting in few suitable remarks, concluding
with the following toast;
| The Hon. Daniel TVebstr-IIappily present with
us day-too ardent in his love and too eloquent in
his defence of our glorious Union ever to fail 10 sane
|
tend 10 cement and perpetuate it,
| This toast was received with loud and long
cheers, which were repeated again and again as
Mr.. Webster came forward in acknowledgment.
Brilliantly as the people are accustomed to re-
ceve him whenever he speaks, he seldom has a
warmer greeting than was offered him on this
occasion.
Mr.. Webster said he could have wished that
the President of the day had called upon some
other person than himself to address the meet
ing and had left him in the position Of a listener
merely But he could not properly refrain from
expressing his sincere thanks for the manner in
which his name had been announced by the
President, and received by the assembly. Thus
called upon to speak, he conld not disregard the
summons. Undoubtedly the present was mo-
ment of grea, interest and he now had TO per-
form the pleasing duty of congratulating the
Directors and Stockholders Of this Road upon
the successful completion of their enterprise
and also the citizens residing in this par, of the
country, upon the ;esnl., which to-day had been
witnessed-the entire accomplishment of this
important work. (Cheers) An undertaking
not only important in itself, but also very i'm
portant when regarded as a link in the great
chain Of railroads which was to connect the
West with the sea coast.
For himself, in considering the progress OF
railroad structures throughout the country. he
had sometimes been, doubtless many others had
been, generally contented with admiring the
enterprise manifested, the ingenuity displayed
and the industry shown in carrying them for.
ward TO completion. But here, on this occa.
sion, there was TO him matter of peculiar in
terest. Perhaps, and very possibly this was be-
cause the road, whose completion was now tc
be hailed, ran not only through New liampshr,
tina Sf,t4 h,k,1 IL. sl...k.
of New Hampshire IN which he hada consider
able personal interest. This was but natural fol
| the road passed through his own iarm-his OWL
New Hampshire home. (Mucb appause.)
The Northern Railroad was destined to be
connected with other roads of vast Importance
each having Montreal for its end. The one
would traverse Vermont, passing Montpelier
and proceeding along the valley of the Wiro,sk
to Lake Champlain, while the other would cx
tend itself up the valleys Of the Passumpsic
Each, for the present, had its terminus at Mon
treal So that the traveller from the Atlanti,
coast, arriving at Lebanon, might have a choc,
to make between the routes. This choice per
haps might be perpexng. The passenger
from the coast to the st. Lawrence might no
know which line Of travel was best-of whc
was most convenient for his purpose. And
might, not improbably, so happen that the tray
eller would compromise the matter, deciding t
90 on by the one route, and return by the Other
So far as he mr. Webster) was concerned, bot
lines had his best wishes for their entire success:
(Cheering.)
His friend, the presiding officer, had spoke
of Burlington and Montreal as the terminus
this road But in point of fact this was mer
link, a part of a line of land navigation, b
steam, from Boston to Ogdensburgl, and theme
by land and water, to the great West. NJ
yVoh.tor did ovnctl, ,,,Iatbor
:. was Mr.. Morris or Mr.. Clinton who said, wit
O regard to the Erie Canal, that the object an
aim Of that undertaking was to g tap Lake Erie
and draw down its waters to New York harbor.
One or the other OF these two great men it wa
s. and the design had been carried out. 1t migi
J. not, perhaps, be proper for him to say that tn
!. design of this road, with its extensions, was
tap the st. Lawrence, but it could be asserted
and with truth-that il was to relieve that nobl
y river of large portion of its great, rich, ove
= whelming burdens and deliver its freight, 9
J. the Atlantic shore, by more safe, speedy an
cheap conveyance than any before available
That, he imagined, must be clear to ALL Car
j, plause.)
= Again. no one could fail to perceive ho'
s. greatly instrumental this road, with its exteI
sion, would prove in bringing Ogdensburgh nes
e to Boston-as near, indeed, as Buffalo now is
!. Albany. This connection between Ogden sburg
y and the capital of New England would open,
81 once, new thoroughfare for the products of ii
Il west, a hitherto untred outlet, through whc
If the commodities of Lake Superior and the 9th,
. upper lakes might seek and reach the Atant
. by the way of Massachusetts Bay and its chi
N port. lie would not undertake to compare Il
er little city of Boston with the great city of Ne
N York-pre-emnent as New York was, amor
:. the cities of America, for her extended cor
IL merce and her commercial advantages. III
great city of our neighboring State tower,
proudly above all rivals in respect to every a
J. vantage of commercial position. Let her emf
ID all the benefits she could let her claim ali Il
a. credit she could from the circumstance. Ne
.. Their envy nor malice on his part should cont
L. butte 10 rob her of one of her well deservir
re laurels. (Paudts.) But he thought that, wit
le out any very great arrogance, or any very und
to exhibition Of local pride, he might say that 30
lie ton, with her adjacent towns-throughou ;
III the neighborng shore from bingham to Marb
n head, which extent Of country, in effect, W
d, but one seaport, certainly one so far as COZ
III mercai and manufacturing industry was co
in cerned-was entitled to command some degr
re of respect from the whole confederation of o
IS, States. (Cheers) Standing, indeed, upon I
s. summit of Bunker Hill, one could look arou
We upon territory, aud population, equal to til
n of New York and her immediate suburbs.
n. fact from no-ton IN Nowhurvnnrt il WAS all O