Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-23
SPEECH OF Hos. DANIEL WEBSTER,
at the Hhig gathering at Marshfeid, September
1, lS48.
rRoa THE boston JOURNAL OF SEPTEMBER 2.

ing was on the sod Winslow Farm" which now belongs
to Mr. WEBSTER about quarter of mile from his present
residence There about thousand persons present.
consisting great part Of the honest hard working farmers
and fishermen the neghbohood There many ladies
present. and the congregation together old and young
in all of vehicles, and apparently from great distances
Although the notice of the meeting short and not gene
rally circulated there number Of gentlemen and even
ladies' present from Boston, and quite large collection from
Plymouth and the neighboring towns
Mr. WEBSTER spoke for an hour and fifty minutes, with
his accustomed animation and eoquence and listened to
with great attention. interrupted only by occasional spontane
Gus bursts of applause After he had concluded he intro
duced in very appropriate and ecous his friends
HIRAM KETcHuM, Of New York, and George AsHMuS, Of
Springfield Massachusetts, each Of whom addressed the audi
effective strain in support Of Wing principles and
Wing men, We give below full and accurate report of the
remarks of Mr. WEBSTER this interesting OCCASION pre-
pared by an experienced Reporter expressly for the Boston
Journal and commend the speech of this noble Of Mas
sachusetts to the attentive perusal Of every citizen
Mr. WEBSTER spoke as follows;
GENTLEMEN Although had not been my purpose, during
the Of Congress- to address any public assembly
tica subjects, have felt my duty to comply with your
request neighbors and and meet you
here to-day And am not unwilling to avail myself OF this
occasion signify to the people Of the United States my epn
ions upon the present state of public affairs.
shall perform that duty certainly with great fankness
and, hope with candor It is not my purpose, to-day, to
carry any pont-te any mans advocateto put up
put down any body 1t is my wish and purpose address
you the language and spirit of conference and consultation
In the present extraordinary OF public concerns,
desire 10 hold mans conscience but my own-to rule
mans political conduct but my My opinions
shall communicate freely and fearessy, altogether with dis
regard to consequences whether with respect TO myself
with respect to others.
Gentlemen the Of highly important Presi-
Dental election In two three months the people viii be
called upon elect President Of the United States and
all and all feel that the great interests of the country
to be affected for good for evil by the results Of that cleo
ton
or the interesting subjects which the person who shall
be elected necessarily from his position
less CONTROL there three Of great and paramount
importance.
In the first place. the honor and happiness Of the country
mperaivey require that the Chief Magistrate elect shall
plunge into any further Of ambition and conquest
In the next place. the interests of the country and the
feelings Of majority Of the people of the country require
that President of The United States be elected shall
not use his official power to PROMOTE shall not entertain
feeling in bis heart to PROMOTE the extension of slavery,
any further influence Of the institution of slavery pub
lie councils
And in the third place, it is my settled convconf any
Judgment OF mne any experience Of mine in public affairs
any experience not short, enable know any
thing about the matter-t is say, my deliberate opinion
that the state of the country requs essential reform in
the existing system Of and finance, with a view
the protection Of the industry and the fostering of the labor
of the people.
These the three great and essential topics before
the country There Others but these the principal
Now, gentlemen, there three candidates presented for
the choice Of the American people, Gen. Taylor the cand
date Of the Wing party standing upon the nomination the
Wing Convention held Philadelphia Gen. Cas- the
ddate of the opposing and dominant party; and third Mr.
Van Buren,, standing upon the nomination of the late Con-
venon at Buffalo, whose object, whose main object
appears Is cenered In only of these considerations
have mentioned-namely the prevention of any further
increase Of slavery of the increase Of slave powean OBJ
jec, gentlemen, in which need hardly say you and
trely concur
Most of us here to-day are Whgs-National Wings
Massachusetts, Whigs-0ld Colony wings qrshfed
Wings And if the Wing nomination Philadelphia
entirely satisfactory TO the Wings of Massachusetts, and US
the path of our duty regard would be perfectly plain
But the nomination thus satisfactory the Wings Of
Massachusetts, That plain and would be idle attempt
to conceal the fact II just and patriotic take things
they are, and deduce convictions Of duty from what
actually exists before
We know, gentlemen, that however respectable and dis
tnguhed in the line Of his profession however estmsbe
as acizen, Gen. Tayors military merely He has had
no training in civil affairs he has had participation in the
councils Of the republic he is known only by his brilliant
achievements at the head Of the American army Now the
Wings of Massachusetts, and among them, Of the opn
ION that u was not WISE not Discreet to to the army for
candidate for the Presidency This is the first instance
in the history Of the Government Of the United States that any
military has been proposed for that Office. Wash
ington eminent military man. bat far greater in his
civil character he employed in the service of the coun-
try from the earliest dawn Of the American revolution he
member Of the Continental Congress- and 10 that body
established for himself great reputation for civil Judgment
wisdom, and ability After the war; as you know he was
Of the Convention which formed the constitution Of the
United States and il is Of the most honorable tributes
paid to him hs he should have been selected by the wise
who composed that Convention TO preside over their de-
hberaons And his name stands first and foremost append
ed the constitution under which we ye President Hsr
rson bred soldier, and rendered his country important
military services But Gen. Harrison nevertheless was for
much greater part OF his life in civil than in military service
He for twenty years either the Governor OF Territory
member Of Congress- Minister abroad. And he per-
formed his duties in all these stations the satisfaction Of the
people.
This case, therefore, stands by ITSELF without precedent
IN previous history And IL Is this sccoun principally
imagine that the Wings Of Massachusetts feel dissatisfied at
the nomination There other Of less importance
and more easily 10 be answered.
But, gentlemen il may venture use mercantile ex
preston, there another side TO this account and mpaa
y and duty require 10 consider that.
In the first place, Gen. Taylor nominated by Wing
Convention, IN conformity with the usages Of the party for
years past He was fairly nominated far know, and
now TO be considered the only Wing fairly before the
country as candidate for the Presidency and no citizen
claiming 70 be Wing give his vote for any other lei bis
personal preferences DO what they may
In the next place. Is proper to consider the personal cha
racer and political opinions Of Gen TAYLOR as far as known
Now wish every body to understand that have no per-
sona acquaintance whatever with Gen. Taylor only saw
him once, and then but few moments in The Senate cham
ber The sources of information from which derive NV ac.
quansnce with his political opinions are open 70 Won and All
well as to But have endeavored 10 obtain access 10