Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-10-12
Daniel Webster's Speech.

The Hon. Daniel w ebster, by appointment,
met the wings of Plymouth county, Mass. in
Convention. on Monday last, at Abingdon. =
A large number Of persons were present.
We have not room for all Of Mr.. Webster's
remarks, but make a few extracts. MIR. Web.
ster said
Now, gentlemen, having been upon princi-
pie opposed to the nomination of military
man, ! am the more desirous of doing Justice,
to all the personal qualities and merits which
have recommended Gen. Taylor TO his fellow
citizens, and to that degree Of fitness which he
has shown for the honest discharge of the du-
ties OF the station TO which he has been named
have said, and it gives me pleasure now to
repeat, that believe him to be a man Of strong
excellent sense-of undoubted integrity-Of
solidity and sobriety of charscter-and most
honorable and patriotic in his purposes
(Cheers) l believe him to be a Whig-
(More cheers and voice-''that's to the pur-
pose ')-(Mr. Webster--''thank you sir.")
And believe he has made as good platform
for himself, as other gentlemen elsewhere have
for themselves.
And here let Inc say, gentlemen, that
think all objections brought against Gen. Tay-
lor because he has accepted nominations, and
is willing to receive support, from quarters not
Wing, are entirely unreasonable. Why, it is
known TO every body that he had been nomi-
mated before the meeting of the Philadelphia
Convention in various parts of the country, by
various sets of people, and that he had accept
ed those nominations. And if he has laid
down-as think he has--a clear and manly
statement Of his principles, and if on that state
ment any body Of his fellow citizens see fit to
support hin, how is it possible for him to refuse
their support (Cheers.) Would it not be
ridiculous, in the extreme, for Gen. Taylor to
say to some of them" Gentlemen, you have
nominated me, but you are Democrats, or Lo-
co Focos, and am Wing. Pray withhold
your support from Inc and go and vote for
somebody else." daughter and cheers.)
Again. it is suggested that he has declared
that he would be, if elected, the President of
the country and not of the party-and if
didn't think so, for one would not vote for
him. The Office to which he will be elected, if
at all lis the high Office ofPresident ofthe United
States. 1t is the duties of that office that he
will be sworn to discharge. Now, gentlemen,
Presidents may be, and ordinarily are, chosen
by political party. But after having been
chosen, they become the Presidents of the
whole country, and what one Of all whom we
have had, would have so degraded himself as
10 proclaim that he was only the President of
his party There has been no President
since Washington, that was not elected by
party vote.
But who ever heard of Adams, of Jefferson,
OF the younger Adams, proclaiming himself
party President And what sort of a figure
would General Taylor have made if he had
stated the reverse If he had declared that he
would Mt be the President of his country but
of his party, what honorable man of any party
hon hava tash for cir nf,lo
hour, Nobody whatever
Therefore, gentlemen, | conceive all such OBJ
jections to be unfounded, and | am happy to
express my opinion TO that effect
Gentlemen, we have been engaged for over
twenty years, as members of the Wing party,
in a controversy with our political opponents,
sinvolving great principles-involving the con-
struction to be given to the provisions Of the
constitution OF the country and involving the
practical administration of the government
These principles have not changed. The
opinions Of our opponents have not changed in
regard to them. And trust that we have not
altered our own sentiments respecting them.
(Cheers.)
Among these principles, the construction to
he given to the Consii tuilon stands perhaps at
the head We hold that the Constitution
should be administered according TO the con-
cording to their practice at the foundation Of
the overnment--according to the construction
placed upon it by the earlier assemblies of
Congress, and by the Judica,ure of the land
"a voice in the crowd-"And according TO
Daniel Webster's construction" Applause.
Mr.. Webster-"Very poor authority, sir, in
comparison with others.') On the contrary,
they hold that every admlnlstratiOn-when
they are in p0wor, that is-may construe the
provisions of the constitution to suit itself
disregarding altogether precedents and former
practice In other words, we adopt the no.
tions Of Gen. Washington and the practice of
half century, and they the notions of Gen.
Jackson, with or without any practice.
In the next place there is the important, the
vital question of the tendency of the principles
against which we contend, towards the increase
of the Executive power-the power of remov-
al from oflice--the exercise of official patronage
and the application of the veto power, which
is lodged in the hands of the President by the
Constitution.
Our opponents think that the removal from
station, even of the best men, is just upon
principle, because it is according to the doc
trine, that "to the victors belong the spoils''-
and lust in practice, because it serves to keep
alive the hopes of partisans and the activity .
of party They think, too, that all exercise ]
of the veto power, by their chiefs, is salutary-
that the President is perfectly right, if he sees 1
fit so to do, in ve,oing any measure upon any
mere grounds of expediency-in placing his |
veto upon any measure, which in his opinion,
is unjust or uAwlse.
And there is another great topic close upon
us. which we shall be called on to meet, ere
long, and, fear in no very agreeable or salts
factory shape. 1t is the momentous question
of protection to the labor and manufactures of
the country, by providing, to rea sonable ex-
tent, a market tor them at home. In my opin.
ion, that is vital question Immediately before
us and, were it not now too late, | should
desire to call the attention of the people more
particularly to this matter, but i shall not, at
= this time, attempt it but will venture to give
short opinion 1t is this:
l am of opinion, fellow citizens, that without
a revision of the laws which prevail at our
custom houses, such revision as will secure
the adoption of discriminating and specific |
duties, the success of men of business, and the |
earnings of labor, cannot be restored to their |
former secure condition (cheers). That is |