Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-14
Speech OF Daniel Webster.
AT THE WHIG GATHERING IN
MARSIIFIELD.
SEPTEMBER |, 1918

10 meet you here to-day. Ana am not un-
willing to avail myself of this occasion to sgni-
fly to the people of the United States, my opin-
ions upon the presen, state Of our public affairs.
| shall perform that duty certainly with
great lrankness, and, | hope, with candor. 1t
Is not my purpose, to-day, To carry any point
to act as any man 8 advocate--to put up or
put down anybody. 1t is my wish and pur
pose to address you in the lang "a 1e and spirit
of conference and consultation. In the present
extraordinary crisis OF our public concerns, !
desire to hold no man S conscience but my own
to rule no mah's political conduct but my
own. My own opinions | shall communicate
freely and fearlessly, altogether with disregard
as to consequences, whether with respect TO
myselfor with respect to Others.
Gentlemen, We are on the eve Of highly
important Presidential election. In two or
three months the people will be called upon to
elect President of the United States, and We
all see and all feel that the great interests Of
the country are to be affected, for good Or for
evil, by the results Of that election.
Ofthe interesting subjects over which the
person who shall be so elected must necessar-
ly, from As position, exercise more or less con-
troll, there are three Of great paramount impor-
lance.
la the first ~ re, the honor and happiness
OF the county imperatively require that the
Chief Magistrate elect shall not plunge MS into
any further wars ofambltlon and conquest
In the next place, the interests the country,
and the feelings of a vast ma jorlty of the peo-
pie Of the country, require that the President
Of the United States, TO be elected, shall not use
his official power to promote. shall not entertain
feeling in his heart to promote the extension
Of slavery in our public councils.
Aud in the Third place, il is my settled co n
viction-if any Judgment of mine, or any expe-
ricnca of nine IN public alfIirs, and experience
not now short, can enable me 10 know any
thing about the malter-it is, say, my deliber-
ate opinion that the state flhe country requires
an essential reform in the existing system Of
revenue and finance, with view IT, the protec-
ton of the industry, and the fostering of the
labor of the people.
These are the three great and essential topics
now before the country. There are others,
but these three are the principal.
Now, gentlemen, there are three candidates
presented for the choice Of the American peo-
pie. General Taylor, the candidate of the
Wing party, standing upon the nomination Of
the Wing Convention held at Philadelphia
General Cass, the candidate of the opposing
and now dominant party-and thlrd, Mr. Van
Buren,, starding upon the nomination of the
hate Convention at Buffalo, whose object, or
whose main object as II appears 10 me, Is CEN
tered in one only of these considerations have
mentioncd-the prevention, namely, of any
further Increase OF slavery or Of the increase
of slave power. An object, gentlemen, in
hich need hardly say, you and | entirely
concur.
Most of US here to-day are WhigS-Natio,a
Wings Massachusetts Whigs-Old Colony
Wings Marshfcd Wings. And iIhe Wing
nomination at Philadelphia were entirely salts
factory 10 the Wings Of Massachusetts and To
MS, the path of our duty IN regard TO it would
be perfectly plain But the nomination was
not thus satisfactory to the Wings of AlasNachu-
sets. That is plain, and it would be idle to
attempt to conceal the fact. Ii is more Just
ard patriotic TO take things as they are, and
duuuce our convictions of duty from what ac
tually exists before US.
We know gentleman, that however respccta-
bic and distinguished in the line of his own
profession, or however estlmable as a citizen
General Taylor is military man merely. lie
has had no participation IN the councils OF the
Republc-he is known only by his brilliant
achievements at the head p'an american Army
Now the Wings of Massachusetts and among
them, are Of the opinion that II was not wise,
not discreet, to 90 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 rrcre military man has been
proposed for that Office Washington was an
eminent military man, btt far greater in his
civil characterize was err, oNcd IN the service
of the country from the hest dawn OF the
American revolution-hc was a member of the
Continental ConcroSs-and, IN that body,
established for himself a great reputation for
civil Judgment, wisdom and ability. After the
war, as YOU know. he was one OF the COnven-
tion which formed the Curstltutlor Of the
United States, and 1t is one of the most hOnora-
BILE tributes ever paid to Inn that he should
have Deen selected bv the wise n. "a who COM
posed that Convention to preside over their
deliberations And his name stands first and
foremost appended to the Constitution under
which we live. President Harrison was bred
a soldier, and rendered his country important
military services. But General Harrison,
nevertheless, was for a much greater part of
hlshfe in civil than IN military service. lie
was for twenty years either the Governor oi a
Territory, "A member of Congress or Minis
ter abroad And he performed his duties III
all these stations To the satisfaction OF the peo-
Pile.
This case therefore, stands by itself, without
a precedent in our previous history. And II
is on this account principally ! imagine tha,
the Wings of Massachusetts, feel dlssatlsii-
ed al the nomination. There are other reasons
Of less ppm,iult and more easily 10 beans~er-
ed
But gcnllonru { may venture TO use a.
mercantile expression, there - another side Ia
this account, aud mPariahty aud duty require
us To consider that
In the first place, General Taylor was noml.
mated bv Wing Convention IN conformity with
the usagcs of the party for years past. He
was falrly nominated 81 far as ! know, and Is
now to be considered as the only Wing fairly
before the country as candidate for the Pres-
dency aud no citizen claiming to he Wing.
can give his vote for any other, bet hrs personal
preferences be what they l. ay.
In the next place, It ls proper to consider the
personal character and political opinions of
Cen Taylor, so far as known. Now ] wish
everybody to understand that have no person
al acquaintance Vhsievcr, with General 1ay-'