Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-09-22
MIR. wEBsTER's GREAT SPEECH
AT RSHFIELD,
DELIVERED ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER lsr, ls4t
REPORTED By THOMAS TILLEsoN, JR,


DELIVERED ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER lsT, lS4S.
REPORTED By THOMAS TIILEsoN, JR'
We have great pleasure in laying before our
readers, this morning, full report of Mr. WEB
srER's admirable address. 1t is, in the MAN.
the same as that prepared by the same gentle
man for the Mercantile Journal OF saturday eve
ming, but the errors lncdert to hurried pnom'
cation in an evening paper are here carefuliy
corrected. We believe the report TO De as &C
curate as any published, and are sure ihat we
have no need to commend MIR WEBSTER views
TO the deliberate attention of his countrymen;;
At the designated hour, three CLOCK on RI,
day afternoon last, some ten or twelve hundreu
Of Mr. WEBsTrR's neighbors ladies' as wen as
gentlemen, assembled around the platform winch
had been erected for the accommodation OF the
orator, a lew OF ms V'sUeTs' ANU t"e gen''e"e"
of the press from this city ana New orK.
Mr. WEBSTER came forward, a lew moments
after reaching the stand. ana without any ior-
mality or ceremony, proceeded TO open his re-
marks, which were attentlve'y listened to thro'
out the hour and three-quarters that ne LOOK up,
and were frequently interrupted by hearty aP-
plause.
Mr. WEBSTER smoke as follows
Although il had not been nv
nurnosc. during the recess of Congress. to ad.
dress any public assembly on political subjects.
Ihave felt Il NV duty to comply with your re.
ouest az neiuhbors and fellow townsmen and
TO meet Won here TODAY. And am not unwil.
iinc TO avail myself of this occasion to signify
10 he neople of the United States. NV opinions
unon the present state of our public affairs.
I shall perform that duty certainly with great
f,.rLnoss and hone With candor II ia not
ssanv mans advocate-to mt nm or to mt down
.nvh,,dv II ia NV nurpose TO address Won in
tho language and shirt of conference and con.
su!,.,;nn 4, tho nresent extraordinary crisis
Of our nublic concerns. desire to hold no mans
conscience but INV own-to rue no mans nolit.
;ca, condnct hu, INV own. NV own opnions I
.h.,l communicate freely and fearlesslv. alto.
ce,her within disre card IN conseouences.wheth.
or with rcsncct To myself or with respcct 70 9TH
or.
Gentlemen. we arc on the eve of a highly i'm.
portant Presidential election. In two or three
months tho neonie will be- called unon to elect
President Of the United States. and we all see.
and feel tina, the great interests of the country
are to be effected. for good or for evil, by the
results Of that election.
or the interesting subjects over which the
persop shall be so elected must necessary from
his position, exercise more or less personal con-
troll. there are three of great and paramount i'm.
portance.
In the first place, the honor and happincss of
the country impcrativey require that the chief
MAGISTRATE elect shall not plunge us into apy
further wars of ambition and conquest
In the next place, the interests of the country
and the feelings of a vast majority of the people
of the country, require that the President Of the
United S ates, to be elected, shall not his of.
fetal power to promote, shall not entertain a
feeling in his heart to promote the extension Of
slavery, or further influence of the institution o
slavery in our public councils.
And in the third place, it is my settled convic
tion,-if any judgment of mine, or any expert
ence of mine in public affairs, an experience,
not now short, can enable me to know any thing
about the matter-it is, ] say, my deliberate
opinion that the state of the country requires al
essential reform in the existing system of reve
nue. and finance, with view to the protection
OF the industry, and the fostering OF the labor o
the people.
These are the three great and essential topic
now before the country. There are others, Blu
these three are the principal
Now, gentlemen, there are three candidate
presented for the choice of the American pee
pie: General TAYLOR, the candidate OF the WIFI
party, standing upon the nomination ct til
Wing Convention held at Phllade phia Gener
al CAss, the candidate of the opposing and no,
dominant party and Mr. VAs buren,, standn
upon the nomination OF the late Convention a
Buffalo, whose object, or whose main object, a
it appears to me, is centured in one only of thes
considerations have mentioned,-the prevent
ion. namely. of any further increase of SLAYER
or of the influence of slave power. An obiec
gentlemen. in which need hardly say you an
entirely concur
Most Of ms here TO day are Whigs-Na,oni
Wings Massachusetts Wings eOld.C Colon
WbiSs- Marsh6eld Whics. And if the VIII
nom;n ,,ions a, pb;I,dsln6;a were entirely sail
T.c,orv ,o tho WHY'S Of Massachusetts and
ne rho n,,h If our dutv in regard to il won
no oerf.c,Iv Main RAT The nomination was NJ
Inns Satisfactory to the Wings of Massachusett
Tha, "a Main and il would be idle to attem
,on',oo p ,hs fact If il more lust and patrio
t. ,o,.Ss acts and things AS thew are, and d
a,so ""r oonv;c,;ons of Jntv from what actual
rxis,s hefore us
We Know gentlemen. that however respe