Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-11-30
SPEECHES AND RESOLUTIONS
1T the Union Meeting at the Chinese Saloon in
Philadelphia on the 2Ist Of the present month.

Philadelphia on the 2lst Of the present month.
FROM THE "soRTH AMERICAN"
The Hon. JOHN SERGEANT was appointed Pre-.
sident of the meeting, with great number of the
most respectable citizens of Philadelphia city and
county, of all parties. Upon taking the Chair
Mr.. SERGEANT said he must first express to his
fellow-citizens his deep sense of the honor they
had done him in calling him to the chair of such a
meeting, upon such an occasion. He would say,
with sincerity tina. be heartily united with them in its pur-
poses. He verify believed they Of mind and one
heart and he believed-nsy, he firmly convinced
that there the unanmiy throughout the whole Of
this great Commonwealth.
There not be sure, single individual within her
borders who disunonst a secessonist, SO
dissatisfied with his 10 be willing to apply
blazing torch the ark Of safety, and make
great conf grafton it in order get rid of them No They
in feepg, they in conviction, and be tire
membered they would be in the performance Of whatever
duty they owed their country ..... ...r.
He felt very painfully that thus honored he disabled
by indspoon address them the occasion deserved
He must however, say, endeavor to say, very few
words and leave the to those who to come after
him. who fully competent to embody and express the
thoughts and feelings which belonged to the great subject
This Union bears date the fifth day Of September l774
and every American should remember that msntain it
duty always binding upon him. He has choice about it,
he take that the suton and laws main
tanned and enforced and the Union preserved. The right
clear that Of individual preserve his life.
The constitution the work Of the Union,he whole Of
the people of the United States made it, They de-
cared that the constitution ITSELF and treaties and laws made
under it. should be the supreme law Of the land. They bind
concusivey all States and all individuals Provision is
made for alterations of the constitution Until alterations
made according that compact is the duty of the Govern
maintain it. and of the whole people of the United
States aid them do If there be doubt about the
constutionaity of law, there is tribunal under the
stu decide it. and the decision is final To that
also, submission is due by our own compact. -.
And here the argument terminates If the powers given
by the constitution be rghtuy given, they undoubtedly
are and if be the duty the Government enforce and of
the people support them The powers given by act Of
Congress be CONSTITUTIONAL and be, certainly is, the
duty of the Government to carry law into effect thus lie
our duty sustain the law by aiding the Government He
therefore had further duty perform than declare the
meeting organized and ready to proceed to business.
Hon. GEORGE M. DALLAS then came forward,
and spoke as follows:
FELLow-CIrIzESs The committee Of arrangements,
through their chairman have handed series of resolu
TONS prepared by themselves to be submitted to this meet
ing That duty shall be performed Before however, these
resolutions read, you will allow me TO call upon your in
teligence while make few, and hope very few, pre-
aory remarks explanatory in degree of their scope
their character and their do propose argue
persuade If there be any present TO whom may be
necessary argument persuason he had better not
listen to me. Applause. l will not to Pennsyvanians,
nor Phiadephans, argument persuasion, when
such meeting this invoked to stand by the country
her hour of trial. [Great applause ~
But fellow citizens form of government is diff
cult than federal union Of sovereign republican
States. All history shows the extreme difficulty of accom-
pishing such task In order achieve it, there
sary much forbearance, much sacrifice of local preu-
dices and interests; there necessary the exercise
much public virtue for the general good that all mankind have
found it one Of the hardest impossible task
complsh.
To make such government is hardship, only equaled
by the difficulty of ntaning and yet when made
and in operation, all and all experience prove
that is the very best government for that be form
ed Applause federal union of republican States give.
commerce. trade, and agriculture almost unbounded
expansion and perfect security Such gives
the arts and impulse encouragement and refine
rnen, Such absolutely necessary for all the
national purposes of power, Of wealth, and of character
Such government gives 10 the enjoyment of private rights
in the hubles we'll the highest spheres of life perfect
guarantees and such government, fellowczens
aying symbol porraying the character and object of its
existence and beneath whose flowing folds every finds
honor and respect. Applause. 49,. .........
Fellowcitizens, such government formed for
need advert the eminent who adorned their
try the period of the formation of the Constitution Of the
United States. need mention their Names although
their signals for the admiration, the veneation
the affection of all mankind l need not them.
The Government: formed, and from the Goth Of April
1889, when George Washington appause took the oath Of
Office Chief Magistrate under that Government in the city
of New York that hour down the present has
complished all the great objects Of the American people,
Applause has proved tsefto be machless instrument,
framed by extraordinary wisdom As you will recolect fe
low-citzens originated discussed, and adopted
Convention that assembled in this city, and subsequently that
form of thus adopted passed through the various
States then composing the Union in this country and recev
ed the nmaon of Conventions in each and every State
So ratified by the universal voice. and adopted in emphatic
language, it has worked well and nobly Applause.
What Government done for commerce. for navi-
gaton for trade During the last sixty years, from the
Rod Of It's adoption down to The present moment has up
the tonnage Of the United States from the humbles the
highest fgue-from $685. 900 SOC, 900 tons. Zap
Paue aggregate Of exports and imports OF the
United States from the figure in 1880 Of 40, 900
TO the figure in 1850 Of 1885, 000 00O IApplause What
has done for the agriculture Of the American peopel Fellow
citizens ask the valley Of the Mississippi whose granaries of
Infinite and ineIhsusbe fertility prepared feed another
starving world applause what has il done for the popua-
ton OF the American people (snd permit that the
character Of the augmentation and decrease of the populations