The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-06-04

midst oil rain storm, which drenched every person
who was in attendance, ladies' and all, of whom |
there were at least one hundred on the platform |
1t poured in torrents during the whole time, but |
nothing daunted, MrW continued till he had said |
all he wanted to say He spoke as follows:
Fsl'ow.citisens Of the city of Bu6alo--I am |
very glad to see yuu-I meet you with pleasure, |
II is not the first time, fellow citizens that have
been in Buffalo; and | have always come to it with
pleasure. Itis great distance from my own home.
| am thankful that circumstances have enabled me
to be here again, and regret that untoward events
deprived me Of the pleasure Of being here when
your distinguished felow.citizen, the President Of
the United States, came among you, and received
from you, he deserved, not only respectful, but
cordial welcome The President ofthe nited States
has been resident among you for more than half
his life. He has represented you in your State and
national councils You know him and all his rela
tions, both public and private and it would be bad
taste for me to say anything of MIN, except that
wish to say with some degree OF emphasis, that
since my connection with him in the administration
of the Government of the United States | have
fully concurred with him in all his great and lead
ing measures from the fact that have been of
his council. But do wish to let it rest on that
presumption | wish to declare that the principles
OF the President are declared in his annual
message, his letters, and all documents and opn-
ions which have proceeded from him, or been issued
by his authority, in regard to the great question of
pies; and if he is wrong in them, am, applause,1
and always will be. lApplause.l
Gentlemen, it has been uegested that it would
be pleasant and agreeable to the citizens of Buffalo,
and their neighbors in the county of Erie, that |
would state to you my opinions, such as they are,
on the present condition OF the country, its pros
poets, its hopes and its dangers; and, fellow citi
zens, | hope to do that this day and this hour, as
far as my strength will permit.
Gentlemen, believe me, know where am. /
n NUh | am Ennx fnrx xx,bo
l am speaking. know that am here in this sin
guarly prosperous and powerful part of the United
States-Western NewYork-and know the char
acter OF the men who constitute Western New
York, | know they are sons of liberty one
and all that they sucked in liberty with their
mothers milk inherited it with their blood that
it is their daily contemplation and watchfu thought
They are men OF very singular quality of cond.
ton for a million and half of people. There are
around us, and here before u.s. who till their
own soil with their own hands and others who
their livelihood by their own labor with
no means beyond their industry, and their
own independence, and their own willingness to
labor. These the men who constitute, to so
great an extent, the people of Western NewYork.
But the school-houses, | know, are among them.
Education is among them. They read, and write,
and think. And here are the fair sex-educated,
refined, and intelligent and here men who
know the history Of their country and the laws OF
their country, and the institutions of their country
are yet lovers of liberty under the constitution of
the country, and who mean to maintain that consti
tuition with all their strength, so help them God.
Great applause L hope these observations will
satify you that know where l am, under what
responsibility speak, and before whom | appear ;
and have no desire that any word shall say this
day, shall be withhoden from you your children,
or your neighbors, the whole world. Because
speak SO before you and before my country, and, if
it is not too solemn to say SO, before God HIMSELF
the great au thor OF justice.
Gentlemen there is but one question in this
country now, or if there be others, the others
but secondary, so subordinate, that they are all
absorbed in that great and leading question and
that is neither less than this: that we
preserve the union OF the States, not by coercion
not by military power-not by angry controversies.
But we oi this generation, you and l, your
friends and my friends, we so preserve the
Union of the United States by the administration
OF the powers of the Constitution, shall give
and satisfaction to all who live under it, and
draw together, not by military power, but by the
sken cords of mutual raternal, patriotic affection
That is the question, and other. Gentlemen, |
believe in party distinctions. am party man.
There questions belonging to party, in
which | am concerned, and there are opinions en-
tertained by other parties which repudate but
what of that? Ii house be divided against ITSELF
it will fall, and crush everybody in it. We must
see that we maintain the Government u.s. We
must that uphold the Constitution and we
did this question arise The question is forever
misstated. dare say if you know much Of me, OF
of my of public conduct for the last fourteen
MONTHS you have heard of my attending Union
meetings, and of my fervent demonstrations al
Union meetings. Well. what was the object o.
that? What was the purpose OF that? The object
and purpose were designedly or thoughtessly mis-
represented. had invitation to go to Union
meeting in the county of Westchester +; | could no
go, but wrote letter. Well some wise man o
the East said he did not think it very neces
sary to hold Union meetings. He did not thinl
there were many disunionsts about Tarrytown
And so here, and in every part of NewYork, ther
is total misapprehension of the purpose and OBJ
iect Of these Union meetings. Every one know
there is not county, or city, or hamlet, in tn
State Of New York; that is ready to 60 out Of th
Union. There is no man so insane in the who'll
State, outside lunatic asylum, as to wish it. Bu
that is not it. We all know that every man, an
every nelghborhood, and all corporations in tn
State of NewYork, are attached to the Union, an
have no idea of withdrawing from it. But that
not the point-that is not the point.
The question, fellow -ctizens-and put il to yo
the real questionable question is, whethe
you and the rest of the people Of the great State
NewYork, and of all the S,ates will so admniste
to the Constitution-will enact and maintai
laws to preserve that instrument, that you will M
only remain in the Union yourselves, but perm
your brethren to remain in it, and carry it on
That is the question. viii you concur in measur,
necessa Y TO maintain the U nion or will you OF
pose such measures That is the whole point
the case. You have thirty or forty members
Congress from NewYork-you have your propo
ton in the United States Senate. We have mar
members of Congress from New England. We
they maintain the laws that passed for the a
minisration of the Constitution, and respect Il
rights of the South, so that the Union may be he
together; and not only that we may not 20 out
it ourselves, which we are not inclined to do, b
that by ascertainng and maintaining the rights
others, they may also remain in the Union. No'
gentlemen, permit me to say that speak OF
concessions. If the South wish any concessi
from me, they won't get it; not a hairs breadth
it. If they come to my house for it, they will II
find It'll they do. l concede nothing. But S
that will maintain for them as will maintain
you, to the utmost of my power, and in the face
all danger, their rights under the Constitution, a
your rights under the Constitution. [Cries
Good, good" etc.] And God forsake me a
my children, if | ever be found to falter in one
the other. Tremendous applause
1t IS obvious to every one, and we all know
that the origin of the great disturbance which az
tates the country, is the existence OF slavery
some OF the States; but we must meet it we IN
consider 1t; we must deal with it, earnestly, HI
estly, and Justly. From the mouth Of the StJo
to the confines OF Florida, there existed in the y
OF grace seventeen hundred and seventy five, Il
teen colonies OF English origin, planted, at diff
ent times and coming from different parts of E.
land, bringing with them various habits, and
tablishing, each for ITSELF institutions entir
varient from the institutions which thew left.
they were Of English origin The English
guage was theirs; Shakespeare and Milton "