The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-06-04

sd laF me personallyi Ear from q,
They come from all classes Of my EEL
low citizens; frosa all parties. Why
and Democratic from every grade. as
Il were; frum eSery color and. from
the welcome that Was extended 70 nae
aCross Main street Ealluding 10 Gag
On which MAS inscribed :. Wcleome 0ur
0wn Willard FillmoFe" 10 tho little
flowers that were thrown into the car
riage TO me. all are eqsaly felt and ac-
knowledged. know that all this was
intended as tribute 10 The high oliice
which have the honor 10 I'LL.
Your Mayer. in abiding to the sub
ject. MAS mach pleased 10 express APP
probation Of the course which feel i
my dut, To pursue in administering the
affairs Of the Government. | know full
well that IN performing what ! roasi-
dered to bc nv duty, | have wounded
the feelings aud loss the confidence Of
MANY in this vast assemblage whoa
loved and esteemed, and whose conf
dence would be the highest object a
my ambition. But. felluw-citizens, Il
is gratifying to know that in the main
my course Is approved. and il Is pleas
ing to reflect that this approval i not
confined 10 M own political party.
As pariislns we mast differ as to the
modes Of administering the affairs Of
the Government; but when the Govern
ment itself is in jeopardy-whcn trca-
son stalks abroad at the South, and
shows its snaky head at the North. then
1 hope TO see the abandonment Of all
party feeling, and To witness a rally of
patriots Of all parties 70 the support OF
our common Goserlment. Great out
burst Of applause.
Fellow citizens, most Of what has
been attributed to me is due TO those
distinguished gentlemen who are asso-
GATED with me in the administration Of
the Government. But We do not claim
all the honor of having done something
towards quoting the agitations Of the
country. 4 large portion is also due
to those distinguished Democrats-in
Congress and out of Congress-who
gavg Us their confidence and their sup
port to save the constitution and the
Union. And regard this testimony
Of yours to-day as not an approval OF
my course alone. but that Of all those
distinguished statesmen who stood by
our common country in the hour Of pc
ril. applause.
Your illustrious Mayor has also al
luded with appreciation to the fact that
the Government eYerted its power in
preventing aggression on the territory
of foreign nation with which we are
at peace. In discharging that duty,
fellow-citizens, the Government was
actuated by precisely the same princi
Piles as it would be in enforcing the laws
ofour own country. There is aoliberty,
there is no security for any one, unless
law. whatever il is. is enforced. There
would be no justice on our part tow
ards foreign countries, unless we main
tanned those friendly relations, and ex-
tend to them the rights which are due
from one friendly country to another.
We might push hsadlong into a con-
quest of Cuba, or into war against
any foreign Power but do YOU not see
the consequences that would arise from
such state of things: We would, by
50 doing, destroy the very. principle on
which. our Government is based, and
our ruin as a nation would be the re-
suit. Oar only security, therefore, is
in our justice, and in our moderation.
Hence our Government, hence our
Congress, made it a criminal ofience to
invade the territory OF any foreign coun-
try with which we are at peace. APP
plause. In the suppression Of the in
yasion Of Cuba, | did but execute the
law which | swore on the Holy Evan
gelist | would execute, and which |
again swear | will continue to ex-
ecute, if God in his providence shall
let me live. Great applause.
! did not rise for the purpose of max
ing a speech, but simply to return my
heartfelt acknowledgements for the
kind reception which you have extend
ed to me. Had the language to ex-
press the emotions with which my heart
IS Overlooking. would say mere but
l cannot. Il IS not in speeches alone
that ! see your kindness-I see well
come extended to me in the numerous
assemblage around nc, who are here to
meet me as brothers and sisters.