The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-20


tachment to our institutions and Government thar
In the State of New York. IApplause.l 1t is true
that differences of opinion have occurred, which
have at times brought States and communities into
collisions, and which appeared for the moment to
threaten, if not the porpetuity at least the perma-
hence of the Union. Yet there has always been
under these feelings of deep national sentiment,
which prevails over all the factions and all ephe-
neral sentiments that may be produced. Mr..
| Hunt then proceeded TO contrast the present
dition of Buffalo to what it twenty years ago,
and concluded by praising the industry and enter
prise its people.
Senator DOUGLAS, of Illinois, next spoke.
He said:
MR.. DOUGLASS SPEECH.
GENTLEMEN The reception which you have
given your fellow Citizen the President of the
United States, ia TO interesting spectacle. II
gladdens my heart as an American Citizen and il
makes me proud Of my own countrymen when see
an entire population out to welcome the Chief
Magistrate Of this nation II you had given him
only party reception; if this vast assemblage was
composed of only his personal friends, would have
seen nothing in il that American should be
| proud of; but, fellow citizens, trust the day
ia far distant, that it will never come, when
! the distinction of Wing and Democrat, or any
other party name, shall be known the visit of a
President of the United States to any part
| of this glorious Union. II ia in this spirit
that / have participated in the reception of the
President 1t ia true that the object of my visit at
this time had reference to the opening of that gil
| gantic work. the Erie railroad. But it is the
ception extended to the Executive and hs Cabinet,
those distinguished gentlemen with whom il has
! been my pride and pleasure to be officially
ciated in the General Government, which imparts
greater value and greater interest to this i'm
portant occasion. look on this assemblage and
this habit of the American people in welcoming
their Chief Magistrate and the high officers of Gov
eminent evidence of the devotion to their sys-
| tenn of Government and to their Constitution.
| / take it for granted that every man within the
hearing of my voice is devoted to this glorious
Union; that he would shed his blood, and, if ne
cessary forfeit his life in preserving it, if it
in real danger. But with me it ia not enough for
a man to declare his devotion to the Union--he
must advocate its principles, and he must pursue
that course Of action which is calculated to pre-
serve it. 1t is not enough that we consent to
cognise our sister States States of the Union.
The different States of the American Confederacy
are brethren, and we are bound to adopt the
of conduct towards them which one brother ought
to adopt towards another. If we act on this prin-
cipe there will be no jealousy between the North
and the South, or between the East and the West.
[Vocferous cheering.l II VIC adopt this princi-
pie, you will hear the question asked, whether
an American is from the North or from the South,
from the East from the West-because we
will be one people, and community of affection for
each other, we'll as of interest. Gentlemen, |
believe have some little right to speak to New
Workers. Buffalo is our near neighbor. 1t is only
| - r. = n- l. VI
both drink out of the same great pond of water
and we fish in the same lake. We are connected
by every tic of interest and social intercourse; and
why should not lllinoisan speak to New
Yorker? Laughter Senator Douglas then de-
scribed the condition of New York. When he emf
grated from it he thought he should not go back
moro than once in lifetime to those who were
dearest to him earth But ten years afterwards,
when pilgrimage to his old mother, he
| travelled as much in four hours as he had pre-
viously done in two days. l have watched, said
he, with great interest," the progress of every work
of improvement that New York has made !;
but don't imagine that we, in the West, are at all
jealous of you for having your great Erie canal and
your lines of railroads. You think they are your
canals and your railroads, but we know they are
ours, [lau ghter,l because they enable us to send
produce to your market, and sell it in compet-
ton with yours and this could not do without your
| internal improvements When your central line of
railroads were finished, all in the Mississippi Val
ley hoped that you would build others, for we know
that according to the laws of competition, freight
would, in consequence, be reduced. Well, your
Erie railroad is open. Don't be alarmed,
people of Buffalo, if il does terminate forty miles
west of your city, it won't hurt you; for /
tell you that the increasing productions of
tha vVoof nd a., Tost
can make them; and, for every one you make, an
other will be necessary, in order to give outlet
to the productions OF the great West. [Applause
and cheering] All dislike about it is, that
you compel US to pay tribute to you. But of that
we do not complain much, for had the priv-
lege of remaining among you if we pleased.
[Laughter1 On the other hand, we feel that, with
your rich soil, and the abundant blessings which
Providence has showered the great West, we
afford to pay tribute and still beat you in your
own markets. Felow-citizens, extend your works
of internal improvements in every direction,
and wherever the railroad shall run, or
the whistle of the locomotive be heard, there will be
travel and mails, and we shall soon become &C
quainted with each other. Why is it that you have
prejudice against the South? It is because you do
not know them. [Good, good; true, true.l Why is
it that South Carolina desires to the sacred
bonds of the Union and cut loose from you? Be-
cause they do not know you. Laughter, and cries
of true If you knew each other better, you would
both find that all your prejudices unfounded,
and that all sectional agitations work against
| your neighbors. The South would be ashamed of
the Misrepresentation which they daily make
against the North, and you would blush from mis-
representations which you utter every day against
| them. How is this Union to continue bound to-
| gether? Make international improvements, and
cultivate social intercourse with them. Establish
community of interest with them.
The meeting was afterward addressed by
Mr.. TRACY and Col. MONROE, and the cere-
monies were concluded. The procession was
then formed in line, and Mr.. FILLMORE and
the Cabinet were escorted to the, Mansion
House. In the course of the evening they were
waited upon by number Of prominent citizens.