American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-09-20
The Boston Celebration.

The account of the doings, Hastings, military
reviews and marchings, welcome speeches and
replies which took place on the occasion Of the
great Railroad Jubilee at Boston, on the 18th
instant has come to hand, with all the speeches
made by President Fillmore, Mr.. Webster, Mr.
Stuart, and Mr.. Conrad on the occasion, as
well as the speeches of welcome made to the
President by Governors Mayors and other dis
tinguished persons selected to do So
The speeches Of the President and his Cabi-
net Ministers are made stale by their sameness,
in the matter Of fulsome lip praise, and by their
repetition. We have no room for them. But
we have room for the neatest, most chaste, ap-
propriate and patriotic speech which we find in
the whole batch published. 1t is the address
of his honor Mayor Bigelow, of Boston, and
does high credit to his uncommon head and
heart. Read it, everybody, as follows:
MAYOR BIGELow's ADDRESS TO THE PREsI.
DENT.
SIR: The people Of Boston now crowd her
gates to receive with tokens Of honor the great
head Of the republic, and in their name bid
you welcome to this metropolis. We regard it
as happy omen that we receive you on the spot
where fathers gathered to hail the coming
Of Washington, in the first year Of his Presi-
dency. The contrast exhibited between that
period and this is striking and instructive. The
salutations extended to the first President were
the offering Of only eighteen thousand inhab
itants, while the welcome proffered to his sue
cessor this day is the voice of o population of
one hundred and forty thousand. The ruler
who was then received administered the affairs
of less than four millions Of people, who had
lately emerged from the smoke of battle, and
were but beginning, under the influences of
liberty and union, to take rank among the ma
tons Of the earth. You, sir, we receive as the
Executive Chief of population of twenty-four
millions, living in the enjoyment of an amount
Of prosperity and happiness almost unparalleled
in the history of the world.
By remarkable coincidence, which doubt
less has occurred to yourself, you visit us on
the anniversary Of the completion of the Fede-
raj Constitution. It is a day peculiarly fitting
for the reception of him whose authority as the
Federal Chief Magistrate is derived from that
great compact. The day has also special in
terest for this city, for it is the anniversary of
its settlement. While the occasion thus calls
to mind the Philadelphia conclave, and the Pill
grim colony, trust that you viii recognise in
the character of our people and their institu-
tons the happily blended influences of the pu-
ritan and the patriot.
You have recently, sir, visited Virginia, and
now stand upon the soil of Massachusetts,. The
names of those States recall the story Of the
Revolution, and the noble part sustained by
each in that drama. Your reception in the Old
Dominion indicates her fealty to the Union, and
her attachment to the principles Of other times.
This day will furnish evidence of the regard Of
the Bay State, also, for that Union and those
principles, by the manner in which her people
win testify their respect for the faithful admin
sos- - Al. n, o,,I
1t has been the custom of war, sir for the
inhabitants Of captured cities to bring forth
the keys and lay them at the victor's feet. A
nobler Offering is rendered to you than was ever
surrendered to the conqueror: The hearts of
our people are here to greet you with grateful
and afectionate salutations, and bid you vel
come to our homes.