The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-22

our duties There il no happiness in THE world save
only so far ~ We follow the path Of duty We can
not separate our duties from happiness any
more than can strip ourselves of our conscious
ness and reason and become BRUTE beasts, We
must meet all duties, and not seek to evade any.
There may be matters about which men differ; but
are they of such nature TO justify the risk of
dismembering the Union by pushing them to ex
tremes? Let Us stand up, citizens Of New York,
and keep all the contracts of our fathers, or break
them all Off But let not squirm-- lit 10
couth word, but it ID good Engish)-let US not
squirm, and wrigglc, and thwart, and bctray our
reason, and debauch our understanding, by at
tempting to sneak out OF the principles upon
which fathers laid the foundation of this great
Confederacy Much applause do not wish to
introduce political discussion here. speak only
of practical matters of vital importance-gre ma
tonal principles that common to all and
that involve the duties, tho interests and the hap
piness of every living under the protection OF
the General Government, whatever may be his To-
cal habitation, or whatever may be the hue of his
political complexion. loud cheers.l
81 now wish to call your attention to the gentle
men who have taken active part in this great
work ofpublic importance. find there seventeen
men, directors OF this company all of whom live
in the city Of New York, with the exception of one
highly respectable gentleman. Their names are
as follows: Benjamin Loder, president; Samuel
Marsh, vice president; Thomas j. Townsend, trea-
surer; Henry Sheldon, Daniel 8. Miller, Charles
M. Leupp, Shepherd Knapp Marshall o. Roberts,
Henry Suydam, jr, John J. Phelps, Homer Rams
DELL Cornelius Smith, Thomas w. Gale, Norman
White, William E. Dodge, Theodore Dekon, Will
liam b. Skidmore The secretary is Mr.. Nathaniel
Marsh. Tho chid engineer from lS45 to 1850 was
Major I. 5. Brown, now chief engineer of public
works in Russia From 1850 till the present time Mr..
Horatio Allen has been the chief engineer Mr.. Lo-
der, who devotcs much of his time and attention to
the affairs OF the company receives small compen-
saton. The other sixteen directors do not receive
cent Several ofthese gentlemen have for many years
given two hours of their time TO the prosecution of
this work, for one that they have devoted to their
own private business. They derive no benefit from
1t except what they derive in with the rest
| of the community; and such has been sometimes
the state of the finances that the whole thing must
nave been stopped, il they did not pledge their pr
waite fortunes, and raise heavy upon their in
dvidua security. heard the secretary say within
the last two days, that there time when there
was not dollar in the treasury, and not one could
be raised except at ruinous sacrifice. But these
men came forward with $365,O00 to save the en-
terprise. This call public spirit. They saw il
wasa work of great public utility, and they were
determined to carry it out, though they might be
| ruined in the attempt.
"in calling attention to this matter, last night,
referred to men who have taken lively interest in
works of public Importance i'll this State, and men.
| toned the name Of De Witt Clinton in particular
l knew him well. He was man of lofty and pa
triotic sentiments He lived in times when party
feeling ran high. He was reviled and ridiculed
The party papers of the day said he wanted t.
spend millions Of dollars in building big ditch
But he had seeing sagacity, that looked be-
yond the passions and preudices of the hour, which
he knew would melt away, by the progress of intel
| ligcnce, like mists before the morning | was
led to these remarks by reading thatDe Witt Gin
ton was here some thirty years ago. and projected
military road, Reconstructed by the State through
| the southern tier of counties, terminating a
Dunkirk, as the point of theec western scaI
| nearest to the waters of the ocean There il
an opinion of his on record; he thought, from tbt
depth of tho waters Of its spacious bay, the curva
turc of it's shores-the bar turned inwards--tha
Dunkirk ought to be adopted the connecting linl
with the lakes had the pleasure Of seeing to- day
how beautifully it lies, indented into the land anc
! was strongly impressed with the thought that i
is fitted to become a great harbor on the western
! waters. am not western New York man, no
| any New York man at all; but feel ii my duty t
advert to that distinguished citizen Of New York
| to whom, at this day, we can hardly pay too mucl
respect. He is gone TO his grave; but his poitica
wisdom, tested by time, ia proved to have been in
ferior to that of no in his day and generation
[Great chcering.l
Having now got through my remarks, which
have extended beyond what intended to say, lie
me, in conclusion, congratulate you on the cheer
fulness and the happiness that this great work ha
inspired among all whom have seen since lef
| the banks Of the Hudson.
| Ladies and gentlemen, accept in the first plac
my warmest gratitude for the reception you hav
| given sojourner, and, in some sort, stranger
on arriving in your village; and, in the secon,
place, for your kindness in coming here this even
| ing to hear whose heart beats with the sam
pulsatons of affection as your own"
Mr. WEBSTER thus concluded amidst enthu
sastic plaudits, and was then introduced indi
vidually to a number Of ladies' and gentlemen.