Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-11-15
Another Speech from 16r. Webster.

Another Speech from 16r. Webster.
There was a great Wing meeting at Salem
Mass, on the Oath ult. A great many young
men from Boston were present. On their re-
turn to Boston they marched to the Revere
House, where the Secretary of State was
lodging. They cheered Justify for Mr.. Web
ster. who arose from his bed and addressed
them as follows, from his chamber window; we
onote the Journal report:
Gentlemen, l am very much obliged to you
for this call of civili'y and respect, after your
return from your excursion down to the an
cient citv of Salem. You have been down
there. fellow.citiZcns, to consult with your
friends upon the political questions of the day
| TO hold counsel together, and to see what you
can best do, and they can best d. to uphold
and maintain the liberties of the country un-
der the institutions established by our faith
ers.
Fellow.citizens, in the natural world there
are certain standards to guide our conduct ana
direct our knowledge &c. There are also, III the
political world, elementary and fixed pr'nc1-
ples bv which we must govern ourselves
There is n compass that carries the mariner
ocross the ocean, and there is a compass that
directs men who exercise the elective fran
chise how they shall serve the great end OF 60
yernment, the liberty of the nation. Over
your head, and over my head, there is the
great polar star, and besides that there are sew
eral other luminaries that point to him, that
tell us where he is and where we are to look
for him, and if we see them we know where
he is. And so in our political concerns we
must not loose our polarity.
Crisis sometimes occur, when men need to
be called back to consider the original primer.
ples of the Government under which they live.
We live in such a moment, when 1t seems as
if there was an earnest desire TO dissolve the
constitutional and legal restraints under which
we dwell as a people.
think the crisis has passed over. J think
the country is recovering itself North and
South. There is less feeling at the South in
favor of breaking off from the Union. They
have found an admirably convenient omnibus
in "co-operation," in which to ride out OF their
difficulty. How those at the North, who are
arraved against the peace and harmony OF the
country, when they find themselves in a mi
nority, as they certainly will, will extricate
themselves from their position, and in what
kind of a convenience they will escape remains
to be seen.
He wished them well. lie wished that they
might turn from being insane persons to sane
persons, and with full hearts acknowledge the
country which honors them, and which they
are bound to honor-a country as extensive rs
the Government under which they live, and
which is Que of the greatest nations that ever
existed.
Now, he asked, what is in the future for us.
Are we to be severed and scattered in shreds
and patches! Is there to be a Northern con-
federacy and a Middle confederacy! If so,
what is to become of the E Pluribus Tnum
which hangs over our heads? "a voice in the
crowd-Preserved.) And | will live no longer
than it shall be preserved. Tremendous
cileers.)
Now, fellow-cilizcns, continued Mr.. Web
ster, in the course of events there are certain
questions which lose their importance, and give
place to others Of paramount Moment. Thu
great question now is, in the North and the
South-or he would say with us of the South
and US of the North-is now SO to act, and con-
fer, and defer, as to hold together. And to Sc
cure this, | invoke the spirit of Washington,
and the remembrance of his virtues. ! invoke
the spirits of the fathers Of New England
the men of Salem, and of Essex, and Of Boston
to inspire you and me with new and fresh
resolution to defend the Government which
they established to the last extremity and to
perish with it if it must perish.
Mr.. Webster then alluded to the assemblage
before him as being composed of young men
many of whom he knew, and more OF whose
fathers he had known, and reminded them that
them ould devolve the duty of sustaining
the instit utions Of the country, and urged
them to discharge that duty with hearts filled
with patriotism.
He counsel!ed his young friends, in proceed.
ing to the political duties which were immedi-
ately before them, to bear in mind that they
were not only citizens of Boston, of Massa-
chusetts, and Of New England, but American
one and ALTO realize that their rep
and homo. were linked with that of
the ir whole country-and to remember that
could disgrace that country which
would not disgrace them. But he said he
no such result.
Go on, he said; "Be just and fear not. Let
all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, thy
Gods and truths" and God bless your efforts.
Gentlemen, good night.
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