The southern press., 1851-07-04

refined and educated women, Ike those who
now throug this wide hall, it would be moet ad-
mirable stal, So, If either were here, your conn
try would b. bssutiful and fascinating, and you,
gentlemen. know how fascinating il must DC
when both are so happily combined lGreat ap'
plause.
But mast now turn my attention to the
toast which has been. read by my triend--s
friend OF long standing--at the head OF the
table must attribute its terms to The partial
ty offriendship and am sure that they are
somewhat extrayagant dscaim having done
any thing in support and defence, and in the
maintenance of the Constitution, except what
have done in cooperation with other abler men
with men Of high character and true devotion to
their country and its political institutions APP
plause. was bred, gentlenen--indeed,
might almost say was born--in admiration OF
our political institutions. | have studied long,
and in fact have studied little else OF a political
nature. All the public acts of my life have bean
| performed in the service Of the general govern
ment. ! have never held any Office under any
State government, and, with the exception OF a
| fews days only, have never been a member OF
a State legislature. am, as you may know, a
lawyer, and from necessity laborious one.
know not how the bread of deness tastes, for
| have never had bit of it in my mouth Great
applause. This. perhaps, sayors OF self com
mediation; but hope it may be pardoned. If,
in the discharge Of my public duties and in the
performance Of my public services, my private
interests have suffered and been neglected, am
amply compensated by the hope that if leave
no broad estate, no rich accumuatiOns, | shall
leave at least an inheritance not entirely disre :
u'able to those who shall come after me. En-
thusiastic appIause.)
20 TOD throu ~, -
my life upon those principles which governed
your ancestors and my own New England an
cestors in the time that tried mems souls that
is to say, in the revolutionary struggle, and in
that OF lcr most important period which witnessed
the establishment Of general government. All
know that in this last high and important pro-
ceeding Virginia took an eminent lead. She saw
that, to the disgrace of the country, the debt Of
the revolution remained unpaid, and that gallant
officers and brave soldiers, who had brought
wounds and sears and broken limbs from the
batte-felds Of liberty. were reduced to poverty
and want. and some of them almost literally
begging their bread. The great and good men
of other States felt the same evil and their hearts
were rung by a similar anguish.
An English poet has said that there was
time when for an Englishman it was fame enough
ssThat Chatham's language was his native tongue,
AndWolte's great name compatriot with his own"
Now, gentlemen, it is fame enough for me, if
it may be thought that in my political conduct
have maintained, defended, and acted upon the
principles cf Virginia and Massachusetts, as
these principles were proclaimed and sustained
in the two great epochs in the history of our
country-the revolution and the adoption Of the
present constitutional government If | have
worked steadily to this end | am sure that,
whether much has been done or little has been
DONE it has been directed towards good pur-
rose. Loud applause. All that Il say to-day,
and all that may say on similar occasions,
wish to be in the spirit of Washington and Ma
Olson, Wythe and Pendleton, and the prescribed
patriots Of Massachusetts, Hancock and Samuel
Adams. Applause.] If these and other great
founders of our liberty and fathers Of our Con-
stitution erred then have erred then have
been the most incorligible of political sinners.
Laughter But if they were right, then ven
turc TO hope that am right also; and neither
principalites nor powers, nor things present nor
things to come, shall eradicate that hope from
my breast. r Loud and enthusatics cheering
| The leading sentiments in the toast from the
the chair is the Union of the States. The
UNION OF THE STATES. What mind can compre-
| hend tho consequences of that Union, past,
present, and to come! The Union Of these
States is the all absorbing topic of the day; on
it all men write, speak, think, and date, from
the rising Of the sun to the going down
thereof Applause. And yet gentlemen,
fenr its Importance has been but insufliciently
appreciated. Like all common blessings, how
ever great it has been Of late years too little
the subject of reflection. The unthinking and
careless hardly take heed of that atmosphere
which supports their lives from day to day and
from hour to hour. As the sun rises in the
morning, follows its track through the heavens.
and goes down at night, we notice its course,
enjoy its light and heat, and when we see it sink
beneath the western horizon, we have no doubt,
we do not think fthe possibility that it may not
appear for another day. We are in no fear of
perpetual darkness, or the return Of chaos So
it is with our political system under A United
Government and National Constitution. To
these most of us were born; we have lived un-
der their daily blessings, as if those blessings
were not only matters Of course, but imperish-
able also. But alas gentlemen, human s:rra-
lures, however strong, do not stand upon the
everlasting laws Of nature, They may crumble
they may fall, republican Institutions of govern
ment will assuredly sooner or later crumble and
fall, if there shall not continue to be among the
people an intelligent regard for such iustitu-
'lpHs, al pFrdI "pPItIihbioH vi t1elE ntHtHtS, anu
a spirited purpose to uphold and maintain them.
And when they shall crumble and ALL the polit-
cal catastrophe will resemble that which would
happen in the natural world, where the sun to
be struck out of heaven.
II this Union were to be broken up by nulli-
fcaton, separation, secession, or whats ever
event of equally rcpulsive name and character,
chaos would come again, and where all is now
light and joy and gladness, there would be
spread over us darkness like that of Erebus
Yet gentlemen, ! have little patience with
those who talk hippantly of secession and dis
union they do not appear to me to understand
Of what they speak, nor to have the least idea
Of its consequences. If they have any mean
ing. do not comprehend that meaning Sup
pose this Union were dissolved to-day, where
would we be tomorrow ! think n state of
things would arise In which | should feel dis.
posed to take shelter in the caverns Of the /
mountains, or seek some other place Of obscu-
rity in which | should not witness the degrs.
dation and ruin Of the country Every such
anticipation presents a gloomy ana horrible pic
- "a l. - L