The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-03


acter and true devotion to their country and its
political institutions. [ApplAuse.l was bred,
gentlemen-indeed, might almost say / was
born-in admiration Of our political institutions.
have studied long, and, in fact have studied little
else Of political nature. All the public acts OF
my life have been performed in the service of the
General Government. have never held anyof-
flee under any State government, and, with the
exception of a few days only, have never been a
member Of a State Legislature. l am, as you may
know, lawyer, and from necessity laborious
| one know not how the bread of idleness tastes,
for never had bit of il in my mouth. [Great
| applause. This, perhaps, savors Of self-commen-
dation but hope il may be pardoned. If, in the
discharge of my public duties and in the perform.
| ance 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 accumulatons shall leave at least
an inheritance not entirely disreputabe to those
who shall come after me. Enthusiastic applause.
| profess, gentlemen, to have acted throughout
my life upon those principles which governed your
ancestors and my own New England ancestors in
the time that tried mems souls; that is to say, in
the revolutionary struggle, and in that other most
important period which witnessed the establish
ment of General Government. All know that in
this last high and important proceeding Virginia
took eminent lead She saw that, to the dis
grace of the country, the debt Of the Revolution
manned unpaid, and that gallant officers and brave
| soldiers, who had brought wounds and scars and
broken limbs from the battle fields of liberty were
| reduced to poverty and want, and some ofthem al
| most 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 a time
when for an Englishman it was fame enough
':That CHATHAN's language was his native tongue,
And WoLFE'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 princi-
Piles of Virginia and Massachusetts,, as these prin-
ciples were proclaimed and sustained in the two
great epochs in the history of our countryside
Revolution and the adoption of the present consti-
tutional Government. If / have worked steadily
to this end am sure that, whether much has been
done little has been done, thas been directed to-
wards good purpose. loud applause.l All that
say to-day, and all that may say on similar oc-
casions, wish to be in the spirit of Washington
and Madison, Wythe and Pendleton, and the pro-
scribed patriots of Massachusetts, Hancock and
Samuel Adams. [Applause.l If these and other
great founders of liberty and fathers of Con-
stitution erred, then have erred then have been
the most ncouigible of political sinners. laugh.
teri But if they were right, then venture to
hope that am right also and neither principa-
ties nor powers, nor things present nor things to
come, shall eradicate that hope from my breast.
loud and enthusiastic cheering.1
The leading sentiment in the toast from the chair
ia the Union of the States The UNION OF THE
STATES! What mind can comprehend the conse-
quences 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
dilate, from the rising of the to the going down
thereof. [Applause.l And yet, gentlemen, | fear
its importance has been but insufficiently appre-
ciated. Like all common blessings, however great,
it has been Of late years too little the subject Of
Election. 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 it's track through
the heavens, and goes down at night, notice its
course, enjoy its light and heat and when we see it
sink beneath the western horizon, have no doubt,
do not think of the possibility that it may not ap
pear for another day Weare in fear of perpetual
darkness, the return ofchaos So is it with our po
litical system under united Government and Ma
tional Constitution. To these most Of us were born;
we have lived under their daily blessings as if those
blessings were not only matters of course but inf
perishabe also. But alas, gentlemen, human
structures, however strong, do not stand upon the
everlasting laws OF nature. They may crumbe,
they may fall; and republican institutions of gov
eminent will assuredy sooner or later crumbe
and fall, if there shall not continue to be among
the people an intelligent regard for such institu-
tions, great appreciation of their benefits and
spirited purpose to uphold and maintain them.
And when thoy shall crumble and fall, the politi-
cal catastrophe will resemble that which would
happen in the natural world were the sun to be
struck out of heaven. If this Union were to
be broken up by notification, separation, seces-
sion whatsoever event of equally repulsive name
and character, chaos would como again, and where
all is light and JOY and gladncss, there would be
spread over darkness like that of Erebus. Yet,
gentlemen, have little patience with those who
talk flippantly of secession and dsunion; they do
not appear to to understand of what they
speak, nor to have the least idea of it's conse.
quenccs. If they have any meaning, / do not com
prehend that meaning. Suppose this Union were
dissolved to-day, where would we be to- morrow
think state of things would arise in which
should feel disposed to take shelter in the caverns
of the mountains. seek some other place of OBJ
security in which should not witness the degrade
ton and ruin of the country Every such antici-
patton presents gloomy and horrible picture; it
is a vast Serbonian bog. never saw happy
in it, unless he thought he about getting out.
How could man be happy in it hopelessly up to
bis middle in mud? Laughtcr.l Those who love
the Union ardenty, and who mean to defend it
CALAMITY, are happy, cheerful, with bright and
buoyant hopes for the future, and full Of manly
frmness and resolution. But secession and dis
union are region of gloom and morass and swamp;
cheerful breezes fan it, spirit of health visits
ii /; it is all malaria. Il ia all fever and ague.
Laughter and great applause.l Nothing beauti-
ful useful grows in it; the traveller through it
breathes masma, and treads among every thing
unwholesome and loathsome. II is like the region
Of your great Dismal Swamp it isall
Tangled juniper. beds of weeds,
With many fen where the serpent feeds,
And man never trod before" [Langhter.l
For one, have no desire to breathe such an
air, or 10 have such footing for my walks. Zap.
plause
Gentlemen, am aware that the respect paid to
mo do 10 in If nv aupnort the