Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-05-30

derabe man in the United States, and better
able than any other, if he were go disposed.
(Which we BY no means CHARGE to make the
wrong appear the better reason lie is inds-
putably the leading spirit of President FILL
noRr's Cabinet, and nobody should wonder or
complain that those who disrust Mr.. WEBSTER,
dstrust the Administration.
During the recent excursion OF the President
and Messrs. WEBSTER, CRIrrESDEN, GRAHAM
and HALL, of bis Cabinet, from Washington TO
Western New York and back. Mr. WEBSTER
has evidently been the observed Of all observers,
and it is equally apparent that he knew it, vi
the numerous speeches he made in the "pro-
sre.s" from New York 10 Albany, via Lake
Etie, there is not one that does not contain in
,srnal evidence that the distinguished speaker
was well aware that what he said would be "set
in II note-book and, certainly, so far as we
have noticed his speeches, they might most OF
them, be act in "A notebook, and "earnd and
connd by rotc," afterwards, with advantage
and instruction to his hearers. Not one of them,
however brief or accidental, omits TO inculcate
tie good principle of love for this noble Union,
uron whose stability and perpetuity so many
hopes, and SO large a responsibility to mankind,
rest nor does scarcely one Of them fail to in
form us that the said Union has recently been
in very considerable danger from civil war"
Now our opinion, lit is ircomparahIy less i'm
portant than Mr.. WEBsTEEs, of course, but
still it is onr opinion, and that is all the Free
Press prctcnds to gve) is that the Cnion is in
Jus, as great d" danger io-day, as it was year
ago to-aay,--anl, if South Carolina is 10 be
taken into the estimate, good deal greater.
We arc sorry we have not been able to bring
ourselves up to the necessary standard OF APP
ueheusion on this vital question, But when
We have seen the gallant Unionists of Georgia
Alabama, Tennessee aud other Slayehodng
States, ro'ing do,cn the disnnion terrorists OF
all occasions when the opportunity offered, We
are obliged to confess that the cry Of alarm tina
has been raised has not quickencd our pulse
though we profess and fee as profound an al
tachment to the Union as any body else.
has always appeared to US that danger to th
Union is so remote, (being threatened by nobc
DIV but the South Carolina radicals and the poll
teal fanatics Of the North of the Garrison an
Emerson school as to be hardly worth geItn
excited about Our gratitude, therefore, t
Messrs. Dickinson, CasS, Fooie If Co.., ft
"sa,ing this Union has hardly ever reache
81 Fahrenheit. Perhaps we ought to
ashamed TO say it, but such is the simple fac
But our principal purpose in this article,
20 ley before our readers Geographic abstrat
of the speech made by Mr.. WEBSTER in Blu
falo, on Thursday, the 22d inst. This wa
the most elaborate and studied of all tn
speeches made by that gentleman during tn
excursion. We invite the attention of OF
readers to the following brief telegraph
synopsis of it which We find in the Boston "A
rertiSer of Saturday -
Mr.. Webster's Speech at Buffalo.
The following is a condensed report of III
speech of Hon. Daniel Webster, to the citizen
OF Buffalo.
After a few complimentary words 10 the cit
zens, and Il fslicItOus Illusion to the presidcn
Mr.. Webster proceeded 10 say in substance =
'Gentlemen, there is but one general eadin
question in this country and that is, can we
preserve tie Union By the administration of III
Constitution as TO give content and salstactio
10 all sections Question that is the question
Now, how did this question arise ? The ques
ton is forever misstated. We all know thu
every man in the State of New York is attach
cd to the Union, but that is not the point Tn
real question is whether You and the rest Of tn
people of New York will so administer tn
Constitution, as to permit your brethren to re
man in the Union. Question?
No'r, eeml'men sPcaF Of no concession,-
If the Sohth wish any concession from me, The
wn't gei it-not hairs breaddt oi H. UHc
come to nlv houSe far il, they 'co1I find H.
shall coucede nothing, but will maintain ID
them, and for YOU, to the utmost of my powc
and in the face IF all danger, their and you
rights under the Constitution, and God forsak
me and nv children if ever be found to fal,C
IN one or the other. We all know that the or
Gin Of the agitation Of the country is slavery
But we must bear it, and deal with it earnest,
honestly, and Justly. At the time Of the 70
nation of the Constitution, slavery existed
the Southern States, enlaed on them BY Brit
ish laws. 1t was obnoxious to the middle State
and disiked by the Southern States themselves
Now, how did our fathers deal with It The
tratned a constitution which your ancestor
aQupted IN NIllCh was All express pToNI<IpH II
restoring the fugitive slave 10 his master TIL;
lad been the history of the country from il
frst settlement 1t was a matter Of commo
practice to return fugltives, before the consti
tuition was framed. Now here is the consrit,
ton, and have taken pains to transcribe the,
words:
IMr. W. here read the clause relating
fugitive slaves,
Is there any mistake about that. No imNe
alive. Now gentleman that is the constt' tiol
Do we or do we not mean to execute il Ther
- not a man who holds or can hold an ollie
under this Government or under any Stat
Government who does not become bound by
s.Iemu oath before "God' to support the Con
slu'ion. Is he to tamper with that! Is he
fater?
Gentlemen, ] have Arrays couiend'd that a,
measure cIiculaicd IN bring Sidtc territory IN
the Iuit,d Nt0tes, paS dcyoad HE p0rer of &
Constitution, and against its provisions. IH'
has Arrays been my opinion, and il remains ~
changed lnerer 'couH co@enih hat there Shom
be one foot( Stare territory deyolm rh0t The q
. J a. T., / Il al,