Washington telegraph., 1851-04-23

most glorious administration of the gov
ernment, aud conjure, and adjure them,
by every consideration that ought to
have weight with men, "Hold on fast bv
that Constitution which is the only se-
curity~for the liberty which cost me and
my associates a seven years war of
fire and blood" Applause.]
Gentlemen, forgive me. When think
in these times that there are so many
that are apparently disposed to underval-
ue the maxims and the character and
exhorlations of Washington, | confess
find myself borne away, often beyond
the power of self restraint; fear some
times beyond the limits of propriety.-
Our country consists in its liberty; our
country next consists in its institutions of
constitutional law; and, blessed be God.
our country (America) consists next in
the great example of those who have
gone before US, and have left that exam
pie. We are not Americans if we resist
| the examples of our predecessors any
more than if we trample upon the Con-
stitution, the work of their hands. If
we have zeal Amercan hearts in our
bosoms, everything they did to honor and
ennoble the country, impre.ses us with
sentiments of profound respect and re-
gard.
Gentlemen, will you allow me to in
terrupt the course of the few remarks
which had to make to you tonight, by
proposing TO you, out of the fulness Of
my heart, 1.-The glorious and immortal
memory of, George Washington.
This toast was drunk standing
Mr. Webster resumed-Mr President
and gentlemen: In the lapse of years,
and in the rising of one generation after
another. it may very possibly happen,
and we are sure that it does happen, and
has happened, that the exact principles
of the Uuon of these States are not al
ways properly conceived. 1t may not
be amiss, therefore though do not pur-
pose to entertain this company by dis
cussing upon common places-it may
not be amiss to recur now to what [ con-
ceive to be the original principle upon
which these colonies were united, the
objects for which they were united, and
the Limitation upon those Objects
These thirteen colonies. all of English
origin, were settled on this continent at
different times and under different cir
cumstancss. They had differences of
religious opinions. They had established
differences of local law and administra-
ton. They were, some of them, quite
remote from one another, but they were
all subject 70 the crown of England
And when, in the course of events, they
all thought. and thought truly, they had
just cause of complaint against the tyran-
ny of England, their object was to unite
III common cause against common
enemy. How unite? For what purpos-
es unite? For what ends unite? Why,
i: never entered into their conceptions
that they were to consolidate themselves
into one government; that they were to
cease to be Maryland, and Massachusetts,
and Carolina. Not at all But they
were to unite for those great purposes
which should enable them to make a
stand against the tyranny Of the Eng
lish government. They were 10 come to
an agreement upon things necessary for
that purpose. and nothing else. The OBJ
iects of common defence and the gener-
al welfare, and afterwards the objects
connected with commerce and revenue,
which were important to ALL were all
they adopted as principles and objects of
union and notwithstanding beyond
that
AS I have said, they had differences of
religious opinion. Gentlemen, your State
of Maryland was settled as Catholic
country, always tolerant, always liberal,
prosecuting nobody. Virginia was rather
inclined to the religious notions of the
Episcopal Church of England. My
countrymen at the North were not only
Protestant but Disenters., They were of
the school of Oliver Cromwell and Sir
Henry Vane. But what of that? When
all these colonies came together for the
general purpose Of defence against a
common enemy, what did they do? Did
they seek 10 merge and compound and
consolidate all these States into one great
community? No such thing. They
meant TO unite upon those objects which
were necessary for the common defence:
and they meant to leave every thing in
the control of the States, TO do just as
they thought proper. That was day
of Gberality and justice. 1t was day In
which religious opinions produced no et-
feet upon the general sentiments OF the
country in regard to the association OF
all the States for general defence. Why,
sir, did any body at the North, did any
Protestant descendant of Cromwell, or
any descendant of Henry Vane, whoever
he was, feel any less confidence In
the integrity. virtue, and patriotism OF
Charles Carroll, because he was Catho-
lie? Not at all. Nor did Maryland hes
itate to accord the need of patriotism
wherever it was due; to the Adamses, to
Alexander Hamilton, to MIR. King, or