The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-06-19
THE GREAT SPEECH
E.ON. DANEEz. WEBSTER,

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II tie Inhabitants Of BaDalo, on The Questions Of
tie Day.
BUFFALO, May 90, 1851.
MIR. Webster delivered bis speech, which
he was invited to make, this afternoon, in
the Park, in the midst of rain storm,
which drenchod every person who was in
attendance, ladies and all, of whom there
were, at least, one hundred on the platform.
1t poured in torrents during the whole time,
but nothing daunted, Mr.. w. continued till
he had said all ho wanted to say. He
spoke ms follows:
citizens of tho city Of Buffalo: !
am very glad to see you'll meet you with
pleasure. II is not tho first timo, fellow
citizens, that have been in Buffalo; and
h ave always come to ii with pleasure. |,
is a great distance from my own home. J
am thankful that circumstances have cna-
bled mo to be here ngan, md ] regret that
untoward events deprived me of the pleas
urc Of being hero whom your distinguished
fellow citizen, the President Of the United
States, came among you, and received from
you, as he deserved, not only respectful,
but cordial welcome. The President Of
the United States has been resident a
nong you for moro than half his life. lie
has represented you in your State and ma
,ional councils. You know him aud all his
relations, both public and private, and it
would be bad taste for mo to say anything
Of him, except that wish to say, with some
degree Of emphasis, that since my connec-
ton with him in the administration OF the
government Of the United States, have
fully concurred with him in all his great
and leading measures, from the fact that
have been one of his council. But ! do not
wish to let j, rest on that presumption; ]
wish to declare that the principles Of the
President arc, as declared in his annual
message, bis letters, and all documents and
opinions which have proceeded from him,
or been issued by his authority, in regard
to tho great questions Of tho times; that all
these principles are my principles; and it
he is wrong in them, am, (appause,) and
always will be. (Applausc.)
Gentlemen, it has been suggested that
i. would be pleasant and agreeable to the
citizens of Buffalo, and their neighbors in
the county Of Erie, that would state to
YOU my opinions, such as they are, on the
present condition of the country, its pros
poets, its hopes, aud its dangers; and, TEL
low citizens, | hope 10 do that this day and
this hour, as far as my strength will per.
NIT.
Gentlemen, believe me, know where !
am. know to whom | am speaking. j
know for whom | am speaking. know
that nm here in this singularly prosper
Gus and powerful part Of the United States
Western Now York---and ! know the
character of the men who constitute Wes-
tern Now York. know they are sons OF
liberty, one and all; that thoy sucked "
liberty with their mothers milk-inherlted
| it with their blood that il is their daily con-
temptation and watchful thought. They
are men Of very singular quality OF con-
dtion for a million and half OF people.
There are men around us, and here before
us, who ill their own soil with their own
hands; and others who earn their own i've
ihood by their own labor, with no means
beyond their own industry, and their own
independence, and their own willingness 70
labor These are tho men who constitute,
to 90 great an extent, the people Of Western
New York. But the schoolhouses, know,
arc among them. Education is among
them. They read, and write, and think.
And here nre the fair eex-educatcd, REIN
cd, and intelligent; and here are men who
know the history Of their country, and the
laws Of their country, and the institutions
Of their country; and men, in my opinion,
lovers Of liberty, and they are yet lovers OF
liberty, under the constitution Of the coun-i
try, and who mean to maintain that constl-
tuition with all their strength, SO help them
God. (Great npplause.) hope these ob-
scryations will satisfy you that | know
where | am, under what responsibility ]
speak, and before whom appear, and
have no desir. that any word shall say