Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-08-02
LETTER FROM Mn. WEBSTER.

II
Letter from tho Secretary Of State TO citizens OF
Wssf Dennis, in reply " an invitation TO visit that
1 place. II has those peculiar charms which distin-
guish all Mr.. WEssTER's epistolary writngs and
displays the minuieness and tenacty Of early asso-
Citations, amounting sometimes to dignifed ten
derness of feeling, of which the great Statesman
has given more than one illustration in the letters
he has recently written Comm. .Aduerfiser.
WAsmssros, Jurr IA, 1851.
GEsrLrmEs have received your friendly letter Of the
4h Of this month, and highly grsed with the patriotic
sentiments expressed therein Indeed should have expect
ed nothing else because such sentiments worthy Of those
Pilgrim Fathers from whom you descended as well Of
| the general character Of your community.
will give much satisfaction, if circumstances should
allow. accept your invitation to pass day among you
10 the time, shall be most happy send to each Of
you such productions Of mine may fully explain my sen
in respect to the great questions Of the present
With Of you have the pleasure Of being personally
acquainted have often been 10 your good Of Dem
mis-, well In all the other towns the Cape. see
also attached to your letter many not personally known
me, but belonging families with which have had &C
quainance in former times always found the air Of
your county delightful in summer, and there many sea
views remarkably 6ne; and suppose ought to confess
ao that in these my pleasant visits did not entirely neglect
the streams highly estimated by the anglers who have
thrown The fly in them.
Gentlemen, the nature Of your population somewhat Pc
cua have often been struck by the very great number
captains well other mariner, which the county Of
Barnsiabe and the neighborng islands furnish On The
Csps and the islands have frequently with per-
sons who seemed well acquainted with the Galapagos
Islands the Sandwich Islands. and parts Of New Ho
land, with counties Of Hampshire and Berkshire
was engaged in the trial Of in your district
in which question respecting the into the
habo OF O~yhee between reefs of coral rock guarding on
ether side The council for the opposite party proposed
call Witnesses to give information the jury concerning this
entrance. at once smile, which thought under
Stood and suggested 70 the Judge that very probably
the jurors bad seen the entrance themselves upon which
out OF the twelve jurors and said that they
qle amilarly acquainted with it. having seen it often.
The occurrence, dare say, remembered by that
worthy man and eminent judge, living, as happy
know, and enjoying in advanced life the affection Of his
friends and the respect Of all who know him Judge
Putnam This incident shows the nature Of the employ
ments pursued by your neghbos and yourselves.
With the elderly gentlemen Of your county have
bad the pleasure Of frequent conversations concerning early
revolutionary times and especially respecting that extraord
nary man, James Otis have been where he lived and
examined such Of bis papers could find but in the latter
part Of his life he destroyed most Of his correspondence Mr.
Tudor has written very good history of bis life and you
al know the emphatic euogy pronounced him by the elder
Adam, viz. that Il James Otis who the ball Of the
Revolution in motion. Wsrm, eloquent, and highly impss-
stoned in the cause liberty bis brilliant life terminated
a.t j. Y = II i
None were earlier to begin, perseverngly main
ained more zealousy struggled mantan the of
Revolution than the people on the Cape All the region
about James Os and the Thomases and the other true
hearted patriots OF those times, to Of classic
ground remote, without large Cities scattered along an ex-
tensve coast, there yet, think, in part Of coun-
y ferven devotion to the patriotic cause than was
manifested by your
Gentlemen, am you sscribe quite much merit to
my efforts in behalf Of the Union and Of the institution
can only say have done what COULD and all that could
and bat shall not slacken my hand Perhaps is naurr
that you should be attached free and regular constitutions
Of government since ell know that the first written cons,u-
ton in the country composed and signed on board Of the
Mayfowe while she riding anchor in one Of the har-
bors Of the Cape Your own prosperity gentlemen the
cess OF all your leading pursuits the prosperity your couny
and Of the whole State Of this moment
living n,s Of the benefits conferred by
Of the United States, and the administration Of government
under it.
Your soil has always been free soil; us such you ard
your have cultivated for centuries It needs no
new christening; but what the people of Massachusetts
wanted, and your county among the rest before the ado-
ton Of the present Constitution, SEAS free seas
on which their industry could be displayed and their national
rights projected.
By the blessing Of Providence they enjoyed this ee
dom and this protection for long years. and have
aourished and prospeed under them beyond all former
ample.
What your soil be not Of the richest quality wha, if il
be not fertile like western New Yok and the Western States
still hardly know part OF The county in which the people
enjoy substa al comfort have raversed the whole
from the ssosds in Provnceown the line Of Plymouth
without seeing instance Of ragged poverty Of absolute
want. Your labors the In more emphatic
than be said Of any other people, your home
he Deep Nevertheless, the home If your families the
home Of your affections the home to which you with
much glaness Of heat Is in the various towns on the
Cape, where all your treasures be-"
trust that there is not among you who doe, not
feel and that the prosperity Of bis labor is mainly
ed with The administration of the Government Of the Uned
States and therefore trust that the political air Cape
will always remain healthy its amos phere and
that il will be free from faction and fanacsm is from
go and yapors.
Hyour hardy and enterprsing young 60 eastward,
pursuing their empoymenis the Bay Of Chalsur the
Straits. the Grand Bank do they receive sive
protection and mt from the laws the Uated
States they take wider range and in pursuit Of larger
west SOUTH north, in the Pacific do they no, find
that they safely eoversd by the sbe Of fag which
no power earth ventures treat with disrespeci
My friends Of Wet Dennis discourage ancu IDEAS abb
strsct noiops and all nconsderae attempts reach ends
which, however desirable in themselves, placed within
The compass Of your abilities duties Hold on, nv trends
TO the Co stu ion d your country, and the Government on
tabbed under IT, Leave evils which exist some parts
the country, but which beyond your conol TO the all
wise direction Of overuing Providence Perform those
duties which present, plain, and positive Respect the
la ss Of yonr couoty uphold American institutions ms far
as you abe consult the chart and compass keep an
eye on the by day. and The both o the
Souh and Of the North by night and always feeling and
acting as If united constitutional American liberty were
IN SINE degree, committed your CHARGE keep her.
depends on you clear II the Whatever
you traverse on whatever dis ant bows you tossed