The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-02

nanuer, oincercd by webster and Hall, and Stu
art and Crittenden, her the yeomanry of the
country, her compass the Constitution and tho
Laws, may defy the tempests which howl, and
the breakers which foam around her, until she rides
in triumphant security in the safe anchorage of q
preserved and prosperous Union, amid the accla-
nations and the blessings of united and happy
people. Sir, the Union must be preserved; and, with
a and inlexible obedience TO the Constitution
of the country fear not the parrcidal efforts OF
abolitonists disunionists.
"'The earth hath bubbles as the water hath,
| And these are Of them
"But, Mr.. President, there must be a period in
| coming time when the existence of governments
as of individuals, will be numbered among the
things that were--when even this glorious Union
now towering in the pride of its strength--th,
model among the nations of the earth-the home
of the homelessthe city Of refuge for the desolatt
| and ppressed-having achieved the destiny de-
signed for il by the God of nature and nations
must, like all things finite, close its career; anc
when that sad day shall come-long and late may
its advent be-may it please the God who has ever
protected and overruIed its fortunes to let its END
be as brilliant as its life-not cngulphed in the
ocean of destruction and violated covenants, in.
testine broils and fraternal feuds; but the North
and the South, the East and West, battling in one
oommoncause against common enemy like some
gallant fleet defeated, but not subdued by the ar
tillery of her adversary, go down with drums beat
ing, and colors flying, with guns shotted and
matches lighted, without fear, and without re-
| proach.
| "Again, Mr.. President, in the name and on be.
half of my constituents bid you. and those with
| you, welcome-welcome."
| To this address the PRESIDENT responded as
| follows:
"MR CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW CITIZENS: To
these repeated welcomes only return my re-
peated thanks My journey, from the time left
Washington to my arrival here, has been through
n country entirely unknown TO me-a country of
great novelty to me. and country of great his
torical interest And during the whole of it, per-
nit me to say there is point where that interest
has been greater than in visiting your beautiful
city.
"Here am told were the play grounds of Wash
! ington Here was where he drank in those lessons
of youth which eminently fitted him, in his
manhood, for the defence of his country against
the tyrannies Of power, and for the establishment
of Union which trust the citizens of this town
will be the last to abandon.
"Here, too, repose, have been told, the ashes of
his mother. Precious relics Can it be possible
that treason can find its growth here? No, sir; no,
Union, or factonists at the other, may do, the men
reared upon the soil where Washington stood can
never be traitors
IA voice in the crowd, "True' true!" and great
cheers
"Sr, visit your town with common interest.
have trayersed your streets, and met your citi-
zens with no ordinary satisfaction. The beautiful
military array that has welcomed US, the courte-
sizes have received from your public authorities,
and from individuals, all seem to indicate to my
mind not merely personal courtesies, but vene-
ration for the Constitution of our country, and for
that Union which it maintains.
"Sir, am unprepared to address you. / had
supposed the address made to me at the cars;
and can only, to these repeated welcomes, repeat
my thanks, and, may venture to say, the thanks
of those described in the beautiful figure you have
expressed-and which is all true except in regard to
myself-as to the other officers who have controlled
the ship of State. AS to the crew here, sir, when
the vessel shall demand theft assistance, every man
know will be found at his post" [Great and pro-
longed cheering.]
Mr. N. X. HALL, the Postmaster General,
was then introduced to the audience, whom he
addressed as follows:
"FELLow -CITizRKs ! am greatly gratified with
the reception which we have met with in this city,
full Of historical interest SO we'll calculated to
excite patriotic sentiments. have been extremely
gratGed, too, to witness at every step in pro-
gress, during the short journey which have
made in Virginia, the manifestations of confidence
in the Administration, of which am happy to be the
humbest member. The long personal associations
which have maintained with the President, his
intimate personal friend, have given right to
feel more than a common interest in his success,
and peculiar qualification that his course of con-
duct has been such as to meet the approval of his
fellow citizens.
81 thank you for the cordial reception which you
have given thank you for the kind manner
in which you have received myself / trust that
under no circumstances, while live, or while my
children live, will the people of fredericksburg,
and that portion of the country where shall reside
be other than citizens of the same glorious Union,
under that Constitution under which your fathers
and ours go long and glorously lived
al return you again my most sincere and
dial thanks for this very gratifying reception
Mr. STUART, the Secretary of the Interior,
was then introduced to the audience, whom he
addressed as follows:
"FELLow- CITIZENS: The complimentary manner
in which my name has been announced TO you by
your chairman demands at my hands the express
sion Of my grateful thanks. am happy, fellow
CluZenB, 10 DeIOTe lilb aSBeuDlage OF the
yeomanry of Eastern Virginia. Coming, as do,
from beyond the Blue mountains, it is a source of
infinite qualification to assembled around me
those who, although belonging to different SEC
ton, feel are all Virginians. Fellow citizens, we
have seen of late within our State limits the agi
tation of questions which threatened, to some
extent, the integrity of this old Commonwealth
We have heard it said that this venerable Old
Dominion was to be rent in twain-that we
to have Old Virginia east of the mountains,
and New Virginia west of the mountains. God for
bid that | should live ever to sec such a result
tCheers.] God forbid that | should see the day
when l could not come TO the town of Fredcricks-
burgthe land Of the Merccrs and Of the other die
tinguished families who here did service to our
country in the revolutionary strugge-and fee
that had title to call them brethren. Far dis
tant be the day when should be compelled to give
up my share in the glories of Yorktown and of all
the scenes which have been illumined by the deeds
Of our ancestors. No, fellow citizens, am happy
Il. a. AL a