The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-28

doubt how the great commercial metropolis
Of the country feels and acts, or hereafter
will feel and act on questions involving pub
lie int .rests Of such INDISPENSABLE magnitude
{ Applause.
We .bavs recently been informed, geutle-
mep, OF an open act OF resistance to law in
The city Of Boston and if the accounts be
correct OF the circumstances of this occur
renee, It is, strictly speaking, case OF trea-
SON. (Great cheering.) If men combine
and confederate together, and by force Of
arms OF force Of numbers, eAectuay resist
the operation of an act of Congress, in its
application to particular individual, with
the ayowed purpose Of making the same re-
sIstance to the same act in its application to
all other individuals, this is levying war
against the United States, and is nothing less
than treason. (Renewed applause Now,
] understand that the persons concerned in
this outrage in Boston avow openly their full
purpose OF preventing, by arms, or by the
power OF the multitude, the execution Of
process for the arrest Of an alleged fugitive,
in any and all cases whatever
am sure, gentlemen, that shame will
turn the cheeks, and Indignation fill the
heats Of nineteen-twentieths of the people OF
Boston, at the avowal Of principles and the
commission of outrages so abominable e.
[Great cheering Depend upon it, that if
the people of that city had been informed Of
any such purpose or design as was carried
into effect in the courthouse in Boston, on
Saturday last, they would have rushed to the
spot and crushed such nefarious project into
the dust. The vast majority Of the people
oil Boston, must necessarily suffer in feelings;
but ought not to suffer at all in their charac-
ter and honor, or in their loyalty to the Con-
sttution, from the acts of such persons as
composed the mob. venture to say that
when you hear Of them next, you will learn
that, personally, collectively, as individuals,
and also as represented in the city councils,
they will give full evidence OF their fixed
purpos. to wipe away and obiterate, to the
full extent Of their power, this foul Blot on
the reputation of their city. (Great APP
plause.
And now, gentlemen, when projects Of
dissolution have taken SO much of form and
pressure in public bodies in the South, and
when lawless violence, tramping on the pub
lie authorities, stalks forth so boldly in the
North, you will see that your work, highly
prosperous thus far, is nevertheless not yet
concluded. 1t is wise and patriotic, there
fore, that you commemorate your love OF
country, strengthen your resolution to main
tain the Constitution, the Union and the
laws, by uniting to celebrate the anniversary
Of the great father of his country. You do
well to call to memory his services, to revive
in your own bosoms his love Of liberty and
order, and to draw in patriotic inspiration
from his principles and his examples. For
these principles, and this example, there will
be found respect and admiration everywhere.
where there is true love for the institution:
Of the country.
| And every American may well doubt ths
patriotism OF his own heart, when he find.
that in that heart veneraton for Washington
begins to be languishing and dying away.
/ Gentlemen, the path of duty before yo'
and before me is plain and broad. 1t is +
do our duty and our whole duty thorough,
and iearlessly; it is to embrace the free in
sttutions Of pm country, and to hold then
up, with all Dur might, as if it were our las
struggle upon earth And then, if the bloc,
of civil war shall flow, it will not stain on
garments if disgraceiu outrages, gaining
strength by indulgence and temporary sue,
cess, shall proceed from stage to stage, til
they destroy the lives of men women ant
children, pull down and demolish the temple.
Of justice, and even wrap cities in flames
you and |, and our characters and memory
both now and with posterity, will at leas
escape the consuming conhagration of re-
proach.
| am, gentlemen, your
much obliged serv't.,
DANIEL WEBSTER