The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-04-04
LETTER OF MR.. CAsS.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 18. lS

w EcJ AOJ 1OO1s
Gentlemen-Happy have you chosen the
22d of February as a time for the American
people to come together, to interchange congrat-
ulations upon the political blessings we enjoy.
for they will come together upon the birth day
Of him, whose counsels and conduct were, under
Providence, amoung the principal causes OF
their acquisition. The day and the object are
in beautiful unison; and though cannot accept
your invitation, yet my heart will be with you,
for in devotion to the Union, and in reverence
for the memory of the greatest of its advocates
and founders, whose warning voice. in its de-
fence; now speaks to US from the tomb, yield
to none OF all the mighty ihroDg. who, on that
daY, and from ocean to ocean, will thank God,
that he gave them such country to love, and
such countryman to initiate in life, and honor
IN death. A leader in war, ruler in peace. and
first in both, and always patriot citizen, obey
ino the law like the humblest, even when clothed
with the highest authority, accepting power with
reluctance, and surrendering it with alac.ity, be
guided his country through the perilous crisis
of the Revolution and through the still more
perous crisis, threatening civil anarchy that
followed it, till his hopes and abors were crown
ed by Constitution and Union, which, in The
expressive language of our own armorial scroll,
have made us one from many. and which now
govern and protect mighty community, reach
ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and enjoying
a larger measure of prosperity in possesson
and OF true greatness in prospect than ever be-
| fore fell to the lot of people. He has passed
the great trial of human opinion, and history
has pronounced judgment upon his career and
his character, and of all the heroes and states
men, the memory of whose deeds has not per-
| ished with their days, and whose names are in.
scribed upon the long annals Of mankind the
highest and the purest, is the name OF Washing
| ton.
Our liberties were purchased by toll, and tria
| and trouble, and by sacrifices in life and Of life
! itself, rare even in the most splendid efforts o
| human patriotism. It is good, while we lool
around upon our prosperity and greatness, to
look back upon their feeble origin; to the servi
ces and suffarings Of our fathers, and of bin
| who led them, and who justified the confidence
of his country, by life devoted to her cause
And especially is it good thus to contemplate tht
present, and recall the past, when strange doc
trines are abroad, when that present is pro-
nounced oppressive, and the future intolerable
and the evils. whether felt or apprehended, onll
to be averted by the dissolution of the confeder
acy and the breaking up of the government. Il
the farewell address, the most impressive monu
ment Of wisdom and patriotism ever bequeathe
by citizen to his country, the retiring states
man pointed out with prophetic sagacity th
dangers that might disturb our Union, and es
pecialy those sectional feelings, inseparable in
deed from an extensive community, which, whe
once excited by sense of injury or injustice
Weld with difficulty TO the suggestions of wis
. dom or moderation. But he did not foresee, an
history furnishes no such example, that in
time Of profound peace, in a state of progres
and prosperity, such as the sun never shone III
on, with power enough to protect ourselves {
uanst the world, and with renown enough
J make us proud of our country, with system
/ laws which imposes as few restraints upon ind
! yidual freedom as is compatible with social o
!. der, and with system Of government create
: BY all and directed by all, and which assure
D to each equal rights and equal hopes In its a
ministraton, and with future the most glor
) ous if not marred by our own dssensions. tn
Il ever invited people to exert their energies, {
!. fering the richest rewards for their eneourag
!. ment; with all these motives for national pTis
and qualification, questions have arisen Tor decl
!. ion, which by assuming sectional charactt
v have given rise to an excitement heretofore .
: known in our history and which threatened