Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-01-16
The New England Dinner in n. York-Srecch
of Mr. Webster.

"cuStcIs
The Constitution and the Union and
their grea, DEFENDER.
This sentiment was received with warm
applause, which broke forth and was pro-
longed in tumul,uous cheers when Mr.
Webster rose TO respond. He spoke as
lollows:-
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
New York New England socie,y:-Ye
sons OF New England! Ye brethren OF the
kindred tie! have come here tonight.
not without some Inconvenience. that l
might behold snch congregation. y hose
faces bear lineaments Of New England
origin, end whose hearts bca, with full
New England pulses. willingly make
the sacrifice. Not a young man-wi,h
blood in my veins not very young, but
thank God, yet pretty fully and freely
fowing,-I came here to meet this great
otf.hoot of the Pilgrim Society in Massa-
chusetts the Pilgrim Society Of New
York. And, gentlemen, shall begin
what have to say, which is bu, little, by
rendering to you my thanks for the invi-
,alion extended to me, and by wishing YOU
all, all sorts Of happiness. Gentlemen,
this has been a stormy, cold, a boi>terous
and an inclement day. The winds have
been harsh, the skies have been severe
and, If we had no houses over our heads.
III we had no security against the in
clemency Of the skies, il we were wan
and worn tiff half Of us were sick
and tired aud ready to descend into the
grave.--if We were on the bleak coast of
Plymouth, houseles<, homeless, with
noihing over heads tut the heavens and
that God who sits above the hea, ens--ii
we had distressed wives upon OIL: arms.
and hungry and shiverins children hang.
ing upon our skirts, we should see
something. and feel something of that scene
" hich in the Providence cf God was Ell.
acted at Plymouth OH the 22nd Of D.cem-
Der. 1920.
Thanks be TO almighty God, who, from
that distressed early condition, has raised
us TO heigh, Of prosperity and happiness
which our ancestors neither enjoyed nor
could have anticipated. Would 10 God
that when we carry our affections and re-
Elections back 10 ,l,a, period. we wonlh
arm ourselves with the Stern virtues which
supported them in that state @: peril and
exposure. Would TO God that we NAV
possess the resolution which they possess
ed. stronger than bars of brass or iron
that patience, "sovere;gn Ger Transmitted
ills,' and above all, tina, faith, that religi-
Gus faith, which with its eve fast fixed
upon heaven. ,ramp!e> all things earthly
beneath its triumphant feet. Gen,lrmen
the scenes q! this world charge. Wha,
our ancestors aui fell we Shall nor.
The calls for the severer virtues of life
were theirs. They were called upon for
perseverance; abstinence and laLor-to
exercise those austerer virtues, the eNer-
else of which before they came here. made
them as they were, ans'ere men. Things
have changed; the habits Of life, the con
dii"ns Of human life have all changtd.-
Their >terncr virtues, are not called on.
IN every respect. to emulste or commend.
or rather toemulate. for we should cum-
mend them always when we consider the
state Of society in which they were exer.
riSed
They had that religious sentiment, that
trust Of Providence, ,ha, determination To
do right, and 10 seek, through every ie.
gree Of toll and suffering, the honor oi God
and the preservation of human liberty.
which we shall do we'll to cherish. In
the progress Of society i: may be, and it is,
true, that the mild-r Virtues belong more
especially to us. They were gr-a, SUI
ferers from intolerance !; and their faith
and practice, as consequence, became
rigid. II may be hoped that, in the great
er spread of the benign principles OF
Christianity, we have improved upon the
sentiments that prevailed with them
They were attached TO particular forms of
public worship and religious ,ene,s. No
doubt they esteemed their reli eous tenet>
and the observance~ which they prac,is-d
TO be all borrowed from the authentic
Word Of God. 1t is true, think, tha, in
the progress Of society, in the general adj
vancement of human sentiment, We find
what they do not seem to have found that
a greater tolerance Of religious opinion, a
more catholic feeling toward al! who pro-
Tess reverence FOR God, is no, inconsistent
with the religious liberty which they pro-
e<sed.
We have. l think, without any depart
nre from the established principles OF our
fathers, more enlarged and compreh-n-
>ive Christian philanthropy. II seem. TO
be the American destiny,--thc mission
which God has entrusted to us here on
this Atlantic shore-to show that all secs
and denominations, that profess reverence
for the authority Of God, and live by his
will, may he safely tolerated without
prejudice either to our religion or to our
liberties. You all know that there pre-
sides at the head of the Supreme Judica-
turc Of the United States, Roman Cath
Ollie; and no man suppo>es ,ha, the Judi
catnre Of the country is less safe, the adj
mini>tration Of Justice less respectable or
secure. because the Chief Justice of the
United States has been, and is an ardent
adherent Of the Roman Catholic religion.
And SO is it in every department OF So
ciety with us. In both Houses Of Con.
gress, in all departments of education. we
go Oh the idea that mans religion is a
matter above human law that it is
question 10 he settled between him and
his God, because he is responsible to none
but his God fo, it. And here is the great
which 10 s,,ro,;uos o,,orl,ol.,