The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-15

ieisures In spot and under circumstance which
must naturally tend TO make It agreeable. (Cheers.
Your historical studiess gentlemen, must Of course
begin with your own peculiar history, and whether
you look 70 its past current or Its future course,
don't think you well be dissatisfied. (Cheers.
Ay, gentlemen of Maryland, let US turn to the first
pages your early chronicles; what do we see there?
Amidst time OF general intolerance, whom the
voice Of religion was elsewhere drowned amidst
the cries Of victims and the shouts OF
whom her holy light was elsewhere rendered lurid
by the glare OF bonfires blazing over human sac
ce, here, in this chosen land, her soft and gentle
accents sank into the heart of the pentent breath
ing mercy and forgiveness. lcheers;l whilst her
er-sacred ray beaming round the tranquil affairs
of St. Mary's seemed like the lustre OF the sweet
planet of the night to dispel surrounding darkness
and dsperse the clouds which the tempests OF that
stormy time drove ever and anon toward the peace
full waters Of the Potomac. Applause And here
gentlemen, let US not pursue history into the do
main OF theology, nor seek to inquire whether this
glorious liberation was the work OF Protestant or
Catholic Suffice it for US to know that II was the
work Of Americans and Englishmen, loud cheers,
whose minds were imbued with truly christian
spirit, at time when men seemed " have I'M
learned the christian precept that no one can really
love his God who does not love his neighbor also,
tapplause;1 and II such 10 the PICTURE gentlemen,
which comes to you from times gone by, what is
that which stands on the foreground OF times now
present, promising future still more splendid for
times to come [Cheers Your city has increas-
ed within the last ten years from one hundred to
hundred and seventy thousand souls, and has add
cd within the last year 800 houses to its pre-
vious habitations. [Applause 1t stands upon a
| bay whence the shipping which crowds It's waters
is carried by the steady breeze of prosperous com
merce to every region open to the ocean, Icheers;l
whilst already three railroads place it in direct
communication with tho three great divisions OF
| this immense continent. (Cheers.l
| 1t contains amidst it's community some Of the
heartiest friends and most accomplished gentlemen
that to be found this the other side of the
Atlantic. IApplause Do you wish for examples|
| l could look round the room and pick and choose
Them but let me turn to my friend near me, (turn-
ing to MIR. Kennedy;) where ia there more accom-
plished citizen Of the world, or more capital fel.
| low! loud cheers.] Shall stop here? Shall
say nothing of those Baltimore Clippers" of yours,
who, whether they lie with their sails furled
harbor, sweep down your streets, Laughter, ]
equipped in every way for conquest, laughter, are
| 80 neat in their build, SO trim in their rigging.
| so well stored with all that can make a long
voyage comfortable and agrecabe-even from this
| world to the ncxt-Gloud laughtcr.] And here,
| gentlemen, 1t may perhaps be permitted me to
| pay q grateful and more sober compliment to
baltimore beauty, which, as you know, at this
time wears three of the proudest coronets of the
British peerage. (Cheers.l And moro especially
would wish to pay just tribute of respect to that
high and noble lady who is equally an honor to
your country and an ornament to our court; and
who, bright with every mental and personal charm,
was the evening, may l not say ivestsrn, star
which shone the serene evening Of the busy life
of that great statesman, who whether he directed
our foreign policy towards the triumphs that were
obtained by his great brother, ruled in the vice.
regal palace of his dear native land, or found an
adequate field for his comprehensive genius in the
wide domains of our Indian empire at all times
and places the idol of his friends and the admra-
ton of his countrymen. Need tell you that
speak of the wife Of Lord Wellesley, the grand
daughter of Charles Carrolll [Applause.]
Gentlemen, your State and city have for me Pc
culiar!y dear and valuable associations. Never
shall forget the day, when, passing up that great
river which rises in Maryland, our vessel paused
before the site which 10 still hallowed by the
shadow Of your great warrior and statesman.
[Cheers.l
"Gay laughed the sun on that suspicious morn"
And there lay-amidst glad faces-giving the
salutatons of greeting, and receiving those of well
the last time vessel OF the British had
ridden on those waters, it had come the minis.
trant of war, and been met by the loud and fierce
cheer OF stern defiance. The last time that the
commingling smoke from British and American
cannon had cleared away from that scene, it had
left visible the field Of anguish and of death.
How many years-how many thousand years--
did that scene seem 10 me distant from the scene
which was before me. Loud cheers.] How diff
ferent and distinct the sentiments which over
shadowed that gloomy time from those which then
lit up my breast, and which Twas charged by the
Queen, my sovereign, to express to the President
and people of the United States. Applause. |
Gentlemen, do assure you that the thought OF
this contrast flashed upon me, my heart swelcd
with pride at the glorious nature Of the mission
which had been entrusted to me. [Cheers.l en-
We'd at that moment no military conqueror, and
lifting up my eyes to the sacred mount, where still
stands an edifco justly regarded by Americans as
their temple Of peace and concord invoked the
spirit of the illustrious dead! l adured the spirit
| Of the great American republican, whom Of his
biographcrs has described as re-eminently the
Engiish gentleman, [cheers,l to bless the humble
endeavors of one of England's sons, who came to
that spot with the earnest desire to reconcile the
q Of vvhO fnl tint r..
| town to that old country in which are still to be
found the tobs and trophies Of their early fathers.
[Cheers
Subsequently visited Baltimore. will say
nothing of the kindness with which you received
me. But shall ! tell you where again breathed
the prayer to which l have just alludedi 1t was
at the foot of that column which you have built
as monument of your triumphs in war, but
which stands let me tell you, in city which is in
| itself far more glorious monument of your tri-
| umphs In peace, [cheera;] and then conceived
and determined to carry out that idea which your
toast, that am now replying to, expresses 30
Yes, gentlemen, it did seem to me that there
was a difference between the conduct which
should be adopted by the man who enjon-
ed to keep up formal correspondence be-
tween two small and distant COURTS and that man
who had the desire to establish teegraphic COM
municaton between two great and kindred hearts,
lcheersl 1t did seem to that the United States
OF America did not present theatre for the diplo-
navy Va 'eu tupe, tCucctb anu iduSHtCT,J tuc
diplomacy of that school which never writes but in
| cypher, [laughter,] and which, as M. de rallcy.
rand has said, always speaks in the language best
adapted to conceal the thoughts. [Laughter.l !
thought that you Americans people who
would understand and appreciate the man who
stepped out from the dark covert of official
and stood side by side with you on the plain, broad
platform Of social intercourse. TCheers.l
| Your cheers, the sentiments which your presi
dent has just given, and the universal and hearty
welcome which l have everywhere received, all
convince me that was rght-a hundred times
right lApplause.] II is true that have received
numerous invitations similar to that which brings
me here, and which, however willing, have been
unable TO attend to. My health, my avocations,
render it possible, probable, that it will be out OF
my power, for long period at all events, to attend
similar convival meetings to this [Cries ofno,
But the present engagement has been one Of lon g
standing, and it is agreeable to me to end for the
present my course of good fellowship with your in
teligent and kind hearted countrymen, the spot
where it conspicuously began. (Cheersl AT all
events, however, the panwhich adopted ,andwhich,
30 far as my strength and ability would permit |
have executed, is still much cherished by me il
sapproyed of by you. shall always rejoice at hav-
4