The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-26

GxrrLsMsS: On the receipt Of your letter of the
18th Of February deemed it advisable to postpone
an answer until the carriage, harness, and horses
should arrive here. They came on, and were
ceived, all sound and in good order, in the early
part Of this month The pressure of affairs at the
breaking up Of Congress, and until the final ad-
journment Of the Senate, has obliged me to put off
until TO- morrow every thing not absolutely neces-
sary to be done to- day.
And now. gentlemen, have to thank you for
your costly and handsome present The carriage
itself il thought to be as elegant a. any ever
seen in the country. Il appears TO be of excellent
workmanship. il rich, without being gaudy. 1t
il every way commodious, and its motion pleasant
and agreeable.
The horses attached to the carriage, think, are
quite worthy of it. They certainly uncom-
monty handsome, and their travelling and action
very fine.
On the whole, gentlemen, rather fear that this
equipags is too splendid and superb for plain far
NOR OF Marsh6eld; but az it has been your pleasure
to make me 20 valuable gift, accept it with all
thankfuIness, and shall always regard it AZ the
measure, not ofmy merits, but of your bounty and
muni6cence. VI f5g
But gentlemen, / am more deeply your debtor
for the estimation in which you pleased to hold
my public services in the councils Of the country.
If have attempted, gentlemen. to expound the
Constitution, have attempted to cxpound that
which have studied with diligence and venera-
ton from my carly manhood to the present day.
II have endeavored to defend and uphold the
Union Of tho States, it is because my fixed judg-
ment and my unaltcrable affections have impelled
me, and still impel me, to regard that Union a. the
only security for general prosperity and national
glory. Yes, gentlemen, the Constitution and the
Union! place them together. If they stand, they
= Ell g.
gether They are the images which present to every
American his surest reliance, and his brightest
hopes. If they perish in my day. or afterwards,
shall still leave, in the history Of the times, my own
deep. heartfelt and cngrossng conviction that they
among the greatest political blessings ever be-
slowed by Providence man and that II, in an
course of DISASTROUS events, such may happen to
all human institutions they should become severed
and broken, even their history and their memory
will constitute track Of light upon which all lovers
of human liberty, in after times. may gaze with adj
miration. Yes, gentlemen! Union and tho Con-
stitution
FORTUNATE ambo siquid mca carmina poasunt,
Nnlla dies snguam memori vos extinct ovo.
Accolet, imperiumque pater Romanus habebit."
was not unaware, gentlemen, ON the morning
Of the 7th Of March of last year. that was enter
ing upon a duty which, AZ you suggest, might
bring into peril that favor which had been long
shown me by that political party whose general
principles had for long time steadily maintain
ed. crisis had arrived in which it did not be-
come me, rs thought, to be Indifferent and to do
nothing. Still less did it become me TO act part
which should iname sectional nnimositics, tend to
destroy all genuine American feeling, and shake
the fabric OF the Government to it, foundation.
was willing to trust, and still willing to trust,
for the vndcation Of my motives, to tho intelligent
men Of my own party and of all parties. should,
indeed, have been wholly unworthy Of that charac-
ter which it. il my highest ambition TO maintain
among my countrymen, if had allowed any per-
sonal peril to bear, with the weight of feather,
against my profound senseof public duty. What
over may now happen, shall meet it with clear
conscience and fxed purpose; and while acting
in full cooperation with the great mass of fell
low. citizens, who hold tho same sentiments that
you hold, shall fear nothing.
am, gentlemen, your obliged friend and fellow
citizen, DANL. WEBSTER
Messrs. VIM. NJ Richards, Saml E. Sprouts,
Chas. A. Stetson, and Chas. U. A. Rodgers.