Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-08-02
NO. A..
In advance Of the TGlegraph-..DanlCl Web
Ter PCnilent.


should question its authenticity, they will find
their argument countcrbalanccd by the fact
that he ought to make such speech.
SPEECH OF DANIEL WEBSTER IN 1862.
Fellow CITIZENS: The feelings under which
appear before you to day, ore widely different
from those under which l have heretofore adj
dressed you. 1 propose a brief review of my
public history. In the far past, it was my hope
to speak Of the importance of strict adhe-
renee to the policy Of the then Wing party, be-
Loving that my success as a statesman depend
cd upon its triumph. More recently, since
party lines have been erased, my rail- ying cry
has been the Union-anything and everything
to save the Union, for 1 then saw that if ever
was promoted to the presidency it would be in
consequence Of my great attachment to the
Union. Even this is now evidently q failure.
The most strenuous efforts of my friends to pro-
cure my nomination by individual pledges be-
fore the party nomination was made, "a course
unheard of before) shows conclusivcy that
was not the man.
Follow-citizcns have said 1 appear before
you with feelings greatly changed before,
felt conscious of my own strength, and relied
on the might of my power. To day feel as
one stricken down and humbled. Like the wise
man Of old can say, all is vanity and vcxa-
ton of spirit To this last defeat probably
owe my salvation, If indeed so rich boon be
yet in store for mc it has arrested mo in my
mad career 1 have reviewed my post life and
Oh what q life it has been fcllow-citizcns.
Thrown on the stage of action in an cvcntful
hour, gifted with no mean intellect and what
have / done nothing; worse than nothing
The demon intcmporancc stalking through the
land at MONDAY committing the most frightful
ravages; scizing his victims unfortunately
from the intelligent and the ignorant, the rich
and the poor from both sexes, and all classes,
and conditions of society. SO far from standing
up in manly rebukc of this great and growing
evil, 1 fell before the tcmptor
Licentiousnoss too was rife in the land. Be-
nevolent ladies were forming Magdalen societies,
with view to reform women degraded by mems
lusts, and here would to God had been found
among the pure. But on this subject fellow
citizens my feelings will not permit me to say
moro. The reflection that was husband and
father, completely overpowcr me and am
compelled to refer you to some ono OF my inn
partial biogrophcrs for particulars. Mrs. Swiss
helm has probably come the nearest doing me
justice.
On the great question of human freedom l
arrayed myself with the opprcssor, for on the
side of the opprcssor there was power. Roview
with me briefly my course on question involv-
ing the liberties, not only of three millions of
human beings actually held as chattcls but pro-
baby millions yet unborn.
Born in Massachusetts, educated under cir
cumstances calculated to dovclope an inherent
love Of liberty spoke in strong rcprobation of
American chattclsm. Freedoms true friends
were olatcd; my abilities as an orator, the
prominence had attained in the whig party,
my own sympathies with the oppressed, all
conspired to make mo terrible to the enemies of
freedom, and so fcllow-citizens 1 would have
been, but was ambitious l wanted to attain
to the highest place in the gift of this nation,
wanted to be President and on the side of the
oppressor there was political power. To pro-
pitiate that power l exerted myself to the ut
most extent of my ability; made flaming
speeches in the South with view to satisfy
shareholders 1 was reliable where the interests
of the peculiar institution were concerned, pur-
sued such course in the senate as l thought |
best calculated to make myself popular with
them and finally as a crowning, damning act
to my scrvilty and infamy, gave my "full''
support to what was called compromise be-
tween slavery and freedom in which slavery got
all-freedom nothing. / materially aided in
opening up free territory upon which to plant
and perpetuato slavery. My influence was
given to enforce a law making you free
men of the north blood-hounds to bay on the
track of any weak defenccless child, or woman,
who may be claimed by any one as slave; a
law in direct variance with the plain teachings
of Jesus law you cannot possibly obey with
out laying yourselves liable to that awful SON.
tence "dcpart from me ye accursed;'' a law
without its equal in atrocity, on the statute
book of any nation yet discovered.
succeeded in procuring the sanction of
prominent northern clergymon to that law
Teaching from tho sacred desk mons laws first
until the idea of divine law being paramount is
secuted by the multitude.
have been Jealous in bringing to punish
ment those who for conscience SAX have violat-
cd that law, and when a man was put upon tri-
nl to determine whether he was a man or a
brute; in Boston tho capital Of my native
State on ground made memorable by the rcvolu-
ton; whom criminal court was held with clos
cd doors, and Judges had to crawl under chain
A. IL i I ro1 ,.I
Of rebuke or condemnation.
But enough, did not design making a
lengthy speech. feel that my political career