The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-03-07

CATION and feet-let Wales have its fieet-lei
ireland have its navigation and feet--let these
four OF the constituent parts of British empire
be under four independent Governments, and il
ls easy to perceive how soon they would each
dwindle into comparative nsigniGcance"
When John Jay filed the seat at the head Of
the Supreme Judicature, how would one ap.
pear, who, being charged with crime, should
stand up before his face, beaming equally
with intelligence and benignity, and insist that
he had disobeyed the law only from the impulse
Of his own individual conscience; that he had
disregarded plighted faith, violated the most
important obligations, and contemned the sane.
tlty OF oaths, only upon his reliance on the su-
periorlty of his own intelligence over that OF
the community, and the right of every indivi-
dual to judge of constitution. laws, and com.
pacts for himself!
Gentlemen, | am sure that you will dc
yo1r whole duty, as intelligent patriotic cit
izens, in upholding the institutions of your
country. purpose to do mine, and should
not consent to act with any body who might
be found to warer or to hesitate on this all-im.
portant question.
The Presidents message at the opening OF
the present session of Congress expresses fully
and plainly his own opinion, and the unanimous
opinion of all those associated with him in the
executive administration of the Government
in regard to what are called the adjustment OF
compromise measures of last session. That
opinion is, that those measures should be re-
garded in principle as final settlement of the
dangerous and exciting subjects which they
embrace; that, though they were not free from
imperfections, yet in their mutual dependence
"A ID e.
promise the most conciliatory and best for the
entire country that could be obtained from con-
flieting sectional interests and opinions; and
that therefore they should be adhered to until
time and experience should demonstrate the
necessity of further legislation to guard against
evasion or abuse. That opinion, so far as
know, remains entirely unchanged, and will be
acted upon steadily and decisively. The peace
of the country requires this; the security oil
the Constitution requires this; consistency re-
quires this; and every consideration of the pub.
lie good demands this. If the Administration
cannot stand upon the principles Of the mes.
sage, it does not expect to stand at all.
Citizens of Westchester! Citizens of the
State of New York! The voice of your own
illustrious dead cry to you from the ground
They who are in their graves beseech you, as
you respect their names and memories, as you
love liberty, as you value your own happiness
as you regard the hopes of your children, to
hold on with unfinching firmness to the Con
stitution and to the Union of the States; and
as if with lips still living, they conjure you, in
tones of indignation, to reject all such ideas as
that disobedience to the laws is the path of pa
triotism, or treason to your country duty to
God.
For myself, confess that if ] were to wit
ness the breaking up of the Union and the
Constitution of the United States, | should
bow myselft to the earth in confusion of face;
should wish to hide myself from the observ
ance of mankind, unless could stand up anc
declare truly, before God and man, that by the
utmost exertion of every faculty with which
my Creator had endowed me had labored t
avert the catastrophe.
lam, gentlemen, with entire regard and al
good wishes, your obliged friend and fellow
citizen,
DANIEL WEBSTER.
To Messrs. James A. Hamilton, Geo. B. Butler
John B. Haskins, Albert Lockwood, Com
mittee