The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-29
Our Foreign Relations.

The following is the conclusion of an eloquent
speech delivered by the Hon. RUFUs CHoATE at the
convention lately held in Boston to nominate Mr.
WEBSTER for the Presidency
"Felow- citizens, before take my leave ask to
saw one word, and only, another topic alto
gether. 1t has seemed to me, and am the more
inclined to ask your indulgence for moment
while direct your attention TO passage in the
admirable letter of our friend, Mr.. Everett whose
absence we so much deplore, and whose heart, we
are sure, is with Us always even unto the end of
this great srugge-it has seemed to me that
there Ia something in the quality and adjustment
Of Mr.. Webser's prudential and intellectual cha
racter and temperament which fit him in remark
able degree for conducting the foreign relations of
this country with Europe, in the actual aspects of
the European world. What that aspect and state
u.s. how wholly unsettled, what shadows, clouds,
and darkness apear to rest upon il, you entirely
appreciate. 1t has seemed to me as if the preroga
tves of crowns and the rights of men, and the
boarded up resentments and revenges of thou
sand years. were about to unsheath the sword for a
conflict, in which the blood shall flow as in the
Apocalyptic vision to the brides of the horses and
in which a whole age of men shall pass away-in
which the great bell of time shall sound out another
hour-in which society itself shall be tried by fire
and steel-whether it is of nature and of natures
God or not.
s'Now in such a conflict as this, have we in this
country nothing to fear Ia it not quite true, with
cut extravaganza, that since George Washington
put forth that proclamation of neutrality, which
formed not the least of his titles to glory and
of the Atlantic has been, it were, contracted to
n hands breadth-that great swell, and that great
CONFUSION of all the winds, through which that
master pilot hand could scarcely steer our ship in
safety-is there danger that it will open our own
seams, and start our wood ends, and rend our FORE
topsas, and carry our nasts also by the board! Shall
any other, or less than the highest seamanship be
entrusted with the helm such night and tenn
pest this? [Applause.l
''Just consider for a single moment how difficult
and yet novel part Is this new Republic to be
N1taD rottf
impartial, and yet universal, and at the
time continue to maintain our rank and fulfil our
mission the great successful Republic; to pre-
serve the peace OF the world, and at the time
so 20 let our light chine before men that others may
see with how much facility, and how much glory,
and how much economy the people govern
themselves, and may be stimulated TO pass ON the
torch Of liberty, until it's radiant round encircles
the earth; to nete out in largest time and measure
the right degree and right kind of humanity for
the struggling and for the oppressed, and at the
same time break no title in that great code of
public law which the repose OF the nation is
rested.
Think how hard is every one Of these duties,
and how much harder and all but imprac ticable is
a union of them ALL To steer this ship between
Scylla and Chary bdis would be easy, but 70 steer
her this great archipelago of rocks, seen and
unseen-where Is the pilot for such night and
such a tempest that: Does Partially de-
ceiye US, or is il quite true that it ia heyou
that it is he--in whose intellect and prudential
character the antagonism OF conservation and
progress of institution and reform, of law and liberr
ty, Of the largest freedom, the one hand, con-
sistent with the scheme of actual things; and on
the other the sacrcdness of society, to capital and
property and labor, is reconciled; he who settled
the boundary with England by his temper and
good nature, and who has forever put an end TO
the impressing of American seamen from under
the stars and stripes by his argument and his
spirit; he who robuked the insolonCc of Austria,
and will yet extend the right-hand of national fell
lowship to Kossuth; he who will greet him with
more than the eloquenoe of the East, and yet take
care 20 raise no cdSus beHi which Hapsburg or
the Gear could stand for three. quarters Of an
hour-is not that the pilot for the wind and storm?
Voices in the audience-"Yes yesp'l Exactly
go; you arc all right, see. Then just pass the
word fore and aft, and to the quarter deck with
him" [Long, loud and rnpturous applausel