The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1851-04-26
MIR. Webster's Speech at Boston.


of his hotel. The following is a report
ofhis speech on lhe occasion
Fcllow-citizens of Boston-You rath-
er take me by surprise this morning. but
it is very agreeable surprise. | am as
much pleased to see your cheerful and
satisfied faces asI am to see again the
face of that luminary which shines out
from the heavens above; and if, gentle.
men, you are half so glad to see me as /
am TO meet you, there is at this moment
a great quantity of happiness and good
feeling.in Bowdoin Square. (Applause.)
Gentlemen-A long and violent con.
vulsion of the elements has passed away,
and the heaven and skies smile upon US.
There is often an analogy between oc-
currences in the natural and political
world, and sometimes political agitations
PASS away, bringing after them sunshine
joy and gladness. May it be so now !!
! lgreet you as citizens of Boston.
welcome you'll offer you my heart and
hand, with the deepest gratitude for
what you and your fathers have done for
me from the days of my early'manhood,
when | came from the North, to throw
myself among you to partake ofyour
fortunes, for good or evil, to the end of
my life.
lam not vain enough to suppose, fell
ow-citizens, that have done any essen
tial service to my country in my day and
generation; if have done SO, however
little or however much it may be, l owe
it mainly to the constant, warm, unwa-
vering friendship and support of the
people Of Boston.
am bound the way of all earth. |
shall ere long follow your fathers and
my fathers to my last home; but while
live and breathe, and while have the
power Of language or thought, while my
heart beats or my tongue moves, shall
feel and shall speak of Boston as the
cherished object of my public, political,
and may say friendly regard.
Gentlemen, you do not expect to hear
from me to-day any discourse. | come
to see you and you come to see me. 1t
is not an occasion for the discussion of
any political topics. You do not expect
me to detain you fom your affairs while
| rehearse any opinions of my own, or
state the ground of those opinions. But
let me congratulate you, and let me ask
you to congratulate me, that the events
of the last year or two have placed us
under better auspices:
We see clearer; we breathe freer; we
feel new assurance that our political
institutions-the rich blessing and in
heritance which we derived from our
tathers-will endure-be Perpetual-be
immortal if any institution on earth can
be immortal.
Yes, fellow.c citizens, the youngest of
your children will grow up to manhood
in the proud feeling that they are born
to an inheritance of imperishable liber-
ty, in the United States Of America, and
in their ancient and beloyed--[ say be-
loved and to be always venerated under
all circumstances-belo and venera-
ted commonwealth of Massachusetts,.
My fellow-citizens, we need not be
too much selfsatsfied; but, after all,
who is there among you at this moment
that would change his political and So
cial condition for that which Details the
inhabitants or the residents of any 9TH
err country under the wide scope of the
canopy which is over US?
Where would you 60 with the salts
faction that you would have under the
institutions of your countryl Where
could you enjoy political power which
Is so universally disseminated in popu-
lar princi pies? Here every citizen
feels he is man.-If he is one Of the
governed, he is also one of the govern
ors, and he has voice in every trans
action of public policy and national
concern.
Let others say what they will--let
others commend what they please-let
them either like more royal, more
despotic, or more democratic form of
government. For myself, and | believe
may speak for you've are satisfied
with our constitution as people of the
United States, and citizens of Massa-
chusetts, living under free, popular,
and glorious representative government.
Gentlemen, let us despair of nothing
in behalf of our country. We see it
growing in prosperity; we shall see that
in the returning of the communicative
great principle of love of liberty, and
we might add, and | would add, with
the emphasis that can pour out of my
heart, the love of Union will keep us to.
gcther. [Applause.] If | had ten
thousand voices, and could speak so as
to be heard here and on the shores of the
Pacifc--it could gather around me
the whole of this vast nation-I would
say-fellow- citizens-lInion Union
-Union-now and forever! Tire
mendous applause.
What are all these petty dstlnctlonsl
What are all these cavils and questions,
nv, r1 w 1