The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-14

spscissof luxury upon an occasion Of conviviaii-
~, a!d, th9efore, spare you the Aiaficton Of
/" set4lng up" 70 one of mine.
/ have heard great deal, gentIsunen, in the
course OF my connection with the Press, Of
(" prlassrs ri;" and, il The pies you have set b.
fore y this evening" are specimen q that article
I ! would hope to have frequent opportunities Of
tasting lilils more of the same sort. Laughter
That may not falsfy my assertion in regard
TO making political speech, would ask you TO
allow me to- dsviate.for moment from that pur-
pose, IN order to make remark in regard to the
position Of South Carolina. In the sentiment
WHICH was addressed to my friend, (Mr. ORR
who so ably represents our common State Oh tho
door Of the House, reference is made to South
Carolina, and a hope expressed that she would
long continue one Of the United States" Cen
tlemen, that matter does not depend solely upon
the State Of South Carolina Ii depends partly
upon her sister States, but chiefly upon the
measure Of evenhanded justice meted oul to her
citizens, and the observance Of the conditions of
the compact by her co-partners. The State Of
South Carolina did not originally, never has, and
never would have, desired to tear herself forcbly
from the galaxy (which she forms part, unless
good and sufficient cause had been given for her
to mediate a separation The State Of South
Carolina has loved this Union much---she has
sacrificed and suffered TO form and TO sustain ii;
but she loves justice and equality more, and JUS
tice and equality are all that she has ever demand
ed. She has never demanded more; she never
will voluntarily consent to accept less.
| 1t may be treason in this free country for men
to talk out boldly and plainly that which they
think and intend to do. II so, the soil OF South
Carolina is strewn thick with such traitors-but
in no other sense. She is sovereign over her own
sons and her own destiny. Never, since the foun-
dation Of this Confederacy; never, since the first
flag was unfured to the breeze, beneath which
the people Of the United States rallied to the res
cue Of their national name or safetys never yet,
in any such time has South Carolina failed to fur
nsh her full contingent, twice told, ay and more,
of money and Of men; and the bones Of her sons
whitening on every battlefield. from Canada to
the city OF Mexico attest this solemn truth against
all the ISLANDERS that have been or that may be ut
tered against her patriotism Ihave nothing more
to add upon this subject and regret that ! have
been betrayed into saying much Allow me,
| in conclusion, to give you sentiment. propose
| the health Of an assent brother: ai5f,afEf
| The late Editor of the Republic CA BxliiH that
never missed the mark. $3.50 sialai ss5 f.9i ~.
4 The Committee Of Arrangements proposed the
Ovid f. Johuson--Whether pleading as Atior-
| ney for the State or in defence Of our glorious
Union, always eloquent, always able, always pa
| trotc. '8GD $50 gs .a1 fl.fafrss t4 s..
Mr.. JOHNSON. l little expected, when came
here this evening, that | should be called TO my
feet by SO fatiering a compliment az the one which
the committee have been pleased to pay me; and
rise now for the purpose of expressing my &C
acknowledgements to you,f gentlemen, for the kind
manner in which you have received it, than to
make speech, for have violent cold and a
hoarse voice, and could not do SO If were to try.
/ will endeavor, however, to say a few words
for think it is due to the occasion, due to you,
| and due to myself s
4 have, on a few occasions in my life, had the
pleasure of attending similar assemblages to this
and, must confess, never attended one without
feeling, when looked at the faces of those around
4 me, as If were looking at new creation, at a
! new power in the State, at new energy impart
/ ed to the intellect and achievement Of men In
old times, you have heard, the wisesl philoso-
| pher could address but few of his felow-citi
zens. In those days there was no such thing as
public opinion. That is a new power that has
arisen only since the discovery of the art of print
ing. lfyou consult the history Of the greatest
nations that existed previous to the discovery O,
that art, you will find that no such thing was
u known, and no such element Of power was ever
acknowledged as the power, of public opinion. II
was theGovernment forcing the people on the ont
hand, or it was band Of aristocrats controlling
the Government on the other. But the idea tina
the mass of mankind could rise up and shake of
the chains that bound them, whether Of ignoranc,
, or of force, never was known, never was mag.
ined, till the Press has given that power.
i IL, when Archimedes said that if he had full
crum upon which to place lever, he could rais
. the WORM, ne ndu ndQ one OF ADAMS power pres
SEES he could have turned 1t a dozen times. Tha
fucrum, gentlemen, has been discovered tina
lever has been secured; that power is in daily ex
erclse, and never again can the world sink bacl
into the depth Of ignorance and degradation from
which j has emerged since this art has been dis
covered.
Il have said that when look upon an assemblag o,
like this, | felt as if looked upon new creation
say so, because it is you, gentlemen, who wieIt
this mighty power Of which have spoken II j,
you who hold up the lever and sustain the fu
crum; and you, with the aid of steam engines
manage to exercise this power. 1t is TO you tn.
country must look for prosperity, for good laws
and for their honest administration, and for tn,
preservation, not only of the Union, but of tina
liberty which il WINS intended to establish. Thus
far the fight has been nobly done. ! ngree en-
treiy with the two gentlemen who have preceded
me, that there are differences Of opinion with re
z I'd to the course that different States and differ
ent individuals, in the present condition Of things
may deem proper to pursue. There is no doub
a wide difference of opinion and will add, too
a very honest difference Of opinion, on the part o
most, perhaps all, that have INDUCED in these diff
ferences. II would be worse than folly--it woult
be rank injustice and insanity-to say that tn,
whole people Of South Carolina were anxious Il
dissolve the Union, and to perpetraie an act o
suicde--poIticaI sucide--to their liberty.
would be folly to think so; and il they hav,
pushed some questions Of doubtful and delicate
nature little further than some of us think the,
ought to have done, the great mass Of the peopll
have no doubt been honest and anxious to de-
their duty, and believed that, In this extremity
they were doing their duty In the language o
one of their most eminent sons now no more
+ "if they sometimes resolve strongly and menac,
energetically, we must pardon something to tn,
spirit Of liberty" lis1 Is .ahrs
Your position here, gentlemen, at the metropo
lis of this great nation, is one of much RESPONSE
bty, and you are here light set upon hill
and not hid under bushel. What you do, thi,
whole country must know, and what this who'll
country must know. so must the world know, 70
r the time has gone by when this country speak,
, that the world does not listen. You are here a
the seat of the Federal Government; you here arr
|, separated from the North and from the South
from the Eaet and from the West The grea
|, founders Of the Constitution deemed i, proper tina
those who lived within this District should be con
nccted with no sectional interest, but should &C
on the great principle of perfect independents,
from all other interests than those which grow
, out Of questions Of national policy Cen Wash
ington hid down the true rule to regulate tn
course of all men In this country, and believ,
that. LONG TINT rule s adhered IN this Irp,o,