The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-24

trade and Gu. rmefce ana mere let me say, a.
viii have occasio.- 20 s9ow more fuly hereafter,
ntere SITS which first sueQes.d the idea Of more
pert CT union, and the interests Of trade and com
merce are the great conservative pfscPies OF 'nat
union. (Applsuse) Those delegate. met ia
represented by two delegates from the city Of New
York, and those delegates were. Alexander HamlL
ton and EgbeTt Benson. After session OF few
days, they found their numbers were not sufficiently
end thty determined TO make representation to
the States which sent them, and to Congress, and
aTtport was drawn up with great ability, which
was the found alton of all subsequent proceed ings,
end which report was drawn up by Alexander
Hamilton, Of the city Of New York The conven
ton sgain assembled at Philadelphia. The seve-
raj States of the UEicn were represented. shall
General Wellington was chosen its president.
They sat with CLOSED doors from May TO SepteUl-
bfr when they produced the draft of constitution,
which was adopted by the Anne rican people,
As ycu no doubt know, it was not the
habit then tor speeches of members to be reported
end laid before the public, as is now the case.
The convention sat in secret. They had no means
Of expressing their views to the country, and,
therefore, u became necessary, that this constu-
ton should be explained to the people OF the
United States, TO whom it was to be submitted for
their adoption. 1t became necessary that there
Should be found some men capable of explaining
the principles OF the constitution and laying that
explanation before the country. Who were those
men They were found in the day of trial, and
John Jay, two Of them residents of the city OF New
York. (Appsuse). think, gentlemen, am
authorized 10 cay that without the aid furnished
By the city of New York, we should never have had
constitution or a union. (Applause) The first
proceeding was to- present this constitution to the
several States for their adoption. Among them il
was presented to New York And here let me state
a little of our domestic history. The State of New
York entpd in hat NV fhrao
delegates. After the convention had terminal ted
its proceedings, two of the three delegates seced-
ed, or in modern phraseoiogy, they "bolted," and
the only one who signed his name to the con stitu
ton was Alexander Hamilton, of the city of New
York CONTINUED applause). II became neces-
sary that the State OF New York should adopt that
constitution. A convention was accordingly
assembled at Poughkeepse, and the great ma
joriy Of the members were opposed to the
new constitution. But Alexander Hamilton,
from the city of New York, was there, and by
ercised inside as well as outside of the Con-
ventioD, he brought the majority, who were
opposed to the constitution to be in favor of it, and
the State of New York adopted the constitution as
testifying gratitude to public benefactors is by
erecting monuments TO their memories, the State
Of New York ought to erect monument TO Alex
anaer Hamilton, which should pierce the skies,
and every State in the Union should crave the
honor to assist in erecting it, (Great applause
Thus, then, you see how this constitution pro-
mulgaed al its ncipiency, and how II was adopted.
Teee before me gentleman whose appearance here
this evening will not allow me to pass over anec
dote which am sure will interest you. have in
my eye a gentleman honored by his State, aud
honoIed by his country, who, although young
man, was present at that convention in POUCH
keepse, with his father, who was a mem
Der of that body. His father went there OPP
posed to the constitution, and Mr.. Hamilton saw
the necessity Of the case. IL was determined he
must 90 for the constitution. He was told that If
he for the he would he
returned again; and his answer was, that he was in
the habi OF thinking before acting, and when he
had made up his mind to do what was right, he
utterly dsregarded the consequences. He did so,
and Samuel Jones, OF Queens, went for the consti-
tuition. (Great applause.) He went home; he
explained the matter to his constituents and instead
of disspproving Of the course he pursued they ap.
proved of everything he had done. { Cheers.) Now
we have seen how the constitution was adopted,
and by what means il was adopted. Since
then, time has rolled on-some sixty years have
tuition and the Union have been fruitful of
blessings to the people, beyond all precedent.
Indeed, the history Of America is a history of
wonders. The attachment to the Union has in
son TO breathe the thought Of dissolution. The
year 1850, however, arrived, and with it the long
session Of Congress. Nine months Of that session
were employed, in whatl 10 most exciting dis
cussioR the subject calculated, above all others,
TO irritate the public mind. Speech after speech
was made by the North against the South, and by
the South against the North, until the most hostile
state OF feeling prevailed, and brought the country
to the very verge Of civil war; so that it became
necessary for the Executive department of the
government TO interfere, TO adjust the exciting
differences. Those exciting differences were
adjusted; but a large number Of members
the controversy which was productive of such
results. At that moment the city OF New
York took the alarm Its business interests were
aroused, and they came forward ew nasse, without
n 10 ~ They sound-
ed the note OF alarm 10 the country, and II was
responded to throughout the length and breadth Of
the Union. But, gentlemen, II is said tina, this
alarm as not necessary-that the Union was not
in danger. Indeed Ii is true, and admit that
you could scarcely find an American citizen who
would acknowledge that he was not a friend Of the
Union. lfyou asked him, he would have said that
he was a friend Of the Union; hut in the same
breath there were thousands in the North who were
engaged in bitter TRADE against the South, and in
the South against the North. Yet, gentlemen, they
would have ell told you they were friends Of the
Union J. tskyou how is this Union to be des.
iroyedl Is IL supposed by any one here that there
is TO be regular compact TO destroy the Union =
that We are TO draw up an instrument OF dissolu-
lion and oil sign tl No. gentleman it is to be pro-
duced by those feelings Of eectonalism. IL these
feelings on the part Of the North generally and
the part OF the South generally, are carried into
the Congress Of the United States, why, there
would not be a day during the session in which re-
suits might not be produced most disastrous to the
Union The wheels OF government might be
stopped. The government could not go on | saj,
gentlemen, the wheels OF this government could
travel by reason Of the bad feeling existing in
the country-by reason OF prejudice on the part Of
the North towards the South and on the part OF
the South towards the North. What need we
talk ofmeetinRs TO dissolve the Unioni There are
ether ways OF dissolving IL.
AT this point the asdience became impatient, and
Mr. Ketchum was ebliged TO stop in his remarks.
The second regular toast was next read, as fol-
lows
The Consultation Of the United States Music AGO
lumbis forever
The Hon. EDWARD EVERETT, Of Massachusetts,,
responded as follows
Mr.. Chairman and Gentemen-I rise with great
d'ffdence to address the company on this occa-
sion, sensible as j am that there are gentlemen
present much more capable Of doing 90 acceptaby,
than am, and much more worthy OF the honor
conferred on me by inviting me to respond TO the
toast which has been Just proposed. thank you,
SIR. notw ihsiandinp. for allowing the priyileRe