Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-28


celebrated in the city OF New York, as National
Holiday. AT two o 'cock the Union Safety Committee
held their celebration at Nibos Saloon where large
and enthusiastic ass1mblaee addressed BY the Hon
Mr. fooe and other gentlemen. Letters were read
from PRESIDENT Fillmore, Daniel Webster Henry Clay,
Lewis Cass, James Buchanan and Others all breathing
pairolc sentiments every way worthy OF the occasion
and Of The great men who wrote Them We have only
room this morning for Mr.. Webster's letter, which will
command universal attention
FROM DANIEL WEBSTER.
WAsHINGToN Feb. 20, 1851
Gentlemen 1t is source OF deep regret 10 me that
my pubic duties absolutely prohibit me from having the
pleasure OF accepting your invitation 10 behalf of the
uhlon Safety COMMITTEE TO attend a public dinner on
the twenty second In honor of that auspic ions day
Ausplclous indeed Al good Influences all omens of
Independence, liberty, free government the creation of
nation, its prosperity, happiness aud glory hung over
the hour when the eyes OF Washington first opened to
the light.
Y on say truly gentlemen, that the present moment
admonlshes us To ally III support OF his principlesto
express anew our admiration of his character and our
gratitude tor his parting lessons OF patriotism and wig
dom
You say truly, gentlemen that the great duty deyol-
wing on US Is that OF regarding the Union the foun-
daon OF our peace and happiness and the constitution
as lne cement OF that Union. So Washington regar-
ded them SO ne conured his fellow citizens in all gen
eratlons, TO regard them; and whenever his farewell
address to his country shall be forgotten and its admo.
nltions rejected by the people Of America from that
time Will become farewell address to ali the bright
hopes OF human liberty on earth
Gentlemen, the character OF Washington is among
me most cherished CONCENTRATIONS OF my life Ii is
IKE s'L M le armament OF great names shining with
out lwnklng or obscuration with clear steady benef
cent l9ht 1t IS associated and blended with all our
tefecons on things which are near and dear to us -
Il we rhlnk OF the Independence OF our country, we
uH oi nm whose efforts were SO prominent in achieving
it II we think Of the constitution which is over us we
THINK OF INN who did so much establish it, and whose
administration OF Its powers is ackno wledged to be
model Tor his SUCCESSORS
Ii we think OF glory in the field of wisdom ia the
cabinet OF the purest patriotism of the highest integr
,puolc and private, ct morals without STAIN oil re-
gous feelings, without intolerance and without extra
vagance, the august figure OF Washington presents itself
as the personation OF all these IDEAS You do we'll gen.
teiDeh al this interesting hour, 10 invoke his example,
10 spread over the land knowledge OF his principles
a,hohS lhe rlslng generation, and ftrventy to pray
Heaven, that the spirit which him may also be in
When w ashingtcn in behalf ofthe convention pre-.
sened to the old Congress, and to the country that
constitution which was the production of their patr-
otto and assiduous labos, he made this moi mpor-
tant deearation:"In all deliberations upon this
SUBJECT we kept steadily in view that which an
pears to us the greatest interests of every true Amer-
can, The constellation OF our Unon in which is nyol-
we'd our prosperity felicity safety, perhaps our national
existence This important consideration, seriously
ana deeply Impressed on our minds, led each State in
the convention to be less rigid points Of interior mac
ntude, than might have been otherwise expected and
thus The constitution which we present is the re
suit OF spirit OF aIny and of that mutual dHarence
ard concession which the peculiarly OF our political
situation rendered Indispensable" And when his pub
lie career was drawing to close he left to his coul
Try as MS last best gift his most earnest and affection
ate exhortation to uphold that Union as the main pillar
OF Independence, and to rown Indignantly upon the fist
oawnlng OF any attempt TO dissolve it.
FMS advice Is needed now and will be needed here
alter But, nevertheless, there some among us OH
whom Ii Is no injustice that those howns of indipna-
ton should fall. There those who are altogether
tor abandoning the Union, and alternating one portion
OF the country from the rest They avow their wishes
they disclose their purposes They open their hearts
and IN their hearts there found pusalon for that
Union which makes all Americans one people All is
but the ebbng and flowing of the dark. unwhoesome,
troubled current OF secession schsm and separation
Notwithstanding all that we See and hear gentlemen
and all that we have seen and heard for the last twelve
months, some persons affect 10 believe that the Union
IS not and has not been, in any danger They treat
your efforts made fol its preservation, with indifference
and often with derision appears me that The lem
per OF these persons very much like that othose who
when the fountains OF the great deep had been broken
up, the windows OF Heaven opened and rain had fallen
upon the earth forty day VS. and forty nights until every
thing but The Peak OF Ararat already under water
shower"
We have seen propositions for secession, formally |
brought forward, and solemnly discussed in the Ieois
lhtues and conventions OF several OF the States Other
conventions to be holden under regular leqs
lave provisions to consider the same subject In one
important State elections show that there pre-
walls among the people almost an entire unanimIty OF
sentiment in favor OF breaking up the Union. and This
dissolution Of The Union, is supposed NAV not take
place without conflict in insters Of war are
therefore, provided. schools OF instruction in military
tactic. eslaollshed and an aimed air and attitude
sumed These apprehenslons OF conflict, 10 case seces
SION be attempted are not only we'll founded, but in my
judgment certain 10 be realized Secession cannot be-
accomplished but by war do not believe those who |
favor expect any other result Their hope is that
eir cause and Its objects may SPREAD and that other
States, by Local sympathes, a supposed common in
leres may be led to espouse ii;so that the whole
try may be divided into two groa local ma rties
aud as such to contend for the mastery.
5ul Providence has not torssken us.
This object, believe, has been defeated by the mea
suies OF adjustment adopted by Congress at the last
session. and by tie spirit ability and success with which
the friends OF the Union have resisted it IN the South
Nor have the efforts of your association gentlemen hen
either nnlmpor'ant or unavailing: Your voices have
been heard thioug the whole land and no man can
doubt how The great commercial METROPOLIS of the
country feels and acts, hereafter will feel and act on
questions involving public Interests OF such indescrba
bic magnitude
We have recently been informed, gentlemen. of an
open act OF resistance TO law in the city of Boston; and
il he accounts be correct OF the circumstances Of this
occurrence a, strictly speaking, OF treason
IL men combine and confederate together, and BY force
OF arms or force OF numbers, eecuaIly resist the oper-
aon OF an act ot Congress in its application to part-
cular individual with the avowed purpose OF making the
same resistance to the same act in its application all
other individuals, this is levyng war against the United
States and is nothing less than treason Now UNDER
stand that The persona concerned in this outrage Bos
ton avow openly their full purpose OF preventing by
arms or by the power OF the multitude. The execution
Of process for the arrest oil alleged fugitive in any
and all cases whatever | am sure, gentlemen, that
shame will burn the cheeks, and Indignation fiji the
hearts OF nnteen-twent hs OF the people of Boston, at
the avowal VI principles and the commission of ont
RACES SO abominabe. Depend upon it, that if the peo
pie OF that city had been informed of any such purpose
Or design carried into effect in The court house in
Boston on Saturday last, they would have rushed to
me spot and crushed such nefarous project into the
dust The vast majority of the people of Boston must
necessarily suffer in their feelings but ought to sur
At all IN Their character and honor in their LOYALTY to
he constitution, from the acts of such persons as COM
posed the mob, venture TO say that when you hear of
hem next you will Learn that, personally and coec-
vely, as individuals, and also represented in the
my councils they will We full evidence OF their fixed
purpose to wipe away and obterae, to the full extent