The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-20

ties and silenc ed all you and those by whose
powerful aid the Government is conducted have
at least the satisfaction of seeing those
which mainly agitated the public mind received in
accordance with that policy The sanctions of the
legislative body of the nation in the line of il
lustrious precedent, and the chief actions and duty
Of your fellow citizens prompt them to desire that
your future administration may be peaceful, bril-
liant. useful impartial, and honorable to its close
To the distinguished statesmen who accompany
you, permit me to tender our thanks for the addi-
tional pleasure which their presence affords; and
in behalf of the corporation of the city and the
committee of our citizens, it is my privilege to
tend to you and TO them the Inequalities of the
city.
President FILLMORE replied in the following
language:
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.
Mr.. MAYOR AND FELLow-cITIzENs | need
not say that am oppressed with this recep-
ton. | am very much overwhelmed with it.
1t is one which Roman General, in the proud
est days of the Eternal City, might be proud
of. Applause can hardly believe that
the scene is real. 1t seems to me as if it was
an hallucination. Mr.. Mayor and fellow-citi-
zens, it appears to me as if it were but a few
days since traversed your city as friendless,
helpless boy. and for all that | am, and for all
that hope to be, and for all that can do for
my country, it is to you that am mainly in
debted. To come back under such circum-
whom hope to spend the remainder of my
days, forces on my mind recollections that are
overpowering. Applause. | hope, fellow
citizens, and it is the last hope of my heart,
that may lay my bones in yonder graveyard,
with yours, and be permitted by Providence to
mingle my dust with yours. Like the tempest
tossed sailor who roams to foreign lands in
search of wealth-like the merchant who
visits every sea and every clime-like the Cali
fornia gold-digger who endures every hard
ship; while all these hope to return to the
places Of their birth, and to spend their mo-
ney among their old associates, SO do hope
to return again once more among you, and to
spend the remainder of my days in peace and
quietness among. you. feel that all the honors
conferred upon me are comparatively valueless,
unless my conduct has the appreciation of those
among whom my life has been spent. APP
plause. But, fellow citizens, know that the
honors of this reception are not intended for me
PERSONAL---VERY. from it; they come from all
classes of my felow-citizens, from all parties,
Wing and Democratic, from every grade, as it
were, from every color; and from the welcome
that was extended to me across Main street, (al-
luding to a flag on which was inscribed "Wel-
come, our own Willard Fillmore, ~ to the little
flowers that were thrown into the carriage
to me, all are equally felt and acknowledged.
] know that all this was intended as a tribute
to the high office which | have the honor to
fill. Your Mayor, in abiding to the subject, was
much pleased to express appreciation of the
course which feel it my duty to pursue in adj
ministering the affairs of the Government.
know full well, fellow-citizens, that painful
bereavement of the nation brought me to the
head of the Administration at time of great
peril and anxiety to the country. know full
well that, in performing what considered to
be my duty, have wounded the feelings and
lost the confidence of many in this vast assem-
blage whom | loved and esteemed, and whose
confidence would be the highest object of my
ambition. But, fellow-citizens, it is gratifying
to know that, in the main, my course is ap-
proved, and it is pleasing to reflect that this APP
prevail is not confined to my own political party.
Felowcitlzens, as partisans we must differ as
to the modes of administering the affairs of the
Government; but when the Government itself
is in jeopardy-when treason stalks abroad at
the South, and shows Its snaky head at the
North--then | hope to see the abandonment
of all party feeling, and to witness rally
of patriots of all parties to the support
Of or common government. Great out
burst Of applause. Fellow citizens, most
of what has been attributed to me is due to
those distinguished gentlemen who are asso-
ciated with me in the administration of the
Government. But we do not claim all the
rnfL
ing the agitations of the country. A large por-
ton is also due to those distinguished Demo-
crats-in Congress and out of Congress-who
gave us their confidence and their support, to
save the Constitution and the Union. And |
regard this testimony of yours to-day as not an
approval of my course alone, but that of all
those distinguished statesmen who stood by
our common country in the hour of peril.
Applause. Your illustrious Mayor has
also alluded with appreciation to the fact
that the Government exerted its power in pre-
venting aggression on the territory of foreign
nation with which we are at peace. In dis
charging that duty, fellow citizens, the Gov
eminent was actuated by precisely the same
principles as it would be in enforcing the laws
Of our own country. There is no liberty--there
is no security for any one, unless law, what
ever it is, is enforced. There would be no JUS
tice on our part towards foreign countries, unless
we maintained those friendly relations and ex-
tend to them the rights which are due from one
friendly country to another. We might push
headlong into conquest of Cuba, or into war
against any foreign power; but don't you see
the consequences that would arise from such a
state of things2 We would, by so doing, de-
stroy the very principle on which our Govern
ment is based and our ruin as a nation would
be the result. Our only security, therefore,
is in our Justice and in our moderation. Hence
our Government, hence our Congress made
it criminal offence to invade the territory Of
any foreign country with which we are at
peace. Applause. In the suppression Of the
invasion of Cuba, | did but execute the law
which swore on the Holy Evangelist would
execute, and which | again swear | will con-
tinue to execute, if God, in his providence,
shall let me live. Great applause. did not
rise for the purpose of making speech, but
simply to return my heartfelt acknowledgment
for the kind reception which you have extend