New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-28
Mr.WEBSTER'S SPEECH


"D1nisl Wsbser-Maryand shows her attachment 70 ne
Union by horoFing is able defender'-
Mr.. WEBSTER rose and said:
Mr. PresideEf and Gentlemen IL beg leave 70
assure you that esteem most highly this testi'
mony of respect. I find myself in the political
capital Of the loyal Union State OF Maryland l
| find myself at a table 81 which many OF the most
distinguished men Of that State, Of all parties and
descriptions Of politics are assembled; and 1t is
on that account that regard this as particular
| and striking memorial OF respect and honor to my
self. But, gentlemen, | an nothing. IL Is the
cause that is everything. You are pleased 20
honor me only because | support 90 far az my
ability will allow, that cause which is so dear TO
US also dear to all good men in the country.
| Il is the cause of Union. IL is the cause OF the
| preservation of the States. IL is the cause OF
the maintaining OF all those political associations
and principles which have made the United States
! what they are.
Ii is not for me TO argue the value OF the Z MON
| in this company. l came here rather to be re-
| frsshed and edited by what have heard Of the
proceedings of this Convention already.
| Its resolutions Of the 10th of Dece nber are to
me an expression 30 powerful. % authentic, and
90 conclusive upon the judgment Of Maryland,
| that read them az first, and read them since,
! and read them now, with undminishei delight
| Why gentlemen, should no more think OF ar
| guipg the question Of the Importance OF the
| Union in this assembly, than | shoad Of going
back TO argue the propriety Of the Declaration Of
| Independence, or to argue the expediency and
the glory Of having adopted the Constitution IN.
| der which We live, or OF arguing the utility, and
honor, and renown, Of Ws,hington's Administra'
| ton. Who doubts all these things here am
sure not one come, then, gentlemen, as
| learner. not asa teacher; come TO partake OF
the sentiments that fill all your hearts; come 20
| be edited and Instructed by those noble and
patriotic expositions which have been made in
| this Convention formed, as have said OF distln-
guished men of all parties, coming together with
a unanimous sentiment Of affirming their oPin'
| ions in favor Of the Union, and whatsoever tends
TO strengthen that Union, by unanimity which
! which cannot fail to be regarded. Allow nae to
| say gentlemen that your resolutions OF the 10Th
of December will reach 10 the extreme North,
the extreme South, and the extreme West and
verybody will say that amid all the vagaries
| which may prevail elsewhere, this respectable,
eminent and distinguished State, the central
State Of Maryland is union to the back bone and
thoroughly. Applause.
There are considerations, there are recolec
| tons which naturally influence the mind OF man
| have passed around to-day among scenes which
were visited in old times by WAsHINGroN.
| have been in the room where he performed
the crowning act of bis military life, the resigna
ton Of his commission. | remember that he
| said on that OCCASION Having performed the
work assigned me, | now ask the indulgence OF
my country to retire from public service. Gen.
temep, WASHINGTON, with all his sagaclty did
not comprehend his own destiny. He did not
see the long track Of influences which was to
follow bis revolutionary character nay, nor
| when many years afterwards he retired from the
civil administration of the country, did he then
cease to exercise an influence on the public con-
Germs and sentiments Of she country, and he
never will cease. He said, Having performed
the work assigned me, | retire from public SER
vice" He has never yet performed the WORK as
signed him, and he never will until the endoi time
because, gentlemen, that great and glorious work
still remaining will ever uphold his precepts, hls
| exbortatiops and his example-the Importance
| and the value Of this Union OF the States. APP
| plause In that respect he works now and Will
work ever, so long as his memory shall not DC
effaced from the records OF mankind. | think
hear him saw TO day, in the language which he ex.
| pressed when he sent the present Constitution oil
| the United States to Congress: "Our great con
| Germ has been so to manage all our deliberations
and to come to such a result as shall strengthen
! that Union which makes as one people near
bim say that to day, and hear him say to-day 10
enc yvoros OF MS Farewell Address, 4" Be oautiols
| of all those who, under any pretense whatever,
admonish you that you can be happy under Dis
solution of the Union" Every exhortation, every
| admonition every sentiment that proceeded from
| him rings in these times constantly in my ears
| Nay, think hear him say now In the abode oil
the blessed that if il were permitted to him he
would revisit th > earth, and would be reclothed
with the bones and the flesh which are moulder.
ing at Mount Vernon; and he would appear to
bis country men at the head OF armies, or as he ap
| peared to the country in the course OF MS most
| glorious administration Of this Government, and
coniure aud allure them by every consideration
that ought TO have weight with men" Hold on
| fast by that Constitution, which is the only Sc
| curity for the Liberty which cost me and my as
sociates seven years war Of fire and blood
| Applause
Gentlemen. forgive me. When think in these
! times that there are many that are apparently
/ disposed 70 underval0e the maxims and the char
acter of WAsHINGToS, | confess | find myself
borne away, otter beyond the power of self re.
straint-I fear sometimes beyond the limits OF
propriety. Our country consists In It's liberty .
| our country next consists in It's Institutions Of
constitutional law; and blessed be God, oar coun
| try America, consists next in the great example
| of those who have gone before US, and have LETT
! that example. We are not Americans II We re-
sist the examples of our predecessors, any more
than if we trample upon the Constitution, the
work of their hands. If we have real American
hearts in our bosoms, everything they said, and
/ everything they did, to honor and enoble their
country, impresses as with sentiments OF proiouhd
respect and regard.
| Gentlemen, will.you allow me TO interrupt the
/ course of the few remarks which had 70 make
to YOU to night, by proposing to you, out OF the
| funess OF my heart, toe glorious ana Immortal
memory Of GEORGE WAsHiSGTOSl
The toast was drank standing, and In silence
Mr. WEBSTER resumed. Mr.. President and
Gentlemen: In the lapse Of years and in the
rising of one generation after another itmay very
possibly happen, and we are sure that It does
happen, and has happened, that the exact princi
pleG OF the union OF these States are not always
properly conceived. 1t may not be auiss, there
fore-tEoueh do not propose to entertain this
company by discourse upon common places-it
NAV mos be amiss to recur nov 20 what conceive
TO be TIE original principles upon which these
colonies were united, the OBJECTS Tor "nlco tnsy
were united. and the limitation upon these OBJ
iects. These thirteen ,Olonies all of English
origin were settled on ibis continent at different
times sad under differ circumstances. They
had differences Of religi lSopinions. They estab-
ished differences Of To- law and administration
They were, some Of them. quite remote from one
smother but they were all subject 10 the Crown OF
| FneI.nd And when in the course OF events,