The Davenport gazette., 1851-11-13

venues into this vast vaIley-ever and
ever, as il comes, will il roll down our de
cliviies, and our mighty stream and its trib-
utaries; but .ou can never people the banks
80 densely, so full; you can never gorge the
land SO completely, that the arms Of the
great Mississippi will not bind them all to
gether, in enduring and eternal bonds
Sir dn we realize this? We recognize the
sentiment when il is expressed, but do we
think Of il when seated at our fresides, in
the security Of our enjoyment Of life, liber-
~ and happiness? Do we speak Of it to
plr wives, 10 our children, and to the stran-
gers that come in our midst? very
much fear, ihnt the most Of men in this val
lev do npi think of these things rs they
sho I'D d., Sir, we nre all here as brethren
Il care MT whether they we're born IN
he State that was born in, or even the
Continent. When we arc here Americ ans.
70 are brethren. The lrishman who re
fuses 10 be an American is a half brother.
a are all foreigners, but brethren by title
f human race. But when they land on
our shores, and make themselves Ameri
ems. they are brothers Of full blood.
We have too, that which cannot be
found in any other civilized nation on the
earth having an extent, which will tend to
perpoiuatc our institutions, and that ls, we
speak a common language. Where can We
find land that stretches across a cont
nen, where every m,n, born upon The soil
can know the sentiment which every 9th
or man utiers in adressing him? IN the
little island Of Grea, Britain, you will find
men living so miles from each other. who
cannot converse in,cIligibiy, though all are
Englishmen. But every man can here
know the full import of every word which
is spoken in the language Of the soil. Sir.
he can understand the language Of our
fathers-,he language in which the Dec
laratinn Of Independence was written; he
AN read the Constitution of the United
States, nnders,andinglv he can peruse the
pages Of the history Of this land, blazing
with its glorious deeds, and all 10 his own
native language: he can sit BY bis fireside.
after the toll Of the day is over, or upon the
Sabbath, and can read in his own tongue
the bible, which God has laid open to US in
this life: for instruction. This common
language, wherever j, has gone, has gone
but 10 conquer: md il is the strongest tie
which binds US together in one universal
brotherhood. This glorions Union Can
never be separated while this language is
The medium of communicating thought.
Should wars arise in this country, with the
hostile nrmies approaching, each other
and the sentry cry in French. the "Qnt
Virer' we might then be led TO cherish in
our hearts that hostility Of feeling which
should induce us 10 imbrue our hands in n
brothers. blood hut when we hear the tones
If o,r native Saxon. respond to our call Of
..Who gnes there?" that mans heart must
We dead 10 everv fraternal and patriotic
feeling. who would raise his hand 10 spill
he blood If that brother. When the ruff
fan. seeking plumber, is about to raise bis
arm against defenceless woman and the cry
4 f..merc !" is uttered in his own tongue
in those words that we daily hear and
speak-he could not smte that sister Of
Anglo Saxon blood Sir, this bond Of o
common language, is more indissolnb'e
than even the bond of the mighty Mississip-
p. I, will never perish; il will never be
broken; it can never be corrupted.
Mr.. President, this, then, is the mission
{ this mighty river Ia us. aud ask ngain.
Sir, if we may not Justly call il national?
What would this nation be without u?
Whv, Sir. we should see the American peo-
,'e SLOWLY moving along with labored ef-
fort. laying down over this country tw"
ron bars, FIVE rud one half feet apart. and
with them would attempt to bind this land
together. Take away this mighty strenm.
md railroads would be the only resource
leii 10 preserve The united interests ofthf
nation; bn, though iron be thousand
times more cohesive than water, yet there
ia no iron which could bind together this
Union, when God has taken the natural
bonds from il. Sir. look at that river and
in Imagination ut its mouth,
md see how like nphle and magnificent
tree it spreads it's branches over the land.
enabling rs 10 sit down and enjoy the CON-
ehris of earth, her peace and quiet, under
its cool and refreshing shades; stretching
far out TO the east, 10 the west and TO the
north. And, Sir, il stands there inviting
he oppressed Of all nations to plant them
selves beneath its shndes; il teaches US
powerful lesson. When we look at this
rreat work Of an Almighty Ar'ificer, il
renches us not only to revere Him whose
mniscicnt hand has created, 70 perpetuate
the happiness Of his children. this great
,ream and vast valley, which has to fulfill
his exalted mission 10 the world.
Sir, every drop of that vast river clings
to its neighbor with stenaci,v worthy Of
he highest order Of animated creation.
There is no striving TO disuniie its parts.
bu, il flows together in unison, q powerful
and beniicen, stream. It should be our Of
fort as American citizens, 10 bind ourselves
together. and cling 10 those principles
which form the basis Of our government.
We may be divided into parties on many
questions, but it will make no difference
with us rs brethren and ireemen, so long
as the Upper Mississippi pours down It's
tide of sober brown, the Missouri its turbid
yellow, and the Ohio its pellucid grcen, TO
mingle together in one common flood to
truclify the valley and bless its people.
This land, sir, is boon 10 all. In our
cities, every dialec, Of Europe can be
heard, except, perhaps. the Russian. Ev-
an the noble. but persecuted and down