The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-13
Mr.. Webster's speech, at the Congressional
Banquet TO KOssuth
A NoRTHERN MAN, AND
A FRIEND OF THE UNIol
ITO be Continited.)

Banquet TO K0ssuth.
Mr.. GWIN rose and said: Mr. President, some
gentleman remarked few moments ago, in
parenthesis, Sink or swim, live or die" SucI
being my notion, give you as toast
"I'he Secretary Of Stale: His sympalhes are
as broad as his intellect sprofomd"
MIR. WEBSTER rose and spoke as follows:
| have great pleasure in participating in this
| festival. IL is remarkable OCCASION He who
is your honored guest tonight has led thus far
a life of events that are viewed as highly i'm.
portant here, and still more important to his
own country. Educated, spirited, full of feel.
ing Of liberty and independence, he entered
early into the public councils of his native land
and he is here to-day, fresh from acting his part
in the great struggle for Hungarian national in.
dependence. That is not all his distinction.
He was brought to these shores by the author
ity of Congress He has been welcomed to the
capital Of the United States by the votes of
both its Houses. lagree, though not mem.
Der of either branch of the legislature, yet here
tonight in my personal and individual capacity
merely, in joining, and do join, in my loudest
tone, in that welcome pronounced by each of
them to him. Great applause. The House
of Representatives, the immediate delegates of
the people, full themselves of an ardent love of
iucfby, HufC JUliltQ III b1dL WelCOme, Tile WIS
dom and sobriety of the Sepate have Joined in
it; and the head of the Republic, with the ut
most cordially, has approved of whatsoever off.
cial act was necessary to bid him welcome to
these shores. And he stands here tonight i'm
the midst Of an assembly of both Houses of
Congress, and Others of us met here in our in
dividual capacity, to join the general acclaim,
and signify to him with what pleasure we re-
ceive him to the shores of this free land, this
asylum of oppressed humanity Applause. !
Gentlemen, the effect of the reception thus given
him cannot but be felt 1t cannot but have it's
influence beyond the ocean, and in countries
where our principles and our sentiments are
either generally unknown or generally disliked.
Let them go forth let it be borne on all the
winds of heaven, that the sympathies of the
government of the United States, and of all the
people of the United States, have been attracted
towards a nation struggling for national inde-
pendence, and towards those of her sons who
have most distinguished themselves in that
struggle. Great applause
have said that this cannot be without its
effect We are too much inclined TO underrate
the power of moral influence, and the influence
of public opinion, and the influence of principles,
to which great men, the lights of the world and
of the age, have given their sanction. Who
doubts that, in our own struggle for liberty and
independence, the majestic eloquence of Chat.
ham, the profound reasoning of Burke, the
burning satire and irony of Colonel Barre, had
influences upon our fortunes here in America
They had influences both ways. They tended,
in the first place, somewhat TO diminish the con.
tidence of the British ministry in their hopes of
success in attempting to subugate an injured
people They had influence another way, be.
can oil alnpor tho 81 tha i
all our people in that day lived upon the coast
there was not reading man who did not feel
stronger, holder, and more determined in the
assertion of his rights, after these exhilaratinp
accounts from the two houses of Parliament
reached him from beyond the seas. All felt that
those who held and controlled public opinion
elsewhere, were with us; that their words of
eloquence might produce an effect in the region
where they were uttered and, above all, they
assured them that, in the judgment Of the Just.
and the wise, and the impartial, their cause was
just, and they were right; and therefore they
said, we will fight il out to the last Applause. I
Now, gentlemen, another great mistake is
sometimes made We think that nothing Is
powerful enough to stand before autocraiic,
monarchical, or dcspotc power. There is some
thing strong enough, quite strong enough, and,
If properly exerted, will prove itself so and
that is the power of intelligent public opinion
in all the nations Of the earth. There is not
monarch on earth whose throne is not liable 10
be shaken by the progress of opinion, and the
sentiment OF the just and intelligent part Of the
people. II becomes us, in the station which we
hold, to let that public opinion, so far as we
form il, have n free course. Bravo, bravo.
Let il go out; let il be pronounced in thunder
tones LET Il unstop the ears Of the deaf let il
open the eyes Of the blind and LET il every
where be proclaimed what we Of this great re-
public think of the general principles of human
liberty, and Of that oppression which we all
abhor. Applause. Depend upon IL, gentle
men, that, between these two rival powers--lhe
autocratic power, maintained by arms and force,
and the popular power, maintained by opinion
The former is constantly decreasing, and, thank
God, the latter is constantly increasing. lhp.
plause. Real human liberty and human rights
are gaining the ascendant and the part which
we have to act in all this great drama, is to show
ourselves in favor Of those rights, 10 uphold our
ascendency, and 10 carry il on until we shall see
IL culminate in the highest heaven over our heads.
Applause.
n ] have any knowledge Of public opinion
throughout the civilized world, IL have any
just augury Of the future, if have any we'll.
founded prediction OF what is to happen among
enlightened States, there is 10 be a progress of
things which will, everywhere in those States,
bring more or less Of popular power into
the constitutional elements Of government, and
into its actual administration. And the first re.
suit will be higher degree Of individual re.
spectabiity and importance Of man, and par
ticipation Of all in public authority. And the
second, conservative love of law and order.
founded in the convictions Of all the intelligent,
well-dsposed, and industrious, that law and
order, the security Of public tranquility, the
protection Of property, and Of the fruits of labor,
equally the interest of all classes Of society;
and we may assure ourselves that, when law
and order, the security Of property, and the pro-
lection Of industry, in the enjoyments Of ali its
fruits, are espoused as cardinal objects by the
great masses Of society, those objects stand on
an immovable foundation. Towards this de.
sirable contamination | verify believe that the
governments Of the world are advancing. Pc.
litieal knowledge, and indeed all other know
ledge, favors this progress, and, perhaps more
than all, just religious conceptions and con-
/ ,,.. ~ Il 4