Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-26
SPEECH OF DANIEL WEBSTER,

ANNS'SA
Saturday afternoon, by invitation, in Faneui Hall
He was introduced to the assembled multitude by
the Mayor of the city, and met with most en-
thusiastic reception. After the applause had sub
sided, he spoke as follows:
Mr.. MAYOR AND GENTLEMEN OF THE City
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BosToN IL tender
you my hearty thanks-my deep felt gratitude
for this unexpected expression of your regard to-
wards me as of your feow-citizens, and
thank you, Mr.. Mayor an old and constant frieno
of mine, for the kind manner in which you have
been pleased to express your sentiments towards
me on this occasion. And now, feow-citizens Of
Boston, by the providence of God, | am here
once more before you, and glad to see every face
that illumines and is illumned in this assembly
(Hear, hear.) Fellow citizens, this occasion is
equally agreeable and unexpected. | left the
place of my appropriate duties at the approach Of
the summer for my home and to see something
after those personal affairs that must necessarily
occupy a certain portion of my time and attenton
[ came with no purpose or expectation of address
ing any popular assembly, or meeting any great
mass of my fellow-ctizens, but | have been ar
rested by the vote of the City Council of Boston
inviting me, with a unanimity which affects my
feelings, to meet them and my fellow citizens OF
Boston here, not as public man. but as private
man-not one who shares in the exercise of pub
lie authority, but as one of themselves who has
passed the greater part of his life in that associa
ton, in that acquaintance, and in the cultivation
of the regard of this generation, and, in some re-
spects, of the regard of their predecessors. Gen
tlemen, have said, and say now, that come here
to-day to discuss no political question:, to enter
upon the consideration of no controverted point of
our government, or anything growing out of the
present state of opinion in the community, about
which men may honestly differ In the first
place, fellow citizens I abstain from ALT that which
pertains to a political character, because this is
not fit occasion for such discussion. This is a
friendly, social, neighborhood meeting: and al
low me to say, gentlemen, in the next place, that
if it fit occasion fox to express political
opinions, | humbly submit that | have no new
opinions to express, new political character to
assume. [Appause.]
What think of the present emergencies of
public policy have been often spoken by me-,
with full heart and an honest purpose, that no.
thing as it appears to me, remains to be said.
say to you, to day, have nothing to add, [ have
nothing to retract: l have neither explana-
ton nor qualification to offer; propose to you and
to my fellow citizens throughout all the country
to-day, no platform but the platform of my life
and character. (Applause.) lhave no promises
with which to delude my country. have no asst
RANGES to give, butthe assurances ofmy reputation.
(Cheers.) lam known. What have been, and
what am, is known; and upon that knowledge
stand to-day with my country and before my coun-
trymen,and the rest is theirs Cheers Neverthe-
less, gentlemen although it be not an occasion for
public discussion ofcontroyerted questions it is an
occasion on which, considering where we are, and
the time in which we live, we should take into
consideration the position which we occupy
This is Faneuil Hall-open. loud and prolonged
cheering.) These images which surround Fan
eui Hall are the pictures Of the great, and glori-
ous and immortal defenders of our liberty. No
man OF property and sentiment can stand here
without reyering them. Nc man with proper
regard for the past-with proper feelings for the
presenter with proper inspiration for the future
can stand here in Faneuil Hail. surrounded by
these images OF our ancestors-Ihese pictures of
revolutionary Characterization considering
that they are consecrated by early shedding of
biood ennobled by early efforts for liberty, and
transmitted to posterity by all the sacred ties that
can transmit important events to the future
Gentlemen, here are, in what we justly call
''the cradle of American liberty''-here we are
on the spot which gave interest to the events
military and civil-with which the revolution of
our country commenced; and in all time past, in
the present time, and until the love Of liberty is
extinct in future generations, this place, and the
events which consecrate it, will be held in the
most grateful remembrance.
Fellow citizens-Iho hope itmay not be irreverent
for me to say that as the Jews, in the days of
their captivity in Babylon, offered prayers to God
daily, turning their faces always towards Jerusa-
lem, so the patriotic and ingenious youth of this
and succeeding generations, who wish to ascertain
and prove the early origin of the independence of
their country, its early liberty, and wish to i'm
bibe into their hearts the fulness of its spirit
will turn their attention daily and hourly to this
spot. where the early events Of the revolution
took place, and which, from that time to this, has
been the theatre OF commentators and enthusiasts
tic Of all the lovers of liberty throughout
the world. (Cheers.) But, gentlemen and fell
low citizens, not to pursue even these general
political remarks too far I may say that the path
of politics is thorny path; it is agreeable some
times to turn aside from it, and to walk along by
the pleasant verdure of beautiful vale, adorned
with flowers, and enriched with the fruits of
friendship and social regard. 1t is from one of
these walks that we are assembled here to-day.
Gentlemen, propose to you to leave the briery
regions of controversial politics, and to walk with
me along that vale, where he may bow with gra-
titude to Providence for the blessings of the past,
and to speak to friends of the future as they shall
arise
Gentlemen, we cannot shut our eyes-and the
intelligent part of mankind does not shut its eyes
to the extraordinary degree of prosperity to which
this country has risen under its present popular
form of government; and that is the secret of it
all The country is universally prosperous
There may be somf things which we might wish
were better. Thdre are many things which
might happen for the worse; but upon the whole.
during the of the sun, from its rising to its
setting, where does it throw its beams upon
more prosperous more enlightened, and more hap
Ply country more growing the fruits ofpeace and
renown than on these States, thus united togeth-
er? Now, gentlemen, whence do these blessings
flow! Whence comes all this prosperity which
we enjoy How is it that, on this whole CONT
nent-fiom the frozen zone to Cape Horn-there
is no happiness like the happiness of the people
of the United States; there is no growth like the
growth of the United States; there is no govern
ment or people that stand up before the world
like the government and people of the United
States-stand up boldly and fearlessy before the
whole world, like our own free and educated peo-