The republic., 1852-01-12
Vol. Ill
TIL q r EPU BLIC.
MIR. WEBsTER,s SPEECH
at the Congressional Banquet TO Kossuti'

MIR. WEBsTER's SPEECH
At the Congressional Banquet TO KossuM.
Mr.. GwIN rose and said Mr.. President,
some gentleman remarked few moments ago,
in parenthess, "Sink or swim, live or die"
Such being my notion, give you as toast
"Ihe Secretary Of State: His sympathies are as
broad as his intellect is profound"
Mr.. WEBSTER rose and spoke as follows:
have great pleasure in participating in this fes
tival. 1t is remarkable occasion He who is
your honored guest night has led thus far life
of events that viewed as highly important here.
and still more important to his own country. Edu-
Gated, spirited, full of feeling of liberty and in
dependence, he entered early into the public coun
ellis of his native land and he s here to-day, fresh
from acting his part in the great struggle for Hun
garian national independence. That is not all his
distinction. lie was brought to these shorcs by the
authority of Congress lie has been welcomed 10
the capital of the United States by the votes OF
both it's Houses. | agree, though not mem
Der Of either branch of the Legislature, yet here
to night in my personal and individual capacity
merely, in joining, and do join, in my loud
est tone, in that welcome pronounced by each
OF them to him. (Great applause.l The House Of
Representatives. the immediate delegates of the
people, full themselves of ardent love of liberty,
have Joined in that welcome; the wisdom and
sobriety of the Senate have joined in it; and the
head Of the Republic, with the utmost cordially,
has approved Of whatsoever official act was ncces
sary to bid him welcome to these shores. And he
stands here to- night in the midst of an assembly Of
both Houses of Congress, and others of us met here
in individual capacity to join the general ac-
claim, and signify to him with what pleasure we
receive him to the shores of this free land this asy
lum of oppressed humanity [Applausc.l Gen.
tlemen the effect of the reception thus given him
cannot but be felt. Itcannot but have its influence
beyond the ocean and in countries where our prin
ciples and sentiments either generally un-
known or generally disliked. Let them go FORTH
let it be borne all the winds Of heaven that tho
sympathes Of the Government of the United States,
and of all the people Of the United States, have
been attracted towards q nation struggling for
tional independence, and towards those OF her
who have most distinguished themselves in that
struggle. lGrcat applause.
have said that this cannot be without its effect
We are too much inclined to underratc 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 Chatham, 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 dimin
ish the confidence of the British ministry in their
hopes OF success in attempting to eub]ugate an in
jured people. They had influence another way
because all along the coasts OF the country-and all
people in that day lived upon the coast-there
was not reading man who did not feel stronger.
boder, and more determined in the assertion Of his
rights, after these exhilarating accounts from tho
two houses of Parliament reached him from be-
yond the All felt that those who held and
controlled public opinion elsewhere were with US;
that their words OF eloquence might produce an ef
,,fy and
above all, they assured them that in the judgment
OF the just, and the wise, and the impartial their
cause just, and they were right; and there
fore they said, We will fight it out to the last Zap
plause.l
Now, gentlemen, another great mistake is some
times made. We think that nothing is powerful
enough TO stand before autocratic, monarchcal, or
despotic power. There ia something strong
enough. quite strong enough, and if properly
e1erted will prove itself 30 and that s the power
of intelligent public opinion in all the nations OF
the earth. There "a not a monarch on earth whose
throne s not liable to be shaken by the progress OF
opinion. and the sentiment Of the just and intelli-
gent part Of the people. 1t becomes in the sta
ton which we hold to let that public opinion, 30
far as we form it, have a free course. tBravo,
bravo Let II go out; let 1t be pronounced In
thunder tones: let it unstop the Of the deal;
let it open the eyes Of the blind; and let il every
where be proclaimed what VIC Of this great Repub-
lie think Of the general principle OF human liberty
and of that oppression which all abhor APP
plause.J Depend upon 1T, gentlemen. that, be-
tween these two rival powers, the autocratc power
maintained by arms and force, and the popular
power maintained by opinion, the former ia con-
stanty decreasing. and. thank God, the latter is
constantly increasing. tApplauscl Real human
liberty and human rights are gaining the ascen-
dant; and the part which we have to act IN III this
great drama ID to show ourselves in favor Of those
rights, to uphold asccndency, and to carry it
on until we shall see il culminate in the highest
heaven over our heads. tApplnuse
II have any knowledge of public opinion
tbvo,, xh,pt he, ,t,sflt
augury of the future, if ] have any well-founded
prediction of what is to happen among enlightened
States there is 20 be a progress OF things which
will, everywhere in those States, bring more
less Of popular power into the constitutional ele
ments of government, and into its actual adminis
tration. And the first result will be higher de-
gree Of individual rcspcctabilty and importance Of
man, and participation OF all N public authority
And the second conservative love OF Law and
order, founded in the convictions OF all the Intelli
gent, well disposed, and industrious, that law and
order, the security Of public tranquility, the pro-
lection OF property, and OF the fruits OF labor,
are equally the interest Of all classes of
ciety; and we may assure ourselves that, when law
and order, the security of property and the protec
ton OF industry In tho enjoymens OF all its fruits
espoused cardinal objects by the great masses
OF society, those objects stand immovablo
foundation. Towards this desirable contamination
] verify believe that the governments of tho world
are advancing. Political knowledge and indeed
all other knowledge favors this progress, and per-
haps more than al, just religious conceptions and
a conviction among mon Of moral obligation and
the duty which all owe to tho Supreme Power Of
the universe, help on THE general advancement.
Nothing more cmphatically prove an
lighened state OF human existence than the gen
cral prevalence of conviction that there ia to all
men n futurity, and whoever feels this conviction.
and acts upon IL, is better man and better citi
zen, and bas given more secure pledge TO society
of just conformity to its laws, than any other
sentiment can inspirc. Social institutions and
political institutions should never be severed
from their proper association with the idea of re-
igious responsibility. The great sentiment Of en-
lghtenod men should be, in all countries, po
litical liberty and religious toleration Suffer
all TO enjoy their appropriate parts in the insti,u
tone of human society, and suffer all at the same
time TO enjoy their own sentiments in matters Of
religion and of duty to God. May the time como
when freedom, civil and religious, now fully en-
joycd over all this portion Of North America, may
ALEC be enjoyed in every country throughout the
whole civilized world.
What any man does for liberty, civil or re-
ligioos, is treasured up he may be assured, where
II will not DO lost. Human life passes away like
hecting shadow, individuals appear md disappear
on the stage OF human action, but just principles
are permanent, and truth is eternal and whoever
connects himself intimately with those ever -ondur-
ing subjects will have taken care that his name and