Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17

Your counses have not fallen upon the frozen ground
but they are producing rich harvest of republication
from both the willing and the unwilling SOIL We greet
/ you as the great republican teacher.
We thank for what you have done to bind together
this great family of States rejoicing that whether you
have stood here in the neghborhood Of your family altar
or in the capitol amid scenes Of sectional strife upon
southern Observation-Disclosures within the limits Of this
great nation you have Stood you have been able say
"ths is my country; how can serve her 70
We greet you as THE AMERICAN. We thank you for
what you have done to enshrine the Constitution of
common country upon the inner altar temple Of our
| hearts
We thank you that in your advocacy Of the citizens
rights you have not failed to remind them Of their duties
for the former not to be surrendered the latter
be performed We thank you for what you have done
to still the unnatural turbulence of the of domestic
strife and to preserve the relations Of peace with foreign
countries with honor to your We thank you for
that fidelity to political principles which you have done
SO much to establish in the hearts Of people, which
carries with it its rewards its own reward That
jewel is treasure which he who earns it cannot lose by
accident be robbed Of by design 1t is his amid all
changes and through all dangers is treasure in his
keeping and the breath Of another cannot tarnsh it.
II is his for ornament it is his for praise it is his
for consolation under oil circumstances and in
public it is his with alsmanic power the policy
Of his country, whether he be in Office out of office.
Parties we must have in republic different from each
other not in love of their common country, nor in sim
desire promote her interests and to guard her no.
nor but variance chiefly upon the best Of doing
both And this necessity is not an unmixed evil We
thank you that during the time Of your public service
you have been ready and willing to stand up before your
country regardless of the behests of party and to lend
the influence of your intellect Of your voice. and Of your
vote to emaAtng from the party to which you
generally opposed, when you have that your
countrys good required it, This know is difficult
duty for public rarely performed we thank you
for the repeated performance OF 1t.
We thank you for the genuine patriotism, which has
been not only of your understanding but the
passion of your hearreoicing that from the beginning
you have shaped your that fixed STAR and
by any wandering meteor that flashes and is gone n
We thank you for your long public services 1t rarely
happens to to be justified in feeling that he has
served his country through than whole generation
always with honor both to himself and to her.
And now sir let us welcome yeu to the scenes OF many
fond memories We welcome you to the heart of hearts
of commonwealth which knows you We welcome you
to armies Of friends, who proud Of your position We
welcome you your home and to that temporary retire
ment which you seeking, and which know will not
be wholly uninterrupted by public cares. We welcome
you the American patriot whose the people Of
this community willing should be associated with that
of Washington And, all welcome you, it is an
hundred thousand welcomes"
Mr. WEBSTER rose to reply, but the cheering was
tumultuous, and it was some time before he could
proceed He spoke as follows:
Mr. STEVENSON and Fellow Citizens This honor which
you confer on me as much exceeds all my expectations as
feel that it exceeds my merits [Criss Of NO., "no
it all to your Kindness to your friendship and to
your constant regard rejoice in it; am proud of it.
Nothing earth be more gratifying to me than to
come the bosom of community in which have lived
for many years, and which for many years have
endeavored to to the best of my ability, and find
that not disowned [Cries of No." no."1
Gentlemen the hour Of the afternoon will allow to
address you but few remarks but will, out of the
abundance Of the heart, speak to you tGood.l am
known to you; have lived among you than half
my life have been honored by the concurrent power of
the citizens Of Boston and the Legislature of Massachu
SETS and with all humility and all modesty before you
am ready to account for the in which have
discharged the duties which their kindness devoved upon
me. (Cheers
II Is now gentlemen, thirty years since came to this
city of Boston. In my early manhood had had some,
but not much, experience in political affairs had left
the world Of politics, | thought forever, and came
here to pursue profession to my living, and to
maintain and educate my children. From my brethren
of the Bar received most cordial welcome; from all
the citizens of this then town. city, the kndest re-
ception. 1t was enough for and fulfilled all my ex
pectatons in life, that should be able moderately to
provide for my necessities by my professional abors
enjoy the pleasures of the intellectual and agreeable
society of the town of Boston. remained here gentle
years pursuit of these private objects neither
looking for desiring any change in my position.
But man knows his own destiny-at least did not
know mine. As was sitting in my Office, porting
Mansfield and Blackstone, in the year 1928, in the
month Of October, there committee to They
did not look like clients. Laughter. did not believe
they had any lawsuits. Thomas II. Perkins chair
man. Another of the members is iving-Mr.
William Sturgs-and they stood up straight in my pre-
sence threw down my law books and they said Sir,
have come tell you your destiny You must give
up these Law books. We come to tell you that on Mon
day you will be chosen represent the city Of Bos
in the Congress of the United States. We to
make request to enter into discussion, we
take no answer !" and Col Perkins made graceful bow
and with his committee went off.
Well gentlemen, submitted to what supposed to be
the will of the good people Of Boston, and although it has
interfered with private purposes and private emolumen
do not regret it. but rejoice at it. And if may feel
this day that my conduct in that capacity and in the
capacity in which afterwards served Senator be sat-
iacory this great and ancient and glorious State Of
Observation-Disclosures in riches in poverty in
health in sickness am rewarded Cries Of good"
and loud cheers.
Now, gentlemen, must be allowed to say to you that
from my earliest age from the when began to
read and understand political matters and political his
tory the political history Of Massachusetts, had been
of beau ideal have studied it from my
lest youth and loved il and honored it always; and
wish say You what Massachusetts, when
became a member Of Congress at the bidding Of the
people Of Boston. What she? To this qucs
ton must 90 back to her history The great history Of
Massachusetts begins with the revolutionary struggle of
the country, and what that? For what did Massa-
chuetts struggle for what did she offer pour out her
blood like water and exhaust all her II they
worthless and all the risk of war; and Of civil
STRIFE and of the galows, and of execution traitors
What did she do IT all for Why, depend it, gentlemen
1t not any narrow principle any local object any
sectional concern Of her own She did not brook the
power of England for strip Of land Of fifty miles width
between Connecticut and New Hampshire She did not
do IL to protect this glorious bay before us 50 beau
tfu and studded and gemmed with 80 many ISLANDS ana
slets No, Massachusetts struck Tor the hper
of continent! TCries of coed good and loud cheers