The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-15
Letter or MIR. webster.


The Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER having been
invited to visit the town of Plymouth, Massa-
chusetts, on the occasion Of the visit Of Nj
kossuth to that town, has returned the follow
ing answer TO the committee of invitation:
MARsHFIELp, May 10, 1882.
GKNTLEMEs: ! had the honor to receive this
morning your very respectful and kind invitation,
in behalf OF the citizens of Plymouth, to meet them
on wednesday, on the occasion Of the visit of Gov,
ernor kossuth to your ancient and distinguished
town. Iregret to say that the accident to which
you refer, though not likely TO be attended by per-
manent evil consequences, was yet such will ne
cessarily oblige to remain at home for some
days to come.
Your guest lie an exile who has fled from his
native land in consequence of the results of DO
hticai struggles. As such he has been received
IN this country by the constituted authorities of
the General Government. and many of the State
governments, az well by large masses of the
people, in those parts Of the country which he
has visited. II is no doubt true, as you suggest,
that he must feel strong emotions while standing
on the spot where pilgrim fathers landed.
They, too, were exiles, having left their homes,
and all that was dear TO them in their native
land, that they might enjoy, on an unknown
shore, and in the midst of a savage wilderness,
the blessings OF religious liberty, and mild and
Tree institutions OF civil government. The land
Ing Itself, connected with its object and the cir
cumstances accompanying it, will not fail to ex-
cite his sympathes and sensbities; the results
which have flowed from il in the course of the
two hundred and thirty years which have since
gone by, will be sure to engage his regard and
admiration; and his mind. ardent and enthusiastic
as 1t ID, may yet we'll stagger under his view of the
future if ne shall allow his thoughts to wing their
Hight into the midst of ages and ages yet to come
Nothing human can be absolutely certain of long
continuance; but il we, and those who shall come
after U.S. from generation to generation, shall main
tain the leading principles upon which our nstitu
tions are founded, and according to which the
Government has been administered from it's earli.
est days. we may hope for as much perpetuty of
our political blessings may fall to the lot of man.
The first OF these main principles undoubtedly is,
the maintenance of public liberty and equal rights,
and entire liberty of religious opinions, under n
well defined constitution Of civil government
And, as essential to the maintenance Of such gov
ernment, under the circumstances in which the
Constitution of the United States was formed and
which still exist. there must be an abiding and un.
wavcring attachment to the Union of the States
accompanied always by cautious and conscen-
tious regard for all the rights reserved and Sc
cured to those States by the Constitution itself
Providence has placed this country in a political
condition in which both liberty and union are abb
solutey necessary for its happiness, and in which
it is difficult to imagine how either could subsist
alone. A distinguished parsonage of antiquity
said that the world could not bear two suns but
in our political hemisphere it appears to me that
cloud and darkness would settle upon US the mo-
ment we should cease to enjoy the united light of
the two mild, benefcent, brilliant, and glorious
orbs of Liberty and Union.
Another great principle upon which our system
10 founded, and which has characterized the ad.
ministration Of the Government from the begin
ming. is the absolute equality OF nations We hold
to this as an elementary doctrine; and while we
exercise our own independent choice in respect to
forms Of government, we concede the same right
Of choice to other organized political commun-
mites. Whether nations be larger or smaller, if
in fact they be nations, il they be of the civilized
political communities Of the earth, then are their
rights equ al, and their title to respect from each
other equal. Each governs itself and has Just au
thority SO to do. One star exceeds another star in
glory, but they still all stars moving each in
its proper orbit, and all held together by the great
attractive power Of the universe. But all this by |
do means implies that we feel no interest or con.
Germ in questions which respect the forms of gov
crnment in other States. We are attached to free
popular representative governments, from the full
est conviction that such governments, established |
over intelligent communities. are most prod uctive |
OF human happiness; and the great duty we owe |
the world 10, to show that these convictions arc |
wci-founded, and TO prove by our example, in an |
age Of progress and rapidly increasing light and |
knowledge, that the masses Of the people, il reli-
gious, moral, and well educated, may be safely |
trusted with self government.
You are pleased. gentlemen, TO speak Of me as |
Of one who has rendered some service to the coun.
try. II is true that, in that service, great por-
ton Of my life has been spent, and efforts have |
been mnde by me, from time TO time, never, I |
trust, without patriotic purpose, never without la.
Dor and care, and sometimes not without the most |
overwhelming anxiety. If / have accomplished |
any thing for maintaining the institutions of the
country, civil and religious, rejoice at il; and you
may be assured. gentlemen, that 80 far as any |
man may rely for consistency. his own settled |
opinions and most determined purposes, what |
have been, and what I am, shall continue to be- |
TO the end.
Again thank you for your invitation, and pray |
you 20 assure my ncighbors, the citizens of Ply. |
mouth, that their pleasure in seeing me could not /
surpass that which should feel in being among |
hem, on any occasion which is 20 call them 20.
gether, and likely TO afford them qualification.
Your obliged fellow. citizen and humble servant,
DANIEL WEBSTER
To John Russell. A. l.. Russell, f. c. Sherman,
Moses Bates, IT,, esqs., Committee, &c, Ply
mouth, Massachusetts.