The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-13


probation of the ,nduct of the present incumbent
of the Presidential chair, and those noble parties
who had been associated with him in the admins
tration OF Government. loud cheers They
came not there TO speak disparagngly OF any
man; no, far from it. No man in the country had
higher appreciation Of the exalted talents, and Of
the immense services rendered to the country than
he had OF the illustrous Secretary Of State Daniel
Webster Repeated cheers for WebsterJ He
was an honor to the country that gave him birth;
yea. an honor to mankind. because he is man
who belongs to the whole world and not to any
particular party. He would not say any thing in
praise Of that illustrious gentleman; but they
would, one and all, with one heart aud soul, bear
to his greatness. Neither had they come
here to speak of another distinguished fellow .citi
who had surrounded himself with halo of illus
trious service rendered to his country on many a
well fought field No man stood higher, in his esti
nation, in the sphere in which he called upon to
act, than the illustrious leader of their army in
Mexico, who had proved himself the fret captain
a his age-he meant the illustrious General Scott.
Three cheers for General Scott.] He did not
mean to deprecate this man, who was deserv-
eddy dear to the hearts of ALL but he had hero
in the enjoyment of the rights youchsaed to every
American citizen to express one opinion, the hon
est conviction of his heart, that, under all circum-
stances in which he has been placed, there Is no
man to whom the country is more indebted for il
iustrious services, great wisdom, great prudence,
great discretion and great frmness in any OF the
trying periods Of the history of the country, than
the iustrous man now filling the Presidential
chair-their own Millafd Fillmore. [Great
cheering.1 Other men in this city and in various
parts of the country had expressed preference for
other men. He did not grumble at this, but he
claimed some preference Tor themselves, and they
had come here tonight to express their unpreju-
diced and unbiased opinion with respect TO the
Administration of the actual President OF the
United States; and he would ask, there
man in that crowd, or was there a man in the
whole country, who could put his hand on
single measure Of that Administration which his
s.Ah Nf
"No, no."] Then why this charge against Mr.. Fill
more? Why repudiate him? Why throw overheard
man who, at great sacrifice Of personal friend
ship, has stood up in the face Of the world and dis
charged, fearlessy and faithfully, his duty to the
Constitution and the country. II seemed to him
that it would be rank injustice to desert him. If
the Wing party were to expect success, they must
strive deserve it; and would they deserve
if they cast by them the man who, in such perlous
circumstances, had served his country 30 faithfully?
ICries of ono, no."l He thought they would not.
He did not know with what excuse they could go
before the country and justify tho Wing party IN
laying aside Mllard Fillmore. For one. he (thc
speaker) could not; and long as he had a voice
to speak he would be found fighting this Wing
battle with them. G"Good, good!' and loud
cheers.] The party must have a leader, and
they now had one who was tried and proved, and
never found wanting. ["Goodv' again He
would say TO them. then, in the language of the
man whom they all delighted to honor, and whose
glorious sun was about to set forever-the light
Of which would yet. however, illumine for years
to come this continent and the world-and who
should soon sleep with his fathers. II he (the
speaker) could, he would address them In the name
Of the venerated Henry Clay. Tremendous cheer
ing.J Mr.. Clay had said that he did not under
value the services Of other illustrous men of the
Republic, of whom they were justly proud, and
whom they delighted to honor; but he says that this
man-Millard Fillmore has been tried at most
evenul period of the countrys history, and has not
been found wanting. [Great applause.l That
certificate would have appeared to his mind very
high, come from whom it might; but when he knew
that 1t came from the heart OF a distinguished pa
triot, who had given half a century of his illus
trious life to his country, he knew his advice
would find lodgment in their hearts, and that
they would not forget it. They would do what
they could to place before the country. in the Ma
tonal Convention, the illustrious citizen Of New
York who now occupies the Presidential chair. He
must now conclude TO make room for more able
speakers. Himself, like the poor, they had always
with them; and he would assure them, in conclu-
sion, that he would give all that he had Of heart,
soul, and body TO the service Of the Wing party.
[Great applause.]
Hon. JAMES Books then spoke at length, In
substance az follows:
He had been Of late, he said, a we'll abused man,
but the abuse came because he had been faithful 10
the great national interests Of the city he In part
represented in Congress, and because he would be
faithful to them and all parts OF our common coun-
try. Among many beautiful epithets bestowed
upon him wns that Of dough face" but he con-
"dough- face" had gone before him who thought
more Of his country than of section-and that was
old John Adams. When John Hancock, as was
supposed, desired 10 be commander in chief Of THE
army Of the United States, as we'll as other men,
then generals int bef Of the armies at Boston, old
John Adams saw in n then Virginia stripping Of
no great renown, beyond what he won on Brad
docks field, the stuff OF what he thought would
make n general. Besides, he wished TO bring in
the Southern Colonies TO the defence and protection
Of New Englands and 50, overlooking John Han
cock and all the generals then in command about
Boston, be picked outthis Virginia stripping. and,
on his motion. George Washington was made CON-
Inander i'm chief ICheers.l Old John Adams
thus became the fret "dough. facet and he was
content 10 be denounced when, at an humble dis
lance, he followed like example, and thought and
acted as II there was country to serve well as
section. ICbeers
My crime, Mr.. b. continued. has been, that in
the main he bad followed. baud pasnbtis equis such
men as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and the Pre-
sidcnt Of the United States. lCries Of 'No great
crimc.'l lie had defended all the Compromise
bills, and demanded that there should be an end OF
the efforts to unsettle any one OF them Sworn az
Representative in Congress TO obey the Constitu.
ton Of the United States. he had thought, felt, and
said that IL was our duty in good fifth, as northern
men, both in the spirit and letter 10 execute that
provision Of the Constitution Of the United States
which says "Fugitiyes from slavery shall be deliv-
cred up claim" He had felt IL was our interest
rs well az our solemn duty 20 execute that proyi-
sion. But there has been, and there continues 10
be, the greatest effort made here and elsewhere 10
unscttle that provision. All who arc concerned in
executing the law denounced as slave catchers
and slave hunters, and effort lie spared TO bring
odium upon them. Now, whether right or wrong,
such provision put in the Constitution Of the
United States by such northern men rs Franklin
and Hamilton, and by such southern men as
Washington and Madison, and, being there, as
long II is there we are sworn 10 execute IL in
good faith.
This provision, Mr.. II. went on 10 say. was n bar
n dyke, which saved the Northern States from
flood Of African emigration-for IL was broken
down, and IL was nj once demonstrated that any Of
the three millions of southern slaves, who were
coaxed of here, or wheedled here, or run of here
Of their own free will, could stay here with safety
and live among ne. The example, once establish
ed, and with impunity, would soon bring thou
sands and thousands OF negroes here. MIR. *. then
went TO show that God never intended the white
man and the African 20 live on terms Of social or
political equality, the with the other, and the
struggle 90 make them do go ended in the degra-
dation Of tho white race or ito destruction. Tho
physical organization Of the African, fitted 10
endure a tropical sun in Africa, or In the sugar
and rice fields Of the southern country, was
dwct on where, said the speaker, white man
would withcr and melt under n burning sun, but
where the African would grow sleek and strong,
.sucdt hat fho hot Cd for