Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-28

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When the last page Of this learned, eloquent and
felicitous address fell from his hand, Mr.. WEBSTER
stood silent for moment, as if hesitating whether
he should say more There were evident expressions
of desire and expectation that he would 60 on and
he continued:
But gentlemen / win not take my leave of you in a
tone Of despondency We may trust that Heaven wlnot
forsake so long we do not forsake ourselves We
strengthen ourselves and grid up our ons with new
resolution; we counsel each other and yowng to
sustain each other in the support of the constitution pre-
pare to manfuy and unitedly whatever Fate may
have in for Are of this generation dere
lict? Have little Of the blood of revolutionary
fathers coursing through veins that we pre-
serve what ancestors achieved The world will cry
out upon if show ourselves unworthy to be
the descendants Of those great and lustous men who
fought for their liberty and secured to their posterity
by the constitution.
Now, gentlemen exigencies win arise in the history OF
nations when competition and rivalry, disputes and con-
tenons powerful. Exgencies arise in which great
and good of all parties and all shades Of poit-
cal sentiment called upon to reconsider their opinions
to readust their positions and to bring themselves to-
gether if they in the spirit OF harmony Such state
Of things, in my opinion has happened in our day An
exigency has arisen ehave great and wise constu-
ton We have grown fourished and prospered under
with degree rapty unequaled in the history of the
world Founded the basis OF equal civil rights its
provisions secure perfect equality and freedom all oil
who live under it equalal enjoying the privi
leges In like ours, it is to be presumed that all
the wise and good Of the nation have the same end
in view though they may wish to take different means TO
obtain that endthe preservation and protection OF the
Constitution and Government.
IT, then they have the object in view, they must
pursue conciating course and each be willing to sur
render somewhat each other to the harmony Of
the whole This general object them being the preserva
ton of the constitution, the only efficient means to
compsh this end is the union Of all its friends Applause
The constitution has enemies, secret and professed but
they disguise the fact that it many
benefits These enemies unlike in character but they
all have some fault to find Some Of them enthusiasts
hoheaded selfsufhcient, and headstrong They fancy
that they make out for themselves better path than
that laid down for them. Ph@ton the son of Apollo
thought he could find better the heavens
for the sun
Thus Ph@ton once, amidst the ethereal plains,
Leaped on his fathers and seized the rens;
Far from his course impelled the glowing sun,
Till natures laws to wild disorder rum"
Other enemies there cool, and with more cal
cuation. These have deeper and more ratorous pur
pose they have spoken of orcbe resistance to the
visions of the constitutions they now speak of secession
Let say gentlemen, secession from is accession else
where He who the protection Of the stars and
stripes shelters himself under the shadow of another flag
you may rest assured of that Sensation and applause
These malcontents find easy to nfame mems passions
they lay all msfortunes of individual men, of individual
States of sections and communities all want prosperity
to the Union The cooperation of what called an
agonst principles made seryceabe in the endeavors
overthrow the constitution Extremes meetan concert to-
geher Some there who their words profess to
hate the constitution because it toeraes in the Southern
States the institutions existing there because it
does not theoretically sustain the peculiar nsu
ton"
Both parties are willing to overthrow the constitution,
and concert their accordingly to accomplish
their ends Now tocounteract the efforts Of these mall
contents the friends of the constitution must rayLL
its friends of whatever section whatever their sectional
opinions may be, must unite for its preservation They
must forget the things which behind, and act like
band of brothers They forget the past the little
chickering's and trfng dsagreements which have hitherto
rafadth lany arl Tho fu-
ture and unite their efforts to preserve the boon be-
queahed to the world by those great men, their ances
tors they must grid up their loins to the work give
my confidence, my countenance my influence, heart and
hand to all those good and wise who willing to
stand by the constitution, and to acquesce in the
necessary to maintain its priceless provisions, without
reference to the past or pledge for the future.
viii quarrel with man about past differences.
win object the cooperation Of We stand here
upon broad constitutional basis and let act in
that spirit Of union which actuated ancestors when
they framed the institutions must concentrate eff
forts preserve But do not carry my toleraons far
justify in the slightest degree any detection from the
principles Of the Union The great point at stake is its
preservation. cannot hesitate moment this ques
ton nor act well and harmonously with those who do
Other questions, questions of policy, are subordinate
this is paramount. Every who is attached to the
Union should out boldly and say So without cond
tons and hypothesis, and ifs, and ands, and butts
Laughter. What says Cicero; Denigue ascriptum sit
pares conscrph fronte cyusque eiri qnod de hdc
sentiat" Let every bear inscribed his forehead
what ne Is ana what ne means 10 90 IN tnat matter
There persons weak enough foolish enough to think
to believe and to say that if the constitution which holds
these States together should be broken up there would
be found other and better chains to bind them.
This is rash This is rash no more believe looking
the thiryone States which compose this Union
ing vast country, embracing many climates, so
many mountains many rivers more believe if this
Union is dissolved held together il by the
suton that it be formed any basis than
believe that it, by the fat Of Almighty power the law of
gravitaton should be abolished and the orbs which
pdse the universe should rush into mtabe space jost
ling against each other that they could be brought back
and rsadjusted into harmony by principle of at
traction. Applause
Gentlemen, hardly know If il would be an aggrava-
ton alienation of fate We can die no lingering
DEATH cannot fall victims to war; pestlence, ia
mine; earthquake alone throw down the pillars of
State and bury in eternal political ruin and the
darkness Of everlasting night Such may be the fate OF
this country but may never live to the day May
not survive to hear any apocalypc angel crying through
the heavens, Eesen epesen Aee he mgde kan egeneto
katoterion ddimonion hai phuiake panto pneuoos aka
Mdrtou! Gentlemen, most suspicious salues and
cheers this day This day is the anniversary Of the
birth Of Washington.
Washngton's birthday is celebrated from end Of
this land 10 the other The whole atmosphere of the
country is this day redolent Of his princpes-the hills
the rocks the groves the vaes and the rivers shout their
praises and resound with his fame All the good whether
learned uneamed, high low, rich poor feel this
day that there is treasure common to them ALL and
that is the fame Of Washington They all recount his
deeds ponder his principles and teachings
to be and guided by them in the future To
the old and the young to all born in this land and TO all
whose preferences have led them to make IL the home of
their adoption, Washington is celebrating theme.
Americans proud Of his character all exiles from
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