The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-02-10
Mr.. Webstsr's Speech

Mr.. Webster rose and responded as follows;
have great pleasure in participating ~ 'n's
festival. II 10 a remarkable occasion. He who
il your honored guest tonight has led thus lar
. life Of events that are viewed as highly im-
portant here, and still more important 10 MS
own country. Education, spirited. fun OF a
feeling Of liberty and independence, ne entered
early into the public councils OF his native couo
try; and he Is here to-day fresh fIom acting h's
part 10 the great struggle for Hungarian nation
'Iioual independence. That is not all his dts
tinction He was brought 10 these shores ny
the authority OF Congress. he has oeen wei
coined to the Capital Of the United States by
S,he votes Of the two houses Of Congress.
Mr.. Seward, (inieuuping) tile Is sweIcome.'
and there were loud cries oi "Welcome, well
rsomew from various parts ofthe house.
Mr.. Webster (resumng) | agree. as am
not connected with eitaer branch Of the Legis.
.lature, in joining, and do join ia r,y loudes'
tone, iu that welcome pronounced by them 10
him. [Great applause. The House Of Rep
'resentaiiyes-tbei immediate Representatives OF
the people-ful themselves Of an ardent love
of liberty. have joined IL that welcomes; The
wisdom and sobriety Of the Senate have Joined
10 il; and the head of the Republic, with the
utmost cordially, has approved OF whatsoever
official act was necessary 10 bid him welcome
sn the midst OF an assembly Of both Houses nf
Congress, and Others Of US met here in our in
dividual capacity, TO join the general acclaim
and signify TO him with what pleasure we re-
ceive him TO the shores Of this free land--'his
asylum OF oppressed humanity. Applause.l
Gentlemen, The effect Of the reception thus CIV
-en him cannot be felt. |, cannot but have us
influence beyond the ocean and among coun-
tries where our principles and our sentiments
are either generally unknown or generally d's'
liked Eet thefa 90 forth; le, il be borne on
all the winds of heaven thar the sympsthics OF
the Government OF the United States and all
the people Of the United States have been at
traced towards a nation struggling for nation
sl independence, and towards those OF het sons
who have most disting shed themselves 10 the
struggle. (Grea, applause.
have said thar this canoot be without effect.
We are too much inclined 10 auderrsie the
power Of influence Of public opinion, and the
Influence Of principles, TO which great men the
lights Of the worlc and Of the age. have gwen
us their sanction. Who doubts that, in our
own struggle for liberty aud independence, the
majestic eloquence Of Chatham, the profound,
reasoning OF Burke, the burning satire and IT,
-ony OF & oil Barre, had influences upon oGr for
tunes here in Americs1 They bad influences
upon our fortunes here in America! They
had Influences both ways. They tended, in the
first place, somewhat TO diminish The confidence
Of the British Ministry 10 their hopes OF success
in attempting 10 subjugste an injured people.
The, had influence another way, because all
along the coasts Of the couDtry-and all our
people in that day lived upon he coasi--ihere
was not a reading man who did not feel sHorg-
or boider. and more determined IN the assertioL
oil his rights. than when these exhrating ac-
counts from the two Houses OF Parliament
reached him from beyond the seas. He ieli
that those who held and controlled pnblIc opin-
iou elscw here were with US; that their words
OF eloquence might produce an effect in The re-
gion where they were uttered; and, above all,
they assured them that in the judgment OF the
Just, and the wise, and the impartial, their cause
vas just and they were right; and therefore
tisey said. We will fight il out to tho last
tApplsuse.
Now, gentlemen, anolher great mistake is
sometimes made. Weknow that nothing is pow
srful enough 10 stand before sulocratic, ,mona,-
shial, or dcspotic power. There is something
strong enough, quite strong enough, and II
properly sxerted will prove itself so, and that
10 the power Of intelligent public opinion 10 all
the nations Of the earth. There is not mon
orch on earth whose throne is not liable 10 be
shsken by the proffress OF opinion, and the SEN
timeui OF the just and intel igent part OF the
people, It becomes US in the station which
we bold 10 let that public opinion, so lar as we
form it, have free couse. Bravo. 5ravo.l-
Let IL 60 out; let il ee pronounced IN thunder
tones; let it open the ears oi the deaf; let open
the eyes OF the blind; and let il be everywhere
proclaimed what we Of this great Republic
think Of the general principle OF human liberty
and Of that oppression which all abhor. lAp-
plsuse. Depend upon ib gentlemen, that be-
tween these two rival powers, the auiocraiic
power maintained by arms aud force, and the
popular maintained by opinion, the former is
constantly decreasing, and, thank God, the Tat
ter is sconstautly increasing. Applause.
On the topics, gentlemen, which this occasion
seems to invite have nothing TO say, because
ia the course Of my political liie--not now
short one--I have said all that wish to say.
and all that wish 10 transmit TO posterity con.
necie6 With my owo name and history. What
I said Of Greece twenty. five yearssgo, when our
friend was too young to be in political life.
repeat Tonight. perbum post ueroan', exactly
what said then. [Great spplause.] What
said Of Spain at later period, when the power
when the power Of the restored Bouibons was
sxerted 10 impose upor Spain a dyuasty not
wished BY the people of Spain dynasty not
wished by the people OF Spain, that repeat in
English, and Spanish and French, and 10 every
other language, if they choose TO translate IL.
Applause.
May be so egotis,ical as to cay that have
nothing now to say upon the subject Of Hun.
gary! Gentlemen, in the autumn OF the year
before last, out Of health, aud retired TO my
parental home among the mountains Of New
Hampshire. was. by reason Of my physical
condition, confined to my house; but was a.
mopg the mountains whose native air I was
born TO inspire. Nothing sau,ed my senses,
nothing saluted my mind or my sentiments, but
freedom, full and entire, [appsuse;l and there,
gentlemen, near the grave Of my ancestors. l
wrote letter, which most OF you may have
seen, addressed to the Austrian Charge d'Af-
fsires. can say nothing Of the ability display
ed 10 thstletter; but, as to its principles, while
the sun and moon endure, and while | can sec
the light Of the sun and tho moon. stand by