New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-24
MIR. WEBSTER'S SPEECH.

Mr. Webster ut Faneuil Hall-Fuli Report Of
His Speech.
BY Telegraph to The Nesc- York Tribune.
BosroN, May % 1852.
The Erening Gazette gives the follow
ing full report of Mr.. websters speech In Raneul Hall,
on Saturday afternoon:
Mr. MAYOR AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CRY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF BosroN: l tender you my hearty
thanks-my deep felt grstitude-for this unexpected
expression OF your regard toward one Of your tel
low ctfizens and thank you, Mr. Mayor, an old and
constant friend of mine, fer the kind manner in which
you have been pleased 10 express your sentiments to-
ward me on this occasion. And now, fellow-czens Of
Boston, by the good providence of God, am here
once more before you and glad to every face that
illunines and is iumined In this assembly. Hear,
hear Fellow citizens this occasion Is equally agree
able and unexpected left the place of my appropriate
to see something after those personal affairs thss must
necessarily occupy certain portion OF my time and
attention came with no purpose or expectation of
addressing any popular assembly or meeting any great
mass Of my feowcifizens but have been arrested by
the vote of the City Council of Boston, inviting with
upanmify which affects my feelings, TO meet them and
my fellow-cizens of Boston here, not as public man,
but private man-not one who shares In the exer.
else of public authority but one of themselves who
has passed the greater part OF his life in that association
in that acquaintance and in the cultivation OF the regard
Of this generation and in some respects OF the rcgara
of their predecessors. Gentlemen, have said and say
now that here to-day to discuss political ques
tion enter upon the consideration of conroverred
point Of our Government anything growing cute the
present state Of opinion in the community about which
men may honestly differ In the first place, fellowc
zeps abstain from all that which pertains TO political
character because this is not tit occasion for such dis
cusson. This friendly social neighborhood meetings
and allow me TO say gentlemen in the place thatfit
were fit occasion for to express political opinions,
humbly submit that have new opinions to express
no new political character 70 assume. Applause
What think Of the present emergencies OF public poll
k.o, otto lam NJ hv ma and nv
me- with full heart and an honest purpose that no
thing 1t appears to me- remains TO be said say to
YOU today have nothing to add, have nothing to re-
tract have neither explanation nor quaiihcauon TO
Offer | propose to you, and to my feliow-cinzens
throughout all the country to day. no platform but the
platform of my lie and character. lApplause.l l
have no promises with which. to deluae my coun-
try have assurances to give but the assurances
OF my reputation. Cheers am known. What
have been and what l am, Is known and upon that
knowledge | stand to-day, with my country and be.
fore nv countrymcn; and the rest IL theirs Cheers
Nevertheless gentlemen, although it be not occasion
for public discussion OF controveted questions, 1t Is an
occasion which, considering where we are, and
the time in which live, should take in consdera
ton the POSITION which we occupy. This Is Faneu
Hall-open. fLond and prolonged cheering.l These
images which surround Faneu Hall, are the pictures
OF the great and glorious and immortal defenders OF our
liberty No man of propTiety and sentiment can stand
here without revering them 10 man with a proper
regard for the pa-wih proper feelings for the present
or with proper inspiration for the futurc-can stand
here In Faneuil Hall, surrounded by these images
of our ancesorsthese pictures OF Revolutionary CHAR
acters-wiheu sidering that they coesecrated
by early shedding of blood epnobled by early efforts for
liberty and transmitted TO posterity by all the sacred
ties that transmit important events to the f,;
ture Gentlemen, here we are iu what we justly call
"thc Cradle OF American Lberty"here we are, on the
spotwhich gave interest TO the event military and civil
with which the revolution Of country commenced;
and in all time past in the present time, and until the
love OF liberty extinct in future generations this place
and the events which consecrate IL will be held in the
most grateful remembrance. Fellow citizens; Hope
may not be rrevcrcnt for me 20 say that as the Jews
to H hs dsXs Fl h Y Babylon G S0,r
lem The patriotic and %s:S G -s.ssi;s and
prove the ssry origin of he ndependt nee Of thelr
country ~ early liberty and wish 70 ibbs Into tclr
tendon day and hourly this spot whore The early
events Of the revolution took plaza and whish rom
that time to this, has been the thcnter OF comme0aa
ton and enthusiastic reverence by all the lovers o.
liberty throughout the WORLD tCheers-l But gen.
tlemen and iellow-cnzens not to pursue even these
general political remarks too far, may say tnat the
path of politics is thcrny path 1t agreeable some
times to turn aside from IT, aud to walk along by the
pleasant verdure of beautiful vale. adorned Win
lowers and enriched with the fruits Of friendship and
social regard Il romon of these watks that we are
assembled here today. Gentlemen, l propose to you
to leave the brery region of contrcveted politics. ana
to ak with me along that vale where we may DOW
with gratitude 10 Providence for the blessings OF the
mast and to fpeak friends of the future they shall
arise Gentlemen we cannot shut our eyes-and the
intelligent part OF mankind does not shut III eyes-to
The extraordinary degree Of prosperity to which this
country has risen under its present popular form OF
eminent And that is the secret Of IL all Tae country
il universally prosperous There may be some things
which we might wish were better there are many things
which mig happen for the worse but upon the whole,
durns the course of the sum- from its rising to m setting,
where does throw lis beams upon more prosperous,
moro enlightened and more happy country-more grow
inc in the fruits Of peace and In renownthan on these
States, thus united together Now, gentlemen whence
do these blessings dow Whence comes All Ins prosper
r which we enjoy How Is it that this whole CONT
nept--from the frozen zone to Cape Horn-here u no
happnets Ike the happiness Of the people OF the United
States there is growth like the growth OF the Unted
before the world like the Government and people of the
United Satesstand up boldly and fearessy before the
whole world, like own free and educated people
How IN my opinion en- al sn sco OF ne
snce with the principles Of public liberty, asd to our
early adoption Of those principles In the establishment
of Republican form OF Government The Tory writer's
Of England gentlemen, al you wen know wness iaoor
er Glasses and who have been connected with the con-
rol of the Government and have maintained their share
of rule have abored to explain to mankind that those
shove can govern better than those below That 10 mol
cur principle We hold that there 10 nothing above and
nothing beow-each man participating In the public
prosperity, and each man sharing IN the formanon ano
In the administration OF the Government Dr. Johnson
| one of the writers of that school, says:
The part which kings or laws can cause or cure"
Why. gentlemen, kin Is and laws can cause or cure
rost Of the evils which belong to social or individual
| life Kings laws can establish desponsm- Iney can
restrain political opinions They prevent men IRON
the exercise of free thoughts and from the expression
ofthose thoughts. Kings and laws can lay ntoierso.e
taxes Kings and laws can take away nom ne msss,.
oil participation n the government ana nngs asc l.m.
can bring about state Of things In which popular ee
dom and the popular will are represented and Todaen
under the foot of power. And " not that mucn -
/ Who is there In society that does not Isei tna'
| there Political institutions are for himi Ihey are
for good or for evil and the very element Of Ms per
sonsl freedom. II Is true-ts very nue-tnaI man
personal condition may depend very much upon A. A.
perronal circumstances-his health the state OF nn
kmTv. his means OF living, bis means of educating. III
children, bis fortune good or evil But all thse sning
hv The Laws and the constitution of the country In which
be lives And that take II, is the great soution.th,
great solution Of the question now no longer aouoseo
but heretofore existing all over EuroPe-u ne ~. =.
| ~ xxosv.arffv and the happiness OF tn