Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-05-12
The Great Hale Festival.

-
After the vast assmbage, embracing an unu-
sual proportion Of the worth, intelligence and
beauty of Massachusetts, and the neighborlng
States, had spent delightful hour in the animal
and social enjoyment of the excellent repast' the
intellectual feast began, when the distinguished
President of the Day, the Hon. John G. Palffey
rose and said:-
Ladies' and Gentlemen Assembled here by
the common interest IN cause as holy as the
madness of man ever opposed, or the righteous
| of God ever smiled upon-a cause worthy OF the
constant courage Of man, and the sweet sympa-
thy of woman you have been pleased to honor
me with the trust of offering your welcome to a
statesman, whom, if our power had been equa
to our wishes or had been equal to the conf
dence which his great services had inspired IN
us. we would have called to the helm OF the
nation, assured that then the nation would have
had prosperous voyage.
New Hampshire, to the advantage Of his in
terest. it may be, but little TO her credit, and
much to the national loss. has found that she
| could dispense with his official services. But
ladies and gentlemen, there are honors higher
than official station can give or the withdrawal
of official station can take away
GEAR more true joy Marcellus exled feels
Than Cesar with senate at his heels"
To have turned away from party when party
turned away from him and from the path OF
right-to have stood In the high places OF the
national councils amid angry assallants--to have
stood alone, until Ohio and Massachusetts sent
worthy auxiarles to his side Cheers1 to
have mingled the gentleness with The clearness
of wisdom, in such manner as to extort the
good will and respect of opponents, and at the
same time command the enthusiastic admiration
of frends--to have fought the good fight OF Truth
and honor with n sagaclty that was never eluded'
with vigilance that never slept, with courage
that never quailed, with an activity that never
tired, this say, is to have acted part OF
which the history of The nation, or the history OF
the race, can afford but few eminent examples.
| When the Roman conqueror, returning from
| his distant fields, was bnrne on the shouts and
embraces of the frantic city crowd up the steps
of the capitol. what was this but vulgar and
selfish, too often tenacious and bloody triumph.
Vi hen some popular idol, or some popular
puppet Of party some King Stork Or King Log,
some ilardIy-worked distributor OF the contents
of the public CRIB, goes through your streets
amid the bray of trumpets and the Haunting ot
banners, what wise man does not see how venal
and hollow and heartIess is such pageant? So
| But when he wise and vlrluous statesman comes
| from the fields where he has struck tor justice
ard huma nity--when he comes followed bv the
blessings and prayers of the oppressed, cheeFed
on from stage to stage by the plaudlts OF the
good it seems that common bcnedlcilons were
too poor to pay the tribute which we owe to him
1t seems as if we could scarcely be content III
we had coined our hearts and poured our treas
ures of gratitude and admiration into the wei
come with which we greet his presence.
Francis A. Underwood, Esq, then announced
the first regular toast, as follows:-
Our Guest, John p Hale.-ln the House Of
Representatives, party could not command his al
| leglance in the commission OF national inquty
In the Senate, the insolepce of majorities could
never awe HIM to silence. As an advocate he
has added TO the learning of the jjurist the merit
of successful resistance Of executive and Judi
cial tyranny. As the champion of the principles
of the Free Democracy
tOur hearts leap forth to answer
| And echo back his words,
| AS leaps the warriors when he
| The flash Of kindred swords"
(.Music--" Hail Columbia")
In obedience to this sentiment, Hon.. John p
Hale rose to the assembly, amid reiterated
cheers, the waving of handkerchefs, and ohe
demonstrations of applause, long continued
When silence was partially restored, Mr.. Halt
said -
.1lr. President and Ledies and Gentlemen: =
In the few weeks which have elapsed since
received your kind and generous invitation t,
meet on this festival, | have sometimes en-
deavored to tax my thoughts, that | might fin
fitting phrase wherewth 10 pour forth The
generous emotions of gratitude which YOU
kindness has awaken in me; but | have beer
obliged 10 return from the bootless task and fore
90 the effort, and stand before you to dav de
ternned to practice at least on this occasion
the precept of christian morality, which incnl
Gates to take no thought for the morrow, but lie
each day take care for itself: and 80 slant
before you to-day, my friends at this festival o.
the heart, to bring you no other offering than
that which the spontaneous action of the heart
may suggest. But will rot. my friends, SC
far pass by the proprletles of an occasion like
the present as to forbear, altogether, some allu
sion to the sentiments that we entertain,-the
principles which we cherish, aud the policy thai
we would uphold
do not know that can better introduce the
subject to day, than by relating little CONVEX
sation which casually came to my ears. when
suppose il was hardly intended for them.
happened, a few days SINCE to meet one of the
doubling sort-one of the increduous kind
one who is hard TO be convinced notwi,hstand
ing the proof came like the rain drops, patter.
ing constantly upon him. What did he say
with light flashing all around him-wilh proof
thick as the atmosphere?
| He said he "dld moi know" he was " not
certain; !" but he said il really did seem to him
after al-aher the great Compromise had been
made-after the giant speeches of the giant
inteIIects by which it had been carried after
its empha ic endorsement by the Conventions of
the two great pohi a parties Of the land and
after the overwhelming result at the polls. by
which an individual pledged to carry out these
Sediments which, he SAID, were principles IN
accordance with the history of his whole life
after snch an one had heen elevated to the
highest office in the gift OF the prople--he said
he did not know, Notwithstanding all that, that
the Free Soil patty was actually dead yet! He
had doubts about 1t. He was not entirely sure
that those gems OF our revolutionary history,
which stud our path as the stars stud them iky
way, were entirely obliteraed from the hearts
OF men. He did not know that the early les
sons which had been inculcatcd by the Fathers
of the memory. He did not know that the deep
love of God, manifested in the heart of man by
love to his feow-man, had been entirely smoih-
cred up by the legerdemain and tactics of party
politics. What an ncredulous old man was
that If he were here to-day, to see this as
sembly and meet these faces, am not entirely
assured that his skepticism would be removed
possibly it might be ripened into conviction that
there was some little remnant, at least, Of the
Free Soil party in existence. Laughter and
cheers.
Well, them my friends taking it as fact (if
you will allow me one single Lntin quotation,
and it shall be short one) per Sc, that the Free
Soil party ia yet in existence. have something