The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-12-01
'I)olititol.
SPEECH OF MR.. CRlTTENDEN.

SPEECH OF MR.. CRITTENDEN.
The friends of Ex-Governor Crttcnden of
Kentucky, compmcntcd him by scrcnadc
during his late visit to Philadelphia, on which
occasion he made the following eloquent
speech
Fcllow-Citizcns Il do not know in what
terms to address you. I come here simply
AS a passenger without any anticipation or
expectation Of such a greeting AS You have
pleased to give me, and if | should not know
gracefully how to make my acknowledgements,
| hope you will believe and take the asS,lr-
ance Of Kcnuckian, that | thank you for
your hospitality and the regard which You
are pleased to hcstow upon me. .(Aprlausc.)
Fellow CitizcnS:-I am a kcntuckian
am more than Kcntuckian ; am All Amer
lean citizen. (Applausc.
am such by my principles and the scnti-
mcnts Of my heart, | do not desire to be a
partizan. The long experience of a life time
makes me rather ambitious TO be a patriot
than partzan. In the performances of that
duty, desire to do whatsoever | can to pre-
serve the free institutions of my country pure
AS they came from the hands of our forcfathcrs.
IApplauSc.1 Here in your great city the
Declaration Of independence WAS pronounced.
Your great State contributed to make good
that declaration. and to establish the freedom
which you now enjoy. | wish to sec it pre-.
served.
lam of the American party. (Thrcc cheers
were proposed and given for the American
party, and then three more for the Union.
have adopted it fromno selfish con>ldcra-
ton. | have adopted and intend 10 pursue
| it without fear Of consequences. from solemn
conviction that it is my duty to my country
to do so. I am a single individual. MY
voice is weak and small one: but it shall
be devoted to this cause from a solemn con-
vicion of my heart that ! owe it to a country
that has bestowed on me honors and powers
far beyond my deserving | have no PIE
tensions and no aspirations whatsoever.
mean to do my duty IN this great cause; |
mean to preserve the sovereignty Of this great
country to the people of this country.
feel no unkindncss, no hostility to the
foreigner whatever am willing to offer him
everything every blessing our country affords.
| will tell him--"Comt share them with us. y
If you have been the object of oppression in
Il foreign land, come here and be free. Ii in
II foreign land you have suffered from want,
come and share in our plcny. Our laws
shall protect you. Our laws will give YOU
freedom, which you cannot enjoy anywhere
in the world beside But we reserve to our.
selves the right TO govern ourselves pcals
of applausc.)
Leave that to us. You shall have all the
benefit that our free institutions afford. That
is the great boon which we offer. What OF
thcr country in the world offers the same g?
None Can one 20 to any foreign land and
become invested with the poor political priv
ilcecs conceded to the people of it! No not
one Come here and take everything but the
right to govern u.s. We must take care that
we shall not be made aliens in our own land
This liberty is ours. Our blood and that of
our fathers has been shed for it. 1t is ours
by our right, and our title and this land we
intend to govern, and we will govern. Zap
plausc.)
| believe. fellow citizens, that a change in
the naturalization laws is necessary to the
preservation and purity of our institutions
Who else can understand them but he who
made them? Where else in the world have
a people been found capable of making such
institutions! And shall he who made them
trust them to hands not taught to do this
work No. we cannot safely trust them
We have had long training for it. We
think We are capable of it and we intend to
assert it. Let none interfere with us in this
great work. Our adopted fellow citizens,
received under The sanction Of our laws, arc
bound as much as we are to assist in this
great work. When thousands are pouring
into the country from ovcrtlowing populatitn
of foreign lands we must guard this right
The most obvious policy demands 1t at our
hands. We must do it and we will do it..
applause, and cries olive will y
This great principle will 60. 1t may be
rtvilvd Those who maintain it may lie re-
viled but the principle which is so congcnial
to an American heart, will vindicatc itscltiand
it will be triumphant. tApplause.) | do
not doubt this at all. Only let us be true to
oursclves.-Let no rcproachcs be cast upon
us by disappointed parties or partizans, or
disappointed dcmagogucs turn us aside from
this great work. PcrScverc, and success is
inevitable. is feeling in the heart of
every American citizen.
1t will reach him every where: and in vain
will parties, in vain will faction invcigh
AGAINST it, cast rrproaches on it. 1t is II
principle of patriotism. 1t is the feeling of
Amcricansm. 1t is human nature crying
out. 1t is the voice of patriotism speaking
aloud in favor of the human race and it will
prevail, despite the wilcs and tricks of dcma-
gogucs (Applausc.)
am proud to see before me such an evil
dcncc and such witness Of the truth of
these sentiments. You are Americans. You
have great rights to assert. DO it i'll man
her worthy of the cause, Else what are we
likely 10 sec if this Government 20 IS TO wreck
Where else on the face of the earth are we to
expect similar one TO arise ! If these for