Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-07-03
GEN. CA$S AT HOME-lSTERESI!St COpKrs-
IONDEScT

public dinner wgs "A few dsys oyo tsrdsr.d a.
Detroit, 10 Gen. Lewis Cnss. United STATES S.cr.,.,,
Of Sar, by Iarg" and highly influential body Of hi.
''o" cli'Zes' upon grounds of personal respect, ana
in consideration Of is public services. This ,,.L.
OF attachment Was offered entirely without political
distinction Or design, anh the Detroit Advertiser an,
ina, The lit of signatures affixed 10 tho corresror
dence contain the names OF many who have ac,ed
and vii! continue to set in open opposon TO some
Tie principles of pubic guidance avowcl by Geper,
C"Ss In their letter TO the General they say:
! Having been witnesses Of your devotion TO ths in
tercsis oi Michigan l'ng atecedent to the formation
ci her State Constitution; having been admirers ~,
/ tie wisdom by which ynr shaped her territorial no
ry' sd ns 10 he INSTRUMENTAL in developing her ma
! turrr institutions; knowing how gb!y ths De-,
men; =" War and the Indian aTsirs of m. c,,,,,
We're administered GLrin: the time ", w.r. So!
ar "a! "a @ni ana superintendent Of our Indian A.
'"''' nn' '|~' "i- common prii- IN tbe % az
accorded to American citizenship tlrouh - cs'i'y
encc 81 your character aud the vi,,r IS .''o Ainu
duet during your residence - her minister AZ eo:-
reign court; and IN the reputation given to our own
State by your Senatorial services, we, your neigh.
bora and fellow citizens, now that You Gre about 10
leave Detroit 10 fulfill the duties ot high public
trust which in the probable ordering human events
may he the er!nInl:lon OF Il long and brilliant public
life, desire 10 manifest our personal appreciation OF
your services 10 the State and natVOn and express
our admiration Tor what we va!n- most of ALL the
purity Of your private character, by Offering 10 you
some token OF our social courtesy in which our l-
low citizens. without reference To party affiliations
may participate.
Gen. Cass, in reply, declined the compliment, and
after stating that his public life first commenced I'M.
der an appointment by Mr.. Jefferson, adds:
For almost hal: century this place has beea my
home. ] saw it when it was but Il very small ex.
posed village upon the very verge OF civilization and
have lived to sec it become popuous and flour
ishng city, in the midst of n beautiful and cultivated
country, aboundng inthe elements of prosperity and
Am attached 10 i; by all those iies of recollection
and association, some OF Joy and come of sorrow
which bind together the past and the pre-cnt But
havs been required by imperative considerations 10
leave this OF my earlier and my later e1ertiOns
and break oir connection 40 dear 10 mo. have
been called by the President of the United States To
take charge Of one of the executive departments of
the government At Washington, a. was called there
by of his predecessors weuYsix years ago, upon
similar duty. | recognize among those who have
given the urar:cc Of their esteem upon the pre-
sent occasion the names of aevera, OF fellow citi
Zcns who then bade me like farewell. Rarely does
ii fall to the 10; OF any man TO be able 10 thank his
friends as ! thank mine now for such grateful and
renewed testimonial OF cOnildence, under circum
stances so nearly similar, but 30 long separated by
time and by varied events, both i'll our own country
aud abroad, which have marked the intervening
years of my life.
Durin. tile few days shall remain here it will be
of my power to accept the invitation to public
dinner with which you have honored me. Bat
though compelled to decline it, | shall ever bear in
grateful recollection this mark OF your kindness,
trusting, by the favor of Providence, tha: when this,
my last public duty, shall be determined may be
permitted TO return and pass tho few days ha; may
remain 10 ME Ill tho midst of community where
have lived 40 long and happily.
Gen. Cass returned 20 Washington OIL Saturday
morning, in iae health. He made the trip from De
troit in thirty eight hours. In former years, when
rail roads were unknown, and u voyage down the
Ohio and Mississippi regarded ordinary
undertaking, trips between Detroit and Washington
were taken on horseback, and were rarely accom-.
ished under twenty-five days. Cen G. has often
made the trip between the two cities On horseback,
the journey then occupying nearly many days
i. now takes hUura.