M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-12-29
Great Speech OF Hon. Edward
Everett.
UNION MEETING AT BOSTON.

On being introduced to the audience
Mr.. Everett said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND Fellow CrTI
zENs In rising to address you, or
this important occasion, indulge me
in a few words Of personal explana.
tion. did not suppose that anything
could occur which wo'd make me think
it my duty to appear again on this plat,
form, Oh any occasion Of political
character, and had this meeting been
of . party nature or designed to pro.
mote any party purposes, lshould not
have been here. When compelled by
the prosraton ofmy health five years
agoto resign the distinguished place
which | then filled IN the public ser
vice, it was with no expectation, no
wish, and no intention OF ever again
mingIiug in the scenes Of public life.
l have accordingly, with the partial
restoration OF my health, abstaned
from all participation IN political ac-
tion ofany kind; partly because have
found u more congeniai, and, as lven-
ture to think, q more useful occupa.
tion in seeking to rally the affections
OF my couutrymen, North and South,
to that great name and precious mgm.
ory which is left almost alone OF all tho
numerous associations which once
bound the different sections Of the
country together (applause3 and also
because, between the extremes ofopin-
ion that have long distracted and now
threaten to cOnyulse the country, |
find no middle ground OF practical
usefulness, on which trieEd Of mod.
crate couGsels can stand. | think |
do e little good try to-in my wan
ing years, in augmenting the funds OF
the charitable Institutions, commcmo.
rating from fine to time the honored
dead and the great events ofpast days,
and chiefly in my humble efforts to
rescue from desccration and the yicis-
sitrdeS of private property the home
and grave Of Washington. (Applause.) J
These, sir, seem to one to be innocent
aud appropriate occupations for the
Decline OF life. / am more than con-
tented with the favor with which these
my humble labors aroiegarded by the
great majority of my countrymen; and
knowing by experience how unsatis.
flying in the enjoyment are the bright.
est prizes Of political ambition, Iglad-
ly resign the pursuit ofthem to young.
er men. Sir, the North and the
South, including the Northwest and
the Southwest, have become fercely,
bitterly arrayed against each other
There is no place left in public life tor
those who love them both. The war
of the press, Of the platform, Of the
State Legislatures, and, | must add,
the pulpit-has been pushed to a point
Of evaporation, which, on the slight
est untoward accident, may rush to the
bloody arbitrament of the sword. The
great ancient master Of political sci
ence (Aristotle) tells us, thatthough
revolutions do not take place for small
causes, they do come from small caus.
es. He means, sir, that when the
minds Of the community have become
hopelessiy embittered aud exaSperated
by long continued irritation, the
slightest occurrence will bring on the
catastrophe. In fact, it seems to me
that webave reached a state of things
which requires all good men and good
patriots to torego for time all mere
party projects and calculations, and to
abandon oil ordinary political issues:
which calls, in word, upon all who
love the country aud cherish the Un.
ion, and desire the continuation of
those blessings which we have till
lately enjoyed under the constitution
transmitted to us by our fathers, and
which Irsgard as the noblest work Of
political wisdom ever achieved to meet
as one man and take counsel for its
preservation (Applaase.) tits this
feeling that has brought me here To-.