The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-12-21
NEW SERIES. ---VOL. g. NO. H.
Speech Of Hon. Edward Everett.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND Fellow CrTIzENs.--
In rising to address you on this imporGant
indulge me in few words of ex-
planation. l did not suppose that anything
could occur which would make me think it
my duty to appear ogain on this platform, on
any occasion of political character, and had
this meeting been of a party nature or de.
signed to promote any party purposes,
should not have been here. Whom com
PEELED BY the prostration of my health FIVE
years ego to resign the distinguished place
which | then filled in the public service. it
was with no expectations, no wish, and no
intention of ever again mingling in the
scenes of public life. l have accordingly,
with the partial restoration OF my health, ab
stained from all participation in political &C
ton of any kind; partly because | have
found more congenial, and, as venture to
think. more useful occupation in seeking
to rally the affections of my country, North
and South, to that great name and precious
memory which is left almost alone of II the
numerous kindly associations which once
bourd the different sections of the country
together (applause); and also because, be
tween the extremes of opinion that have
long distracted and now threaten to convuIse
| the country, | find no middle ground of prac
tical usefulness, on which friend of moder.
ate coUnsels can stand. think do little
good-l try to--in my wandering years, in
augmenting the funds of the charitable in
sttutons, commenorating from time to time
the honored dead and the great events OF
past dOys, and chiefly in my humble efforts
to rescue from desecration and the vicissi.
tudes Of private property the home and the
grave Of Washington. (Applause.) These,
sir, seem to me 10 be innocent and appropri.
ate occupations for the decline of life. am
more than cohtented with the favor with
which my humble labors are regarded by the
great majority ofmy countrymeD; and know
ing by experience how unsatsyiug to the
enjoyment are the brightest prizes OF politi
cal ambition, | gladly resign the pursuit oil
them to younger men. Sir. the North ant
the South. including the Northwest and the
Southwest, have become fiercely, bitterly
arrayed against each other. There il nc
plsce left in public life for those who love
them both. The war of words, of the press
Of the platform, OF the State Legislatures
and, must add, the pulpit--has been push
ed to point Of evaporation which, on the
slightest untow ard accident, may rush 10 the
bloody arbitrament Of the sword. The great
ancient msster OF political science, Aristotle,
tells us that though revolutions do not take
place for small causes, they do from small
causes. He means, sir, that when the minds
OF the community have become hopeiessly
embittered and .exaspersted by long continu.
ed irritation, the slightest occurrence will
bring on the catastrophe. In fact, it Seems
to me thot we have reached state OF things
which requires all good men and good patri.
OTIS to forego for time all mere party pro-
jects and calculations, and to abandon al
ordinary political issues which calls, in Q
word, upon all who love the country and
cherish the Union, and desire the continu.
ance OF those blessings which we have till
lately enjoyed under the Constitution trans.
mitted to us by our fathers, and which
I regard as the Eoblest work OF political
wisdom ever achieved, to meet as one man
and take counsel for its preservation. Gap
plause.) 1t lie this feeling that has brought
me here to day. 1t will probably be said, sir
by those who entertain views like these tha
we exaggerate the gravity ofthe crisis. wisf
| could think 80. But fear it is not we WHIT
exaggerate, but those who differ from US
that greatly-and soon, fear it will be, ia
tsly-underrate the ominous signs of th
times. fear, sir, that they are greatly mis-
led by the one.sided views exclusively pre-
sented by the party press. and those who re
Iy upon the party press exclusively for the
impressions, and that they are dangerousl
ignorant of the state of opinion and feelin
} in the other great section of the country -
(Appnuse.) I greatly fear that the mass c
the community, long accustomed to treat
j alarm for the stability of the Union a
groundless, all anxiety for it's preservatio
as insincere, or, If sincere, the result OF ne
o ;Do;l (
8 measure the extent and the urgency OF tt
existing danger. II is my own delberat
4 conviction, formed from some oppor,untie
Of personal observation, and from friend
? correspondence with other parts Of the couI
try, (though carry on none of polite
nature,) that we are on the very verge of
o coDvulsion which will shake the Union
:, its foundation and that few more ste
'r forward, in the direction in which affai
to have moved for few years past, will bril-
Us to the catastrophe. Ihave heard it urg
r. on former occasions of public alarm, that
~ must be groundess, because business 60
OF on as usual, and the theatres are open a
!e stocks held up. Sir, these appearances m
all be delusive. The great social machi
moves with with momentum that calm
K. be suddenly stopped. The ordinary opeI
q tions Of business went on in France, 10
v. revolution of 1889, till the humiliation
at the circulating medium put stop to evel
10 thing that required its use. The theatl
m and all the other places Of public amuseme
we're crowded to madness In the Reign
n...o. Tha Eronch- efonka cava- str