The Van Buren press., 1859-07-13

President BUCuASASs RESPONSE AT RALEIGH
fhe following is Mr. Buchanan's response to the
reception given him when he reached Raleigh
North Carolina, on his way to Chapel Hill to at
.end the exercises of the graduating class 1t was
happy and appropriate effort
Ffiioc Citizens can not fail. while graft
tude Is the feeling of my heart, TO recollect the re-
ceItIon which have ifet from nv fellow citizens
yer since entered the State of North Caroiina-
My public life has been long t; have been engag-
ed in many political conflicts bnt the reward of a
long life Is now in Your approving smiles. am
gad to be with yeu here am glad to be in the
capital Of North Carolina, rightly named Raleigh
The first attempted settlement that was ever made
in the Union, was within the limits Of your State.
and You have given the name of that great man to
your capital, and his name wfll thus be perpetuat-
ed among freemen for hundreds and thousands of
years He fell: he was the victim of a weak, pu-
sliianimous and wicked tyrant. who sacrificed his
iife to crafty another tyrapt of the Old World
But, thank God, no Such injustice can be proctisad
here among such great and glorious people. You
were famous rebels in the time of the Reyol,qlon
Laughter Lord Cornwallis said that Won were
the most Troublesome set of people he had ever
had to deal with that fast as he moved to one
place, me people rose behind him. and he was never
master Of any ground except that occupied by his
army lApplause and laughter.l You were the
hrs at raised the standard of independence by
your glorious Mecklenburg declaration and to deny
the power of Great Britain. Blu. YOU have done
better slnee You have rallied round the govern
rent your fofefathers maic you have been true 70
the Constitution and the Union and will remain 50
as long the principles which have actuated you
Cor half century continue to animate you--as long
as the young men preserve TIC civic virtu. 9
Of Macon and other distinguished statescsSl OF
your safe. fou have not only produced distin-
guishei patriots, but scattered them abroad and
wherever your native sons have gone, East or West
North or South, they carry with Them the principles
Of the Old North State. trust that Won will cher
sh arecoeetion Of these great and follow their
example. 1t has become fashionable Of late years
to discuss the value of the Union Its price canno,
be estimated. 1t has become fashionable when any
little discomfort arises in the country to threaten S
break mp this glorious Union. These threats were
not spoken of when was young man--they were
not spoken OF twenty years age-not that-1 was
yery young twenty years ago. But let lis reflect
1t Is not every transtory, or real evil in the admin
istration OF the Government which oughtto induce
| us TO think Of disunion The tide of public opin-
ion iuctuases, and if We have evil to-day so long
morrow, through the American people If they 90
wrong. they will, after some reflection
take the backward track and soon get right II
in the phrenzy Of political excitement this great
Union .shosad be dissolved, ages yet unborn will
curse the day that We had in trust the liberties
of the world. LIT this Union cease to exist les
the sovereign sister States be separated let intes
tine wars arise, and liberty is gone forever This
would be the joy and delight of many, while every
friend Of civil and religious liberty will consider Il
| the worst catastrophe that ever mankind endured
IArplause
My friend here referred to what was going on in
the Old World. -Four millions of men are collect
ed Icy the sovereigns IF the Old World. and the
desnos are ready TO enter into mortal conflict and
destroy each other And for what Forthe inter
esfs of .iynasties, the pride Of regns and fhs
glory Of commanders. But the POOR peorle from
whose hard earnings the money is extorted to ray
the expense of this war will he the .uff. rers The
spectacle of which my friend here has sroen ought
certainly to attach the people of these United States
to their country. You are a sovereign paoplt
and here am a creature appointed by them
not to rule over them, but to administer the Gov
ernment according to their wish. and to be resron
sible to them for the manner in which no so-
The worst of it is that am held responsible for
many things do not do. Langhter.] But al
though my career is about to close and my public
sun y about to set yet shall forever cherish q
grateful recollection Of my visit to North Carolina
As long as live shall remember this day % ons
! of the rroudest Of nv life. Long ar,lausc1