Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-24
Daily S'irainian.
SPEECH OF MR.. CRITTENDEN
AT THE
pEYToN DINNER IN PHILADELPHIA.


At tho hour of six the dress circle and galleries
wcrc thrown open, md Mt once filled with ladies'
aud gentlemen, representing the "ehlth anu oeau-
" aud intellect %! Philadelphla.
Mr. MeMhehnel, after the drawing ot tho eluth,
introduced the first toos the health oi the Hon
Bae pcytou, the guest of the evening. who res
ponded ia IL manner that kept tho house in roars
of laughter,
Tho health of tho senator from Kentucky was
then proposed. md was hailed with nine cheers,
ii entire company standing. The Ia nofabe son-
tcman responded ny follows
MR CnllRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: | am over
whemrd by the complimentary greeting you have
been pleased to give me this evening. KNOW not
how teexpross to You my thanks. am but
plain man, and hut little accustomed tn these en-
tcrtainments thc-e magnificent and ostonninus
kinds of entertainments, thank you most heart
,ly for the manner in which you have been pleas
ed IT, connect my poor namc with that oi this
great patriot (pointing to MIR. Clnys rortrat, just
over tho rostrum). Henry Clay. (ChcerS) 1t
WAS about him may say ut hls teot-thht
learned my political lessons and my pohti,al sch
iments Nor is there oi those prinapcstlat
| am conscious o which havo changed IN the
slightest desrec. (Cherrs.) Circumstances change
the eNpclicuey Of measures, but ns Tor the g'nnd
principles which govern the affairs oi mon, tho
same influence through nli my political nj
lairs. (Great cheers Follow'citIaens after what
has been snid Ly nay good and ancient friend
laurhcr) there il but little it seems TO me, To DO
/ sad without the dullest repetition. All, liejooe
in tho noble sentiment OF desotl9nto eur Union,
Which take to be devotion to our country, which
hc ha. uttered here tia night, tGreat cheers. y
Oar country il tho rl5ry uf the earth. What!
such II land ~ ours 10 be severed, Wo do not
know our ,alae Have you ever travelled fifteen
hundred miles straight Wet aud then been insl-
ted NJ You went tos,c the country TO 20 rtlll nr'
th,r Wes'? daughter and applause The no
,l..1 Ia, ,l,nfiI iI,..a
shpne upon, nrc To bo found amongst US let
tlctc are men, OF authority, too. who talk about
the destruction of ais Union. ttrIes OF Down
with them" nnd cbccrsl There never was II
more glorious country transmitted to u race OF mon
than this. The CAESARS never transmitted to their
heirs sccpre Of such imperial power aud mag
nlcense us yon aud nra 10 transmit To our de-
srcu,iants. (Grent cheers.) 1t IN the most iinpc-
! rial power that exer posscssod by any raco oi
men upon EARTH aud can almost SEQ advancing
upon u- the very generation thnt is to hold that
! sceptrc and which is 10 govern this nation. Yet
! We tho unworthy inheritants, talk oi dissolution.
say we. tho unworthy inhcritnnis OF this sceptro
, talk about division Whv sir, was born undor
J this Cunsttutiuu tnder this Government. was
! educated to think IT M permanent as tho very
mountains of our country, and mover dreamed
tnat the thought could ever enter tho mind oi man
that il wna 10 be subvcricd aud destroyed: nhd 1t
wns not until nfcr my manhood that heard ol
;. such I'm idea bcngksuggcsted, and now. to those
= who mi k oiBthc destruction OF this Union. and
! think ns my friend Mr.. Pcyton says of appoint
ing II time an occasion,nnd the very circumstance
! upon which it shall bo dissolved, AS mere buti-
! ness tran sncion-doihey think about what they
/ talk? Destroy this Union? Could such oyentful
crenm>l Stances lie within tho thoughts Of men
tlo obstruction ol.his nionP Whit, pull down
the ryca, and glorious ihhrlc OF this country? Tho
te.5rIrfiun of temulns lie destruction oi cities IL
+ nothing to i'll Pail down this wet and mighty
L. .l,.lta hal Ilnet
! # man, Tho crash would le heard all over tho
] civilized world. ltnccs unborn, mud ages yet To
come, would read with astonishment ol the mighty
I ,ninsfrothe: and yet No hear individuals talk
j .lrnt pulling DOWN tbs Union Oh iti'a miGh-
I - tutriele; Il mighty political faerIleee. The
] mountains might he upturnel and no such scnti-
meut follow tho destruction. We d. not think of
II; vru l,+-,int think of It, 1t is evidence ofthe
tlrsump,ion and aIdncitv al mnn To think OF over
turning aud destroying ttls Government IN the
inco ot the Amer lean people. Cloud nheerlng.l--
i II cannni be done The whole world besides
conll not do it. All the crowned bends of th"
/ earth cannot take it. (Cries Of No" and great
,hceriny) M man hrre would undertake. to
,ull down this Government. (Cries Of No,
No" and applause Our fathers, aided by
benign and mighty Providence. built it.
aud are wc, the degenerate descendants. ready
tapul it downl No! Bat it is u miserable.
/ dirty ,abb,c, who nre prompted by motives Of
snecnlation ,rrat cheering. 1t is this sub
icct Of .Inycry and nnti-savery that il So degrad
+ ing tu the national honor " e are commanded to
i love our negihnr 10 lo,e another, and this ng
itnting question is one altogether unworthy oi u.s.
+ We have great interests ut stake; we have Il
/ miphty country to improve and to embclsh, and
cnfplny us f,rages to come. We have great qGes-
fions for di -cussion. The aineOraon Of the con-
tiun Of our rc,tc; commerce. trade, civilization.
ard tie edurarion If enr people, are questions
upon which wise and remarkable minds may be
cm mployc1. Are We not degraded when we think
Of that other subject tint has employed our minds
and cmbi,crcd our naton! Cannot we live to-
gether in peace? Cannot this country obtain the
means Of living together in peace? Yet there is
party in the midst of us that would blight all
these harmonics, and destroy all. We have lived
together for fifty years, and no voice ever sound
cd this curse: yeti is now, they propose, to work
| discord and dssensons amcng us. We had livod
together until about the year 1888 before any
scditious, ill-naturod controversy WAS eommen-
ccd Men were content and happy to let each
other nov peace and happiness. Wewent through
one war. We fought side by side in that war
Did any one object to his neghbor because OF the
| question Of the existence or non-exstence
! of slavery in the country? We fought
through the bRevolution in the same way, and
| why cannot we let that subject alone now, and
give hearts up to that noble and patriotic bro
| ihcrhooi upon which this nation was founded !
| Great cheers.
| wish to say another word moro particu-
larly appIicnblc to tho matter in controver-
sy Wo have n Democratic and akepubhcan par
v. The Republican has been the great. predomi-
| Iont party What was the purpose OF this partyI
70 rreycnt the extenton of slavery. Have they
OF accomplished it. Texas was the immediate
ubiect of controversy. Look abroad to Texas
.ook abroad to Kansas. Look to all the terrific
les of the United States IL there any portion OF
hat aboGt which the controversy is likely to rise
) to slavery? say, sir, you have accomplished
our object. AS the Republican party you set
4 ala do