Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-01

Ma. PREsIDENT.-While cheerfully respond
on behalf of the Legislature of the State of
Ohio, to the toast that has Just been read,
suppose, sir, shall be strictly in order, if do
not cOnfine myself exclusively to. the text. Sir,
l cannot refrain, as l cast my eyes over this
vast assembly, gathered as it is from so many
States of this Union, from expressing the pride
and satisfaction / feel at this fraternal and
ennobling spectacle. Sir, should be TecreaRt
TO my duty, did not, in the name of the House
of Representatives, whose servant am, and in
the name of the Legislature, bid you welcome
to the hospitalties of the State of Ohio Sir,
the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana
and Ohio, are SO intimately connected by the
ties of blood, of neiahbOrhOod and the early
struggles and hardships of their pioneers and
patriots, that a common history, and a COM
mon interest endear them to each other. The
kindly and afectionate feeling with which the
people of Ohio, regard the people Of her sister
States, has been strikingly displayed all along
the route we have travelled this day. / ask you,
gentlemen of Kentucky and Tennessee, if you
have not witnessed in the magnificent ovation
paid you this day, from the time you left our
Capital, until the present moment, the sponta'
neOus, hearty and overwhelming testimonial OF
the regard of the people of Ohio, towards the
people of her sister States! put it in you
gentlemen of Kentucky and Tennessee, if the
children, scarcely two years old, in their moth
er's arms. land we have seen thousands of them
to-day have not shaken their little hands in
your faces, and bid you welcome and God
speed? Aye, so it is sir-so it will ever be
Ohio and her children love this Union, and will
maintain it as their ialher's gave it.
Mr.. President, l have been asked to-day,
whether this same cordial hospitality would
have extended to these, our guests, had they
passed to the northern part of our State-tO
the beautiful city upon the Lake shore. Sir, l
take pride and satisfaction in answering that
question. Sir, my home and part of my con-
sLituents dwell in that beautiful city-in the
heart ofthe Western Reserve. l have the hon
or of representing seventysfve thousand of
those people, on the floor of our House of Re-
presentatives. Sir, the people of the RsserUe
are the descendants of the people of Massschu.
sets and Connecticut. They need 10 eulogy
from me. They have their own ideas of right
and wrong-their own views upon all and
every subject, and dare maintain them when
they believe them right, at every hazard. Bot,
sir, however much they may differ from our
friends upon some subjects when il comes to
the sacred rights of fhospitality-when it comes
to a question of expressing q fraternal and
cordial good will to their brethren of sister
States-then sir, their hearts and their homes
are spread wide open, and their hospitality is
second to none on the face of the globe And,
sir, they are as loyal to the Union of these
States, as they are to their God!
Mr.. President. ours is partnership in these
great States of the Mississippi valley, that like
that of the boy and his sister in the kitten,
cannot be divided. A little boy and girl agreed
to divide the ownership of a kitten between
them, and the tail end Of the bargain fell to the
boy. Shortly after the kitten was heard new
ing frightfully, and the little girl sprang to the
rescue, enquiring what was the matter! Oh,
nothing at all, says the boy, 1 only tread on my
part of kitty, and your part hOlsred. So it is
with US. If blow is aimed at the interests of
either of these States the others feel it and will
resent the wrong.