Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-02-03
Speech of Mr.. Crittenden

faa g At THE m i1--.f
PEYToN DINNER IN PHILADELPHIA.

PEfTON, DINNER in PHILADELPHIA.
AZ the hour Of six the dress circle and eal,erie
were thrown open, and at once filed with ladie
and gentlemen, representing the wealth and bcaut
aud intellect of PHILADELPHIA
Mr.. McMichael after the drawing Of the cloth, in
troduced es the FIRST toast, tne health of the Hon
Baile Peyton, the guest Of the evening, who res
Iponded in manaer that kept the house in roars Q
laughter. nos Y A-se w
The health Of the Senator ~ Kentucky wa
then proposed, and was hailed with nine cheers, tn
entire company standing. The honorable gentle
man responded as follows; 20
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AxD GENTLEMEN; am over
wheimed by the complimentary greeting you hav'
been pleased TO give me this evening. J know no
how to express TO You my thanks. am but plail
man, and but little accustomed to these entertain
menls--these magnificent and ostentatious kinds o
entertainments. ! thank you most heartily for thu
manner in which you have been pleased TO cOnnec
my poor name with that ofthis great patriot point
ing to Mr. Clays portrait just over the rustrum)
Henry Clay. lCheers.] Il was abouthim-I may
say at his feet-r-that learned my political lessons
and my political sentiments. Nor is there one O.
those principles that am conscious Of which
have changed in the slightest degree. [Checrs.
Circumstances change the expedency of measures
] but as for the grand principles which govern the
affairs OF men, the same influence runs through all
my political~atfairs. Great cheers. Fellow-citi-
zens, after what has been said by my good and an
cient friend laughter there is but little, it seems
TO me- to be said, without the dullest repetition
All, rejoice in the noble sentiments of devotion to
our Union, which take to be devotion to our coun-
try, which he has uttered here this night. [Great
cheers. Our country is the glory Of the earth
What such land as ours be severed We do not
know its value. Have you ever Travelled fifteen
hundred miles straight West and then been invited
as You went to sec the country, to go still further
WesR Laughter and applause.] The noblest
rivers, the proudest plains that the sun ever shone
upon, are 10 be found amongst us. Yet there are
men, Of authority toe, who talk about the destruc-
ton of this Union. Cries of "Down with them
and cheers. There ueyer was a more glorious
country transmitted to of men than this. The
Caesars never transmitted to their heirs sceptre OF
such imperial power and magnfcence as you and
we are 10 transmit TO our descendants. Great
cheers. 1t is the most imperial power that was
ever possessed by any race of men upon EARTH and
we can almost see advancing upon us the very gen.
Grafton that is TO hold that sceptre, and which is to
govern this nation. \ Ct we, the unworthy inheri-
tants, talk Of dissolution. say we, the unworthy
inberiants ofthis sceptre talk about DIVISION Why
sir, was born under this Constitution under this
Government ! was educated TO think il as perIna-
nent as the very mountains of our country, and
never dreamed that the thought could ever enter the
/ ed ; and 1t was not until after my manhood that
heard OF such an idea being suggested and now. to
those who talk Of the destruction of this Union and
think, as my friend Mr. Peyton says of appointing
time, en- OCCASION and the very circumstance upon
which il shall be dissolved as mere business tran
saction--do they think about what they talk? De-
stroy this Union? Could such eventfiI circums,ap-
ces he within the thoughts fmen the destruction
of this Onion? What, pull down the great and
glorious fabric of this country The destruction of
temples, the destruction OF cities is nothing to il
Pun down this vast and mighty structure which
secures and shelters the liberty OF men The crash
would be heard all over the civilized world Races
unborn, and ages yet to come, would read with as
constituent OF the mighty catastrophe and yet we
hear individuals talk about pulling down this Union!
Oh II Is a mighty sacrilcge mighty political
sacrilege. The mountains might be upturned and
no such sentiment follow the destruction We do
not think Of it you do not think Of it. II is an
evidence OF the presumption aud aud0ity of man to
think Of overturTing and destroying this Govern
mcnt IN the tace ct the American people. Loud
applause II cannot be done. The whole world be-
sides could not do il. An the crowned heads of the
earth cannot take IT, [Cries of "No" "No" and
great cheering No man here would undertake to
pail down this Government. Cries of "No,' mo
and applause. Our fathers, aided by benign and
mighty Providence, built it, and are We the degeu-
crate descendants, ready to pull it down? MOI But
it IS miserable, dirty rubbe, who are prompted by
motives Of speculation. Great cheeringj 1t is
this subject OF slavery and ant-slaVery that is so
degrading to the national honor Weare command
edto love our neghbor to love another, and this
agtatng question is one altogether unworthy of us.
We have great interest at stake we have a mighty
country to improve and to embellish, and employ
MS for ages TO come We have great questions for
discussion. The amelioration of the condition of
our people commerce, trade, civilization and the
education .fa Z,
wise and remarkable minds may be employed. Are
we not degraded when we think of that other sub
Ject that has employed our minds and embiiered our
nation! Cannot we live together in peace? Can
not this country obtain the means of living together
in peace! Yet there is party in the midst of US
that would blight all these harmones and destroy
all We have lived together for fifty years and no
voice ever sounded this curse; yet il is now, they
suppose TO work discord and dissensious among us.
We had ved together until about the year 1888
before any seditious, -natureG controversy was
commenced. Men were content and happy 10 let
ench other enjoy peace and happiness We went
through one war We fought side by side in that
war Did any one object to his neighbor because
Of the questions sf the existence or non-exisence of
slavery in the country We fought through the
Revolution in the same way, and why cannot We
let TINT subject alone now, and give our hearts up
To that noble aud patriotic brotherhood upon which
this nation was loundcdl [Great cheers,
! wish TO say another word more particularly ap-
plcahle to the matter in controversy. We have a
Democratic anda Republican party The Repub-
lican has been the great, predominant party. What
was the purpose Of this party? To prevent the ex-
tension OF slavery. Have they not accomplished il.
Texas was the immediate subject Of controversy.
Look abroad 10 all the Territories of the United
States Is there any portion of thft about which
the controversy is likely To rise as to slavery?
say sir You have accomplished your object As
The Republican party You set out to prevent the cx-
tension oi slavery. do not say whether that was
a good and proper object but that was your ayowed
purpose, and virtually you have accomplished il,
and you should be satisfied. Having thus achieved
Vie rcy object Tor which you formed yourselves in-
to party what was your duty then? lou had to
treat slavery as sectional question, aud one pro-
duclrg all the unkind feelings derived from section
alism DO you boast OF the prevention Of the cX-
tension of slavery as a triumph? No we felt that il
was our duty to do that, The extension of slavery
involved poii.ical qucstion-questou Of political
l..l 81 4. 4