Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-09
E1-Pre,ident TYler,s Address.


We publish below the admirable and eloquent
speech of Ex-President Tyler taking his seat as
the Chairman of the conference of commissioners at
Washington:
GENTLEMEN: fear you have committed great
in appointing to the honorable position you
have assigned ME. long separation from all delio
erave bodies has rendered the rules Of their proceed
Jugs unfamiliar to me- while should find in my own
state of health variable and tickle is, sufficient
reason to decline the honor of being your presiding
officer; but in times like these, one has but little OPP
ton left hm-personal considerations should weigh
but lightly in the balance. The country is in dan
CERT is enough-one must take the place assigned
him in the great work Of reconciliation and ADJUST
ment The voice Of Virginia has invited her cO-States
to meet her in council. In the initiation Of tins Gov
eminent that same voice was heard and complied
WITH and the results of seventy odd years have fully
atested the wisdom OF the decisions then adopted
Is the urgency of her call less great than it was
then? Our godlike fathers created-we have to pre-
serve. They built up through their wisdom and pa
triotsm, monuments which have eternGlized their
names. You have before you, gentlemen, task
equally grand equally sublime quite full of glory
and immortality You have to snat-h from ruin
great and glorious Confederation, to preserve the
Government, and to renew and inviGorate the Con-
sttution. If you reach the height of this great occa
sion, your childrenS children will rise up and call
you blessed. | confess myself ambitious in sharing
III tle SlOry OF accomplishing tnlS BI5Iu anu lldSnl-
cent result To have our names enrolled III the Cap
itol to be repeated by future generations with CRATE
fuI applause this is an honor higher than the noun
tlinS-morc enduring than monumental alabaster.
Yes EirginiaS voice, in the oden time, has been
heard. Her sister States meet her this day at the
council board. Vermont is here, bringing with her
the memories of the past, revving in the memories
of all her Ethan Allen and his demand for the sur
render of Tlconderoga in the name of the Great DE-
hovaH and the American Congress. New Hampshire
is heTe-her fame illustrated by memorable annals,
and still more lately the birthplace of him who
won for himself the name of Defender Of the Const
tuition, and who wrote that letter to John Taylor
which has been enshrIned in the hearts of his
trymen. Massachusetts is not here-(some member
said she is comng)-I hope So said Mr.. Tyler, and
that she will bring with her her daughter Maine. |
did not believe it could well be that the voice which,
in other times so familiar to her ears has been
addressed to her in vain. Connecticut is here and
she comes, doubt not, III the spirit of Roger Sher
man, whose name with very children has be-
come a household word and who was in life the
bodiment of that practical sense which BELTS the
great lawgivers and constructors of Governments
Rhode Island the land of Roger Williams, is here,
one of the two last States in her jealousy of the pub
lie liberty to give in Eer adhesion to the Constitu
tion and among the earliest to hasten to its rescue
The great Empire State of New York-represented
thus far but by one-delegates to-day fuller force
join in the great work of healing the diScontents
feeling New Jersey is also here, with the
cries of the past covering her all over. Trenton
and Princeton live immortal in story,-the plains of
the last encrlmSoned with the hearts blood of Eir-
ginia's sons. Among her delegation rejoice to
cOgniZe gallant of a signer of the immortal
Declaration which announced to the world that thr
teen Provinces had become thirteen independent and
sovereign States And here too is Delaware, the
land of the Bayards and the Rodneys, whose soil at
Brandywine was mostened by the blood of Eir-
ginia's youthful Monroe. Here is Maryland, whose
massive columns wheeled into line with those Of Fr
gina in the contest for glory and whose State House
at Annapolis was the theatre of spectacle of
successful commander, who, after liberating his
country, gladly ungirthed his sword and laid it
down upon the altar Of that country. Then comes
Pennsylvania; rich in revoluntary lore, bringing
with her the deathless of Franklin and Morris
and trust ready to from the belfrey of IN
dependence Hall the chimes of the old bell, which
announced Freedom and Independence in former
days. All hail to North Carolina! with her Mech-
lenburg declaration in her hand, standing erect on
the ground of her own probity and tirmness in the
cause of public liberty, and represented in her at
tributes by her Macon and in this assembly by her
distinguished SONS, at great distance from me
Four daughters of Virginia also cluster around the
council board, on the invitation of their ancient
mother, the eldest Kentucky, whose sons, under
that intrepid warrior, Anthony Wayne, gave free
dom Of settlement TO the territory O her sister Ohio
Belle Rivicrc to grasp the hand of SEINE of kin
dred blood of the noble States of Indiana and Hi
nois and Ohio, who have grown up into powerful
States already grand, potent and almost imperial
| Tennessee is not here, but is comlng-prevented
from being here only by the floods which have
swollen her rivers. When she arrives she will wear
the badges on her warrior crest Of victories won,
in company with the Great West, on many an en-
sanguincd plain and standards torn from the hands
of the conquerorS at Waterloo. Missouri and Iowa
and Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, still linger
behind but it may be hoped that their hearts are
with us in the great work have to do. The eyes
OF the whole country turned to this hall and to
this assembly in expectation and hope. | trust
| gentlemen that you may prove yourselves worthy
! of the great occasion. Our ancestors probably
committed blunder in not having fixed upon eve
ry fifth decade for call of general Convention to
amend and reform the Constitution. On the con-
trary they have made the difficulty next to inSur-
! mOuntable to accomplish amendments 10 an instru-
! ment which was perfect for five million Of people
| but not wholly so as to thirty million. Your pa
triotism will surmOnt the difficulties however great
! if you will but accomplish but one triumph in ad-
vance, ard that is triumph O"er party. What is
| party when compared to the task Of rescuing ones
| country from danger? Do that and one long loud
shout of joy and gadness will resound throug hout
/ the land.
! This followed by general congratulations from
| most Of the States.
| Mr. Chase, of Ohio expressed himself as particu-
larly gratied, and assured Mr. Tyler as most of the
| other Commissioners did, that they were ready to
follow where Virginia led.
| UNION OR DIsUNIoN.-As the Raleigh Standard
says, this is the issue presented to the people of
J North Carona-thc issue which they must decide