St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-02-28
Speech of EX-President Tyler.

OF the Conference Convention at w ash
ington
GENTLEMEN Il fear you have COM
mittcd a great error in appointing me
to the honorable position you have as
signed me. A long separation from
all dclibcrativc bodies has rendered
the rules Of their proceedings unfamiI-
lar to me, while should find in my
own state Of health, variable and
tickle as it is, sufficient reason to de-
cline the honor of being your presid-
ing officer; but in times like these,
one has but little option left him
personal considerations should weigh
but lightly in the balance. The coun-
try is in danger--it is cnough-onc
must take the place assigned him in
the great work of reconciliation and
adjustment. The voice Of Virginia
has invited her co-Statcs to meet her
in her council. In the initiation Of
this Government that same voice was
heard and complied with, and the re-
suits of seventy odd years have fully
attcstcd the wisdom of the decision
then adopted. Is the urgency of her
call now less great than it was then I!
Our gOdlikc fathers creatcd--wC have
to preserve. They built up, through
their wisdom and patriotism, monu-
mcnts which have eier0liSed their
names. You have before you, gentle
men, task equally grand, equally
sublime, quite as full Of glory and i'm
mortality. You have to snatch from
ruin a great and glorious Confedera
ton, to preserve the Government, and
to renew and invigoratc the Constitu-
ton.
If you reach the hight of this great
occasion, your children's children will
rise up and call you blessed. | con-
TESS myself ambitious of sharing in
the glory of accomplishing this grand
and magnificent result. To have our
names enrolled in the Capitol, to be
repeated by future generations with
grateful applause, this is an honor
higher than monumental alabastcr.
Yes, Virginia's voice, as in the olden
time, has been heard. Her sistsr
States meet her this day at the coun-
Gil board. Vermont IS here, bringing
with her the memories of the past re-
viving the memories Of her Ethan
Allen and his demand for the surren-
der of Ticondcroga in the name of the
Great Jehovah and the American Con-
gress. New Hampshire is here-her
fame illustrated by memorable annals,
and still more lately as the birth.
place of him who won for himself the
name of Defender of the Constitution,
and who wrote that letter to John
Tyler which has been cnshrned in the
hearts Of his countrymcn. Massachu-
sets is not hcrc-(somc member said
she is coming)-I hope so, said Mr..
Tyler, aud that she will bring with
her her daughter Maine. | did not
believe it could well be that the
voice which, in other times, was 50
familiar to her cars, has been address
ed to her in vain. Connecticut is
here, and she comes, doubt not, in
the spirit of Roger Sherman, whose
name with our very children has be-
come a household word, and who was
in life the embodiment Of that practi-
cal sense which BELTS the great law
givcrs and constructors of Govern
ments. Rhode Island, the land of
Roger Williams, is here, one of the
last States in her jealousy of the pub
lie liberty to give in her adhesion to
the Constitution, and among the cari-
est to hasten to it's rescue. The great
Empire State Of New York-rcprc-
scented thus far but 10y onc-dclcgatcs
to-day fuller force to Join in the
great work of healing the dscontcnts
of the times, and restoring the reign
of fratcrnal feeling. New Jersey is
also here, with the memories of the
past covering her all over. Trenton
and Princeton live immortal in story
the plains of the last crimsoncd
with the hearts blood of Nirginia's
sons. Among her delegation | re-
jocc to recognize a gallant son Of a
signcr of the immortal Declaration
which announced to the world that thir.
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 moist
ened by the blood Of Virginia's youth
full Monroe.
Here is Maryland, whose massive
columns wheeled into line with those
of Virginia in the contest for glory,
and whose State House at Annapolis
was the theatre of spectacle Of sue
cessful commander, who, after liberat-
ing his country, gladly ungirthed his
sword and laid it down upon the altar
of that country. Then comes Pennsyl-
vania rich in revolutionary lore,
bringing with her the deathless names
of Franklin and Morris, and | trust
ready to renew from the belfry 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
Mecklenburg declaration in her hand,
standing erect on the ground of her
own probity and firmness in the cause
of public liberty, representing her
attributes by her Macon, and in this
assembly by her distinguished son,
at no great distance from me. Four
daughters Of Virginia also cluster
around the council board, on the invi-
tation of their ancient mother the
eldest, Kentucky, whose sons, under
that intrepid warrior, Anthony Wayne,
gave freedom of settlement to the ter
ritory of her sister, Ohio, and extend
ing his hand daily and hourly across
La Belle Rivlerc to grasp the hand of
some one of kindred blood of the
noble States of Indiana and Illinois
and Ohio, who have grown up into
powerful States already grand, potent,
and almost imperial.
Tennessee is not here, but is com
ing-prcvcnted from being here only
by the floods which have swollen her
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