Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-02-08


taking the Chair, he made the following sl
oquent speech. There isnothing partisan il
il, and we can ell subscribe to its patriotic
reminiscenaes.
Mr.. Tyler said
GEETLEMEN fear you have committed
great error in appointing me to the honor
able position you have assigned me. A lonl
separation from all deliberate bodies hai
rendered the rules Of their proceedings IN.
/ familiar 70 me, while / should find In my
own state Of health, variable and tickle as I
ia, sufficient reason TO define the honor o
being your presiding officer but, in time
like these, one has but little option left him
-persOnHl considerations should weigh bu
lightly in the balance. The country is in
dan ger-it is enough-One must take the
place assigned him in the great work of re.
Cancellation and adjustment. The voice O.
| Virginia has invited her oo-States TO meei
her in council. In the invitation Of thil
| Government that same voice was heard and
complied with, and the results Of seventy
odd years have fully attested the wisdom O
the decisions then adopted. Is the urgency
Of her call now less great than it was then
Our godlke fathers cFeated-we have to pre-
serve. They built up, through their wis
| dom and patriotism, monuments which have
| etsT'ndlizsf their names. You have before
you, gentlemen, task equally grand, equal
| ly sublime, quite as full Ofglory and immor-
| tality. You have TO snatch from ruin great
and glorious Confederation, to preserve the
| Government, aud to renew and invigorate
the Constitution. If you reach the height
Of this great occasion, your children's child
rem will call you blessed. I confess myself
ambitious Of sharing in the glory Of accom-
plishng 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 the mOuntains-more enduring than
monumental alabaster. Yes, Virginia's s
voice, as in the Olden time, has been heard.
| Her sister States meet her this day at the
council board. Vermont is here, bringing
with her the memorials of the past, reviving
in the memories Of all her Ethan Allen and
his demand for the surrender Of Ticondero-
ga in the name Of the great Jehovah and
the American Congress. New HAMPSHIRE
is here-her fame illustrated by memorable
annals, and still more lately as the birth
place Of him who won tor himself the name
of Defender of the Constitution, and who
wrote that letter to John Taylor which has
been enshrined in the hearts of his country
men. Massachusetts is not here-(some
member said she is coming)-I hope so, said
Mr.. Tyler, and that she will bring with her
her daughter Maine. I did not believe IL
could well be that the voice which, in other
times, was 30 familiar TO her ears, has been
addressed to her in vain. Connecticut is
here, and she comes, I doubt not, in the
spirit Of Roger Sherman, whose name with
our very children has become household
word, and who was in life the embodiment
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 public liberty to give in her
adhesion to the Constitution, 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 full
er force to join the great work of healing
the discontents Of the times, and restoring
the reign Of fraternal feeling. New-Jersey
is also here, with the memories Of the past
covering her all over. Trenton and Prince
ton live immortal in story,-the plains of
the last encrimsoned with the hearts blood
of Virginia's sons. Among her delegation I
rejoice to recognise gallant son Of signer
Of the immortal Declaration which an
nounecd to the world that thirteen Provinces
had become thirteen independent and sover-
eign States. And here too is Delaware, the
land of the Bayards, and the ROdneys, whose
soil at BrandyWine was moistened BY the
blood Of Virginis's youthful Monroe. Here
is MARYLAND, whose massive columns wheel
ed into line with those Of Virginia in the
contest for glory, and whose State House at
Annapolis was the theatre Of a spectacle of
a successful commander, who, after liberia
ting his country, gladly ungirtned his sword
and laid it down upon the altar of that coun-
try. Then comes Pennsylvania, rich in
revolutionary lore, bringing with her the
deathless names of Franklin and Morris,
and trust ready to renew from the belfry
of Independence Hall the chimes of the old
bell, which announced Freedom and indie
pendence in former days. All hail to North
Cardinal with her Mecklenburgh declara-
ton in her hand, standing erect on the
ground of her own probity and frmness in
the cause Of public liberty, and represented
in 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 invitation Of their ancient
mother, the eldest Kentucky, whose sons
under that intrepid warrior, Anthony Wayne |
gave freedom of settlement to the territory |
Of her sister, Ohio, and extending his hand |
daily and hourly across La Belle Riviere 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 |
I'm perial. Tennessee is not here, but is |
coming from coming here only |
By the floods wnichshave swollen her rivers. |
When she arrives she will wear the badges |
On her warrior crest Of victories won, in COM |
pany with the Great West, on many an en-
ianguined plain, and standards torn from /
the hands Of the conquerors at Waterloo
Missouri and Iowa, and Michigan, Wiscon-
sin and MinnesOta still linger behind, but it /
may be hoped that their hearts are with us
IN the great work we have TO do. The eyes
1f the whole country are turned 10 this hall |
and to this assembly in expectation and
hope. l trust, gentlemen, that you may |
prove yourselves worthy Of the great occa-
zion. Our ancestors probably com united
olunder in not having fixed upon every fifth
decade for call Of a general Convention to
amend and reform the Constitution. On
he contrary, they have made the difficulty
next to insurmountable to accomplish
to an instrument which wGs
serfect for FIVE millions Of people, but not
wholly so as tn thirty millions. Your pat
-iOtism will surmount the difficulties, how
,ver great, if you will accomplish but one
riumph in advance, and that is triumph
,ver party. What is party when compared
o the task Of rescuing ones country from
LANCER? Dothst, and one long, loud shout
# joy and gladness will sound throughout
be land.
This was followed by general cOngratula-
ions from most Of the States.
Gov. Chase, of Ohio, expressed himself as
gratihed, and assured Mr.. Tyler,
s most of the other Commissioners did, that
hey were ready to follow where Virginia
ed.
A Rad Snail