The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-07
Recentiou or Cen CnsS mt Detroit,

A large concourse of citizens assembled at
the depot at Detroit on the lst inst, to wei
come home Gen. Cass, the premier of the late
administration. In reply 10 the address of
welcome, the veteran, who has probably held
public office for the last time, replied fol-
lows:
" Str--The kind reception which my fellow
citizens of Detroit have given me, on this my
return amongst them, has impressed me with
profound emotiors of gratitude. The recol-
lections and associations which press upon
me render it impossible for me 10 do little more
than acknO Wedge their kindness. Ny politi-
cal career is ended and am warned that in
| the course of nature my life approaches its
| termination | come back to the scene of my
| early labors and cares and exertions, endeared
| TO me by,many an interesting association to
| remain among you Till, in the providence of
| God, shall be called TO meet that final change
| that sooner or later must come To all. A young
! adyenturer III this great region of the North
| west, it has proved TO me. as 10 many others,
| not only q land of promise. bEt Il land also Of
| performance. Iou have been pleased to re-
| fer III terms of cOmmendation 10 the services
have been called upon to render TO this sec
| ton of our common country. L have indeed
! seen lt advance from weak and exposed CO.
| lonial condition TO its present position, pos
| sessed of all the elements of human power
| and prosperity
II have but one regret to encounter in re.
| Suming my place among you, ana that arises
| from the perilous crisis in which our country
| is involved. You do me but justice in attri-
| buting 10 me IN earnest desire for the preser-
! walton OF this Union, and OF the CoustiIu-
tion, the great work OF our fathers, and which
| has secured to their sons greater measure oi
| freedom and prosperity than any nation ever
| enjoyed before us. l can scarcely persuade
myself that am not oppressed by some fear.
tul dream when | reflect upon all that il
passing in our country, and upon the position
iii which this great Republic is placed, sud
denly struck from the summit 0t its pros
perlty, and with IA future before us which nt
man con temp plate without the most seri
. ous alarm. In all history there is nothin,
, like it. With no external enemy to troub
us, with no internal oppression, with none o
those visitation5 OF pestilencc or famine o
, other evils by which nations are often pun
ished for their offences, we have reckiessl.
put to hazard our inestimable blessings, AM
are entering that path of dscord, and divi
+ sion, and border disputes, which, If there
any truth in history, must lead to most disas
trous cOnseq uences. ! do not allude 10 thi
fearful subject in any partisan spirit. L d
not seek 10 investigate the causes which le
| to the present state OF things.
but indulge IN the hope that, before /
, | is TOO late, there Will be n determfnatlo
through the whole country--a firm defermi
nation-to cultivate feelings of friendship an
harmony, accompanied by manifestation c
q spirit of conci!iatioh and compromise, G
: Justice indeed which may lead TO the hop
that, if the work is earnestly and prompt.
undertaken, may succeed, under Prov
dence, in re-establis hing the integrity and III
blessings of the Constitution, with the patr
otic cooperation OF the whole American pee
pie.