Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-02-15
Patriotic Speech of Ex-P President
John Tyler, of Virginia, before
the Peace Conference at WASH
ington, upon being Elected its
Presiding officer.

lnSCOn, upon Delng ElecVeu lGs
Presiding officer.
GENTLEMEN: | fear you have committed great
error in appointing me to the honorable position
you have assigned me. A long separation from all
deliberate bodies has rendered the rules Of their
proceedings unfamiliar to me, while should find in
my state of health variable and fckle as it is
sufficient to decline the honor of being your
presiding 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 enough--one must take the
place assigned him in the great work Of conciiation
and adjustment. The voice of Virginia has invited
her co States to meet her in council. In the invi-
tation of this Government that some voice was heard
and complied WITH and the result of seventy odd
years have fully attested the wisdom of the decision
then adopted. Is the urgency of her call now less
great than it was then2 Our godlinke fathers Gre
ated-we have to preserve. They build up, through
their wisdom and patriotism, monuments which
have eterhalized their names.
| You heve before you, gentlemen, task equally
grand, equally sublime, quite as full of glory and
Immortality. You have TO snatch from ruin great
aud glorious Confederation, to preserve the Govern
ment and to renew and invigorate the Constitution
If you reach the height of this great occasion your
chdrens children will rise up and call you blessed
confess 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 aD-
plause; this is an honor higher than the mountains
| more enduring than monumental alabaster Yes,
Virginias voice, as in the olden time, has been
heard Her sister States meets her this day at the
council board Vermont is here, bringing with her
the memories of the past reviying in the memories
of all her Ethan Alien and his demand for the sur
render of Ticonderago in the of the Great Je-
hovah and the American Congress. New Hamp-
shire is here-her fame illustrated by memorable
annals and still more lately as the birthplace of
him who won for himself the name of Defender of
the Constitution and who wrote that letter to John
Taylor which has been enshrned in the hearts of
his countrymen. Massachusetts, is not here-(some
member said she is comingl-I hope so, said Mr..
Tyler, and that she will bring with her her daugh-
ter Maine. did not believe it could we'll be that
the voice which, in other times, familiar to
her ears, has been addressed to her in vain. Con-
nectcut is here, and she comes, doubt not in the
spirit of Roger Sherman, whose name with our very
children has become a household word, and who
was in life the embodiment of that practical sense
which BELTS the great awgivers and constructors Of
governments. Rhode Island, the land of Roger
Williams is here of the two last States in her
Jealousy OF the public liberty, to give in her adhe
sion 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-dele-
gates to-day fuller force to join in the great work
of healing the discontents of the times and restor-
ing the reign Of fraternal feeling. New Jersey is
also qere, with the memories of the past covering
her all over. Trenton and Princeton live immor-
tai in story-the PLAINS of the last encrimsoned
with the hearts blood of vrginias sons. Among
her delegation rejoice to recognize gallant son Of
a sgnerGf the immortal Declaration which announc-
ed to the world that thirteen provinces had become
thirteen independent and sovereign Statea; and
here, too, is Delaware the land of the Bayards and
the Rodneys whose soil at Brandywine was moist
ened by the blood of Virginias youthful Monroe
Here is Maryland, whose massive columns moved
into line with these of Virginia in the contest for
glory, and whose State-house at Annapolis the
} theater of a spectacle of successful commander
who, after lberating his country, gladly ungrhted
his sword and laid it down upon the alter of that
country Then comes Pennsylvania rich in Revo-
lutionary lore, bringing with her the deathles'
names of Franklin and Norris and, trust ready
to renew from the belfry of Independence Hail. 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
..and standing erect the ground of her ewn prob
ity and iirmness in the cause of public liberty and
represented in her attributes by her Macon, and in
this assembly by her distinguished son, at great
distance from Four daughters of Virginia also
cluster around the council board the invitation
of their ancient mother the eldest Kentucky, whose
gave freedom of settlement to the territory Of hel
sister, Ohio and extending his hand daily and hour
y La Belle R0iere to grasp the hand OF some
one of kindred blood Of the noble Strtes 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 coming
prevented from being here only by tho floods which
swollen her rivers Wien she arrives she will weaI
the badges her warrorcrest of victories won, in
company with the Great West on many an ensan
guined plain, and standards torn from the hands o
the coaquerors at Waterloo. Missouri and Iowa and
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, still lingcr be
hind but il may be hoped that their hearts are will
4 us in the great work we have to do.
The eyes of the whole country are turned to thi
hall and to this assembly in expectation and hope
l trust gentlemen, that you may prove yourselves
worthy of the great occasion. Our ancestors prob
ably committed blunder in not having fixed upor
every 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
mountabe to accomplish amendments to an instru
ment which was perfect for five millions of people
but not wholly so as to thirty millions. Your pat
riotsm will surmount the difficulties however great
if you will but accomplish but one triumph in ad
5 vance and that is triumph over party. What i
party when compared to the task of rescuing ones
S country from danger2 Do that, and one long, loud
shout of joy and gladness will resound throughout
the land
A RidiouIOuS Idea.