The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-07
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY
IN NEW YORK.
Speech of Daniel S. Dickinson.


WAsHNGToN's birthday in New York,
Hon. D. S. DICKINSON was a speaker re-
spending 10 the sentiment of the Empire
State. The Tribune reports him as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Dickinson said: Ladies and gem
tie; the natal days of the great and
good have been celebrated through all
time, wherever civilization has travelled,
and the memory of the patriot Washing
ton has been held dear by the American
people. Applause He was one of
those who founded the same idea of
heaven descended rulers, and with the
first parents of the Republic ingrafled
the great and sublime idea of equality
He, and those with whom he acted, ac-
knowledged no ruler but the Ruler of the
Skies; no sovereign but the Sovereign Of
the Universe no protector except Him
who notes as well the fall of a sparrow as
the destruction'of an empire. 1t is this that
made the memory of Washington dear.
Well might the shepherds of the political
Bethlehem, if they had known the birth
day of Washington, have assembled at
his birth TO see the stars in the east He
aided in founding this great Government
of equality and it is this which has made
his memory so dear. He discharged his
great and benign mission on the earth,
and, like the prophet Elijah, passed away
in q fiery chariot to heaven. My
father, my father, the chariots of Is
rael, and the horsemen thereof" was
exclaimed by the American people
wien earth lost and eternity gain
ed mighty spirit. [Cheers. But
if the mission, if the history, if
the work of George Washington was
a cheat and q delusion, if this Govern
ment was founded only to blast expecta-
tions, only TO disappoint hope, then it
would have been far better that George
Washington never had been, born, and that
this Government had slept forever in the
wide abyss of possibility. Yes, my fell
low citizens, far better that the birthday
of George Washington had been cursed,
as the Idumian cursed his natal day
"Lot the day be cursed in which l was
born, and the night on which it is said
that a man child has been conceived"
But this cannot, shall not, will not be.
Loud cheering. This Government is
destined TO pass on by will stronger
than all human existence-tO pass on to
the glorious and great fruition that
awaits it, and we cannot only see these
mighty people of this great and glorious
Government, but we can hear the foot
steps of the coming millions in the dis
tance. Cheers. In this great conste-
lation of political hope, these thirty. four
' sons and these blooming territorial
q daughters, we can see in this bright and
beautiful constellation the Empire state,
our parent queen, unvail her peerless
light and shed glory aud genial warmth
g upon all It is the second land of prom
} Use, like that region between the Medi-
terranean and the Jordon, full of all the
: elements of greatness, full of all the ele-
ments Of wealth, full of all the elements
of success, moral and material, that can
bless people. Look out upon her
mighty expanse, see her great inland seas,
see her mighty rivers moving 10 their
destination like human soul TO its
father andit God. See its contributions
TO commerce, see the productions of its
industry, see it's letters, arts and arms,
see all its greatness, its internal improve
ments, its bright and beautiful hills, its
! sunny slopes, its silvery streams, its
smiling valleys, and then say whether
Q this land is not worth preserving, and a
3 Union is not worth fighting for that has
+ such people.
" Breathes thrra a mar WITH soul ~ dead,
2 Tint never 20 himself hath said
This is my own, my native landy" (Appause)
In the midst of this rebellion is upon
us. This great and benign Government
that has come down to bless our people,
like that genial sunshine taat sheds its
] rays upon all Gods children alike, that
: has come down like the refreshing rains
. of heaven, or like the fertilizing dews,un-
seen and unfelt this great, this good
= this benign and unequalled Government
has put its nose into the water that came
to Rebellion TO drink. This wolf of 9
Government has attempted to fAsten its
faDgs upon the lamb, the rebellion
5 Laughter. What shall the Empire State
;, say? What shall the Empire State do in
this emergency? There is no half way
house, there are no compromise measures
here There are two great antagonisms
a Government and Rebellion, Govern
ment at Washington a Rebellion hatched
in hell. Cheers Where shall she cast
, her potential voice She has taken M
her position with the Government she
helped to found, and Of which she siti
empress crowning this mighty court. w,
say the Empire State shall say War, un-
compromising war, loud cheering, wal
to the knife continued cheering, unit
the rebellion is put down Applause.
!. If a riot should arise in your city here
would our friend the mayor send out an
ambassador Of peace, or would he send
. out the representatives Of the law in theil
majesty to crush il down 10 darkness anC
10 dust ? Cheers. II is a question be,
tween the Government and the. Rebellion
~ 1t has beeU nothing else, IL is nothing
T. else, and il never will be anything else
b, and you may baptize il al the font Of in
fidel politics as often as you choose anC
r.. when il comes out the same bastard o
rebellion will be seen. Laughter anS
cheers But il is feared by the polit
: clans that some incidents may be draw
in that may be uncomfortable. This re
minds me Of the transmigration philoso
pher who begged a man TO desist from th
p chastisement of a dog, for, he said, b
y could recognise in It's how! the voice q
N a deceased friend There arc a giea
N many politicians, ! think now, who th
moment they hear Slavery crying, belioy
that they hear the voice OF a decease
friend. Laughter and applause
Now ! have been Of those conseryatiy