ages to come.  We have a great, popular, constitutional government, guarded by law and by judicature, and defended by the affections of the whole people.  No monarchical throne presses these States together, no iron chain of military power encircles them; they live and stand under a government popular in its form, representative in its character, founded upon principles of equality, and so constructed, we hope, as to last for ever.  In all its history it has been beneficent; it has trodden down no man’s liberty; it has crushed no State.  Its daily respiration is liberty and patriotism; its yet youthful veins are full of enterprise, courage, and honorable love of glory and renown.  Large before, the country has now, by recent events, become vastly larger.  This republic now extends, with a vast breadth, across the whole continent.  The two great seas of the world wash the one and the other shore.  We realize, on a mighty scale, the beautiful description of the ornamental border of the buckler of Achilles:—­

    “Now, the broad shield complete, the artist crowned
    With his last hand, and poured the ocean round;
    In living silver seemed the waves to roll,
    And beat the buckler’s verge, and bound the whole.”

* * * * *

NOTE.

Page 619.

Letter from Mr. Webster to the Editors of the National Intelligencer, enclosing Extracts from a Letter of the late Dr. Channing.

Washington, February 15, 1851.

MESSRS.  GALES AND SEATON:—­

Having occasion recently to look over some files of letters written several years ago, I happened to fall on one from the late Rev. Dr. W.E.  Channing.  It contains passages which I think, coming from such a source, and written at such a time, would be interesting to the country.  I have therefore extracted them, and send them to you for publication in your columns.

Yours respectfully,

DANIEL WEBSTER.

* * * * *

Boston, May 14, 1828.

MY DEAR SIR.—­

I wish to call your attention to a subject of general interest.

A little while ago, Mr. Lundy of Baltimore, the editor of a paper called “The Genius of Universal Emancipation,” visited this part of the country, to stir us up to the work of abolishing slavery at the South, and the intention is to organize societies for this purpose.  I know few objects into which I should enter with more zeal, but I am aware how cautiously exertions are to be made for it in this part of the country.  I know that our Southern brethren interpret every word from this region on the subject of slavery as an expression of hostility.  I would ask if they cannot be brought to understand us better, and if we can do any good till we remove their misapprehensions.  It seems to me that, before moving in this matter, we ought to say to them distinctly, “We consider slavery as your calamity, not your crime, and we will share with you the burden of putting an end to it.  We will consent that the public lands shall be appropriated to this object; or that the general government shall be clothed with power to apply a portion of revenue to it.”