Mr.President: I am conscious of having detained you and the Senate much too long.I was drawn into the debate with no previous deliberation，such as is suited to the discussion of so grave and important a subject.But it is a subject of which my heart is full，and I have not been willing to suppress the utterance of its spontaneous sentiments.I can not，even now，persuade myself to relinquish it，without expressing once more my deep conviction，that，since it respects nothing less than the union of the states，it is of most vital and essential importance to the public happiness.
I profess，sir，in my career hitherto，to have kept steadily in view the prosperity and honor of the whole country，and the preservation of our federal Union.It is to that Union we owe our safety at home，and our consideration and dignity abroad.It is to that Union that we are chiefly indebted for whatever makes us most proud of our country.That Union we reached only by the discipline of our virtues，in the severe school of adversity.It had its origin in the necessities of disordered finance，prostrate commerce，and ruined credit.Under its benign influences，these great interests immediately awoke，as from the dead，and sprang forth with newness of life.Every year of its duration has teemed with fresh proofs of its utility and its blessings；and，although our territory has stretched out wider and wider，and our population spread farther and farther，they have not outrun its protection or its benefits.It has been to us all a copious fountain of national，social，and personal happiness.
I have not allowed myself，sir，to look beyond the Union，to see what might lie hidden in the dark recess behind.I have not coolly weighed the chances of preserving liberty，when the bonds that unite us together shall be broken asunder.I have not accustomed myself to hang over the precipice of disunion，to see whether，with my short sight，I can fathom the depth of the abyss below；nor could I regard him as a safe counselor in the affairs of this government，whose thoughts should be mainly bent on considering，not how the Union should be best preserved，but how tolerable might be the condition of the people when it shall be broken up and destroyed.
While the Union lasts，we have high，exciting，gratifying prospects spread out before us，for us and our children.Beyond that，I seek not to penetrate the veil.God grant that in my day，at least，that curtain may not rise.God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind.When my eyes shall be turned to behold，for the last time，the sun in heaven，may I not see him shining on the broken and dishonored fragments of a once glorious Union；on States dissevered，discordant，belligerent；on a land rent with civil feuds，or drenched，it may be，in fraternal blood.
Let their last feeble and lingering glance rather behold the gorgeous ensign of the Republic，now known and honored throughout the earth，still full high advanced，its arms and trophies streaming in their original luster，not a stripe erased or polluted，not a single star obscure—bearing for its motto no such miserable interrogatory as，What is all this worth？nor those other words of delusion and folly，Liberty first，and Union afterwards—but everywhere，spread all over in characters of living light，blazing on all its ample folds，as they float over the sea and over the land，and in every wind under the whole heavens，that other sentiment，dear to every true American heart—Liberty and Union，now and forever，one and inseparable！
（Daniel Webster）
译文 TRANSLATION
总统先生：我知道自己耽搁您和各位参议员太久了。我被引入这场争议，之前并没有与这一严肃而又重要的议题相应的深思熟虑。但这是令我魂牵梦绕的议题，我一直想一吐为快。甚至此刻我也不能令自己改变初衷，我依然要重申我的信念，对公众福祉而言，各州结成联邦是至为重要的。
先生，从开始职业生涯迄今，我念兹在兹的是国家的富强、荣光与联邦的巩固。我们国内的安宁与在国外得到的尊重都归功于联邦，而那令我们为国家自豪的一切也源自联邦。我们励精图治、艰苦备尝才结成了联邦。建立联邦是为应对财政混乱、商业凋敝、信用破产的困境。而在联邦的良性影响下，这些巨大的利益即刻复苏，焕发出新的生机。年复一年，联邦证明着自己的功用与益处；尽管我们的疆域越来越辽阔，我们的民众分布越来越广，但他们依然在联邦的佑护下。对我们来说，联邦是国族、社会和个人福祉的源泉。
先生，我从未听任自己为了看那幽暗的隐匿处藏着什么而无视联邦；从未冷漠地衡量，如果连接我们的纽带断裂，我们还能否保持自由；从未徘徊于联邦解体的悬崖，以自己短浅的目光去测度下面的深渊。而对那些不为如何巩固联邦殚精竭虑而苦心孤诣只想着联邦分裂、倾覆后人民的境况尚能差强人意的人，我不会以他为安全顾问，向他咨询国是。
只要联邦存在，我们和我们的孩子面前就有高远的、激动人心的、令人雀跃不已的前景。除此之外，我努力不去看穿那帷幕。愿上帝保佑，至少，在我有生之年，那帘幕不会升起。愿上帝护佑，不要在我眼前开启那幕后的一切。当我最后一次遥望太阳之际，但愿我不要看到，阳光照耀的联邦已不复往昔的辉煌而是四分五裂、黯淡衰颓；但愿它辉耀的各州不要陷入分裂、敌对与争战之中。但愿它照临的这片沃土不要因为内战而满目疮痍，不要浸透——这是可能的——同胞的热血。
让我衰迈、流连的目光停驻在那名满寰宇、举世敬仰的瑰丽的合众国的徽章之上，停驻在那依然所向披靡的国旗之上。那十三道条纹没有一道磨损、污秽，那几十颗星，没有一颗黯然失色，合众国的国力辉煌如昔。国旗上铭刻着合众国的箴言，那箴言不是可鄙的质疑，如，所为价值何在？亦不是那虚妄、愚蠢的谵语，如自由第一，联邦随之——而是几个熠熠生辉的大字，他们在浩瀚的海洋上，在广袤的大地上，在天宇下的每一缕和风中猎猎飘扬，那是每个真正的美国人所珍爱的情愫——自由与联邦，从现在到永远，永为一体，永不分离。
（丹尼尔·韦伯斯特）
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