perseverance, he pursued the path he had chosen for himself. He cut
his way through every obstacle, and overcame every hindrance and
difficulty, though they might seem to tower mountain high. Friends
came to his aid, as they will to the assistance of every youth who
is industriously seeking to rise in the world by the strength of his
own merits. At length, after great exertions, he obtained a
profession, and entered into a field where he could bring into
active exercise the fund of knowledge he had been acquiring under so
many difficulties. One thus industrious, thus pure in his habits,
thus upright and honorable in all his transactions, could not fail
to receive the commendation and confidence of his fellow-citizens.
Rapidly he rose from one post of honor to another. Ere long he was
sent to the Legislature of our State. Soon he entered the halls of
Congress, where he won the confidence of his compeers, and arose to
honorable distinction. From step to step he advanced--high and
higher still he ascended the ladder of fame--until now, the poor
mechanic boy of Montville, occupies the _second place_ in the gift
of the American people--within _one step_ of the highest pinnacle of
fame to which man can attain on the earth! How noble the career--how
splendid the example--placed before the youth of our country, in the
history of this eminent man! How honorable to himself--how worthy of
imitation.

I need not ask the young men of this audience, which place they
would prefer to occupy, the position of the poor inebriate of whom
I have spoken, or that of the Vice-President of the United States?
It is instructive to inquire why the one, with opportunities so
good, sunk so low, and the other, with early advantages so limited,
has arisen so high? This disparity in their condition is to be
attributed to the different paths they selected at the outset of