302 [Assembly 



Mr. Milliard then rose, amid loud applause. He said : 

 I feel myself honored, fellow-citizens, in being thus introduced 

 to you by the venerable and distinguished President of th« 

 American Institute, who has so long devoted his talents and en- 

 ergies to the cause of industry, and the development of the re- 

 sources of this great State. 



And I feel myself honored, too, in being thus received by you, 

 representing as you do the industry, the skill, the wealth, and 

 the enterprise which are so rapidly advancing our country in 

 civilization. 



I come to you from a distant State — a State known to you 

 mainly so far by its Agriculture, yet not wanting in Mineral re- 

 sources, and already engaged successfully in Manufactures. But, 

 coming from that State to this Emporium of commerce — this 

 city which has already outstripped every city on the Continent 

 of Europe, and which is destined soon to rival the great Me- 

 tropolis of England itself; coming to this city, I feel there are 

 some considerations which bind us together in common sym- 

 pathy. 



I can, on the present occasion, when there is so much all 

 around you to interest you, advert to but one or two of these 

 considerations. The first of these is, that we belong to the same 

 country ; we are all Americans ; we are all citizens of one Go- 

 vernment. I come from a State washed by the waters 'of the 

 Gulf of Mexico, and I am now in a city belonging to a great 

 State, washed by the St. Lawrence, and stand this evening in a 

 building against which the waves of New-York Bay break ; yet 

 the broad expanse which stretches between New-York and Ala- 

 bama, between your home and my home, is our common country. 

 Every part of it, every plain and mountain, and stream, and 

 village, and city, all belong to us ; and over the whole extent of 

 it, the same great and beneficent political system spreads its ma- 

 jestic proportions. ^ 



The same flag that floats over your shipping, floats over ours; 

 the same historic recollections which warm your hearts, warm 

 ours ; and the same future that has opened to your eyes, has 



