The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-18 00:00:00

A SCENE IN CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON, FEB. 21, 1839.—After a fatiguing calm
for a month, the weather began to break this morning in
the House, and by two o'clock it blew a perfect hurricane
in the inside of the Capitol. Such another debate as
I have heard to-day, cannot be parralleled in half a
century.
Never such a debate did I hear before. It grew out of
a publication in the Globe against Mr. Stanley, of N. C.,
and Mr. Southgate, of Kentucky, made by Dr. Dun-
can, of Ohio. This paper, or prescription, was full of
the choicest epithets in the good old English, such as
" liar," " coward," " calumniator," " poltroon," &c.
By way of set-off to this publication, a compromise of
honour, Mr. Prentiss offered a resolution of in-
quiry, looking to the expulsion of Dr. Duncan.
On this question the awful hurricane broke out. Pren-
tiss, Jenifer, Wise, Menifee, Thompson, of S. C.; Grey
of New York, Glascock, of Georgia, all took part in
the debate. The scene throughout the day was most
splendid, most beautiful, most contemptible, most sub-
lime, most degrading, most humiliating. It was a mere
personal contest throughout the whole day, in which the
most violent threats, biting sarcasms, admirable retorts,
brilliant figures, were thrown out with the grettesi pro-
fusion. From 12 o'clock up to Tin the evetiag, the gal-
' !cries were crowded to suffocation. I never saw a more
brilliant display of beauty and fashion, and they seemed to
enjoy the scene with a most exquisite relish. The ladies
and the loafers have a most exquisite relish for personal
attacks and personal debate.
The debate, begun by Prentiss, presented several points
of consideration. The conduct of Duncan—the code of
honour—the affair of Cilley—tho rules of the duello, were
all more or less touched. The most withering speech was
that made by Mr. Menifee, of Kentucky, who seems in
that line to be one of the first men in the House. In sar-
casm, wit, brilliancy, scorn, and burning eloquence, he
soars far beyond Wise, Prentiss, or any other member of
the present day. Duncan, on account of his letter as pub-
lished in the Globe of Wednesday, was the object of all
these attacks, and he was scored most awfully.
The character of the whole debate is shocking to every
person of taste, judgment, morals, or gentlemanly feelings.
In his speech Wise gave his views of the code of honour,
and a brief history of the severtl actions in which he had
fought or been concerned. " I have been," slid be, " four
times on the field of honour —two men have I seen in the
agonies of death—one man dead outright, and four effec-
tive shots in three fires." And again—" There arc," said
he, " two parties on this subject—the cavaliers and the
roundheads_l belowg to the cavaliers." He also
threatened the whole world with blood and thunder
if any one dared to allude to him as a murderer in the
affair of Cilley. Any man, high or low, rich or poor,
married or single, fat or lean, tall or short, drunk or sober,
loafer or gentleman, who considers Wise guilty of any
crime in the affair of Cilloy, must take care what he says
or thinks, for he must fight him. Wise also ridiculed the
recent law passed by Congress, and avowed his readiness
to violate its provisions.—" If any man insult me, I'll go to
the Penitentiary," said he. " Quite accommodating,"
said a person to me standing on the floor.
The most sensible speech made to-day was that by
Mr. Grey, of New York. He deprecated the waste
of public money and time, in these personal debates,
and proposed to lay the ,vhole subject on the table,
ai.d thus get rid of it. Ti.is ruction was twice Lep-

tived in the course of the day. Mr. Grey made one preg-
nant remark, which I remember—it was that the words
" liar," " calumniator," " coward," &c., which had caused
the debate, were terms approved in certain cases by the
code of honour, and much oftener resorted to south of Mason
and Dixon's line than north of it. This remark, which is
true only of late years, irritated the southern and western
gentlemen. But is a fact that these terms of reproach are
seldom resorted to by northern men, nor even by the old
fashioned Virginia, or South Carolina gentlemen. It is only
of late years that the new vocabulary or the new code of ho-
nour has got a footing among civilized people. The beauideal
of the gentleman, according to this new code of honour, is
the strangest monster that ever was imagined. He is
armed to the teeth—wears steel under his waistcoat—has
his pockets filled with pistols—and his bosom with bowie
knives. Rifles, blunderbusses, every species of weapon is
authorised. His choicest language to his foe is " scoun-
drel," " puppy," " liar," and " poltroon." He threatens
all the world—shatters right arms, and walks Pennsylva-
nia Avenue in search of conflicts. In Congress the same
language, threats, &c. are used. How diff,.rent is all this
from the courteous demeanour, and the chaste language
of the southern and northern gentlemen of formerdays 1
—New Fork Herald.