Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-03-24
FROM THIS NETWORK HERALD.
Extract Of a letter from Washington
dated Ndrch 9. 1914

uutet <hUfH y, iCIf
Your letter is before me in which you
earnestly beg me to give you the particulars
with the utmost mnuteness in my power,
respecting the late uproar in the House Gao
sed by the personal attack made in the
course of debate by our friend Grosvenor on
Mr.. Calhoun, in answer to an observation
of the latter impeaching the motives of the
minority the more readily comply with
this request in order TO enable you in your
paper to correct the gross mstatement
which has appeared in the National Intelli-
gencer. Luckily | have ii in my power to
be more particular and precise than you
could have expected for, Mr.. Grosvenor,
experimenting that the ma ority intended to
place the affair on the journals the next
morning SO as to make it appear TO his dis
advantage, came to me Immediately on the
adjournment of the House, asked me if
had noticed infinitely what had passed, and
begged me to reduce all could recollect to
writing; which did, and which will now
copy as an answer to your letter 1t will
give you fair view of the whole ground
and you can make your own statement of
facts.
In the course of one of the ablest speech
es on the loan bill, which has been deliver
ed this session, Mr. Grosvenor at length
took occasion to notice what had fallen
from MIR Calhoun in his speech on the same
subject, and said :: The gentleman from
South Carolina mr. Calhoun has said
that the minority in this house have refused
to do their duty in protecting native Ameri-
cans from impressment. and in saying this,
the gentleman has said that zrhich as un~
true, Order order order from hun
dred Threats at once. All was uproar and
confusion. G. sat down cool and collected
c. looked pale and CHASTITY. Violent agita.
ton, heat and threats from the ma iority, of
which'G took not the least notice, and seem
ed only waiting for the noise to be over to
proceed a demand was made that the
words should be taken down according to a
rule ofthe house q. remained quiet, and
took no notice of them Some of them then
attempted to state them, but no two could
agree On which G. rose and told them
that to save trouble he would repeat them,
which he did precisely as before Even
then they seemed puzzled what to do, and
still Numbered about their meaning, ON
which G rose a second time, and said, that
to prevent all possible mistake, he would
reduce them to writing, which the speaker
requested him to do. He did so and sent
them to the chair. The speaker having
looked them over, read the rule of the house
and declared the words " out of order" on
which &. Immediately rose and made
strong and vehement attack upon the ma
jority, for sitting calmly and hearing. with
out interruption, the slanderous charges of
Calhoun upon the minority, while they
were all sensibility when these charges were
met in the precise and only manner which
they merited, or in which any of the mino-
ritv would condescend to meet them. The
speaker here interrupted G.. and said he
must admit, that the language of Mr. Cal
houn was out of order and indecorous, but
1t was spoken in committee of the whole,
when he was not in the chair, or it would
not have been suffered g. then attempted
to 60 on, but was called upon loudly to stop,
or explain and this was two or three
times repeated, he still attempting to go
forward, and they refusing to permit him,
unless he explained his constant answer
was that he had no explanation to make,
farther than that lie meant precisely what
his words imported. The cries of order
increased the storm ragged with increased
violence. Some of Gs friends saw fit to go
to him and request him to explain, but he
seemed inclined to rely upon himself and
only answered, that the statement was un-
true, and be meant to be so understood.
distinctly. The reading Of the rule in such
case was called for and found to be. that
when the words Of a member were taken
down, and be refused to retract or explain
he could not proceed ia his speech, and the
House by majority might censure him as
disorderly The speaker, who is. believe,
the personal frieod of both g and C. seem
ed a GOOD deal agitaAed, and tie following