Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-05-06
BROUGHAM AND CANNING.
I'm slseant extract from ".4ttie Fragments


"Such were the rival orators, who sat glanc-
ing hostility and defiance at each other, during
the early part Of the session Of 1928: Brough-
am. as if wishing to overthrow the secretary by
sweeping accusation Of having abandoned all
nrinciple for the sake of Office; and the secre-
iiary ready to parry the charge, and attack in
his ,urn An opportunity al length offered, and
i, is the more worthy Of being recorded, as be-
ing the last terrific personal attack previous to
that change in the measures OF that cabinet,
which, though it had been began from the mo.
ment Canning, Robinson and Huskisson came
into Office, was not at that time perceived, or
at least admitted and appreciated. Upon that
occasion, the Grafton OF Brougham was, at the
outset, disjointed and ragged, and apparently
without aim or application. He careered over
the whole annals Of the world, and collected
every instance in which genius had degraded
itself at the foo:stool Of power, or principle
had been sacrificed for the vanity or the lucre
of place but still there was no alluslon to Can
ming. and no connection that ordinary men
| could discover with the business before the
! house. When, however, he had collected eve
nv material which suited his purpose-when
the mass had become big and black, he bound
il about with the cords Of illustration and ar
pument: when its union was secure, he swang
| il around with the strength of giant, and the
rapidity of whirlwind in order that its i'm
petu, and its effects might be more tremendous;
and. while doing this, he ever and anon glared
mis- eve, and pointed his finger, to make the aim
and direction sure. Canning himself was the
| first that seemed to be aware where and how
terrible was TO be the collision; and he kept
writhing his body in agony, and rolling his eyes
| in fear, as if anxious to find some shelter from
the impending bolt. The house soon caught the
| impression, and every man in it was glancing
fearfully, frs, towards the orator, and then to-
wards the secretary. There was, save the voice
of Brougham, which gIowled in that under
tone of muttered thunder, which is so fearfully
audible, and Of which no speaker OF the day was
fully master but himself, silence, as if the an
pei of retribution had been haring in the faces
Of all parties the scroll oftheir personal and po-
litical sins. A pen which one OF the sccreta-
ries dropped upon mating, was heard in the
remotest part of the house; and the voting
members, who often slept in the side galleries
during the debate, stared up as though the n
nal trump had been sounding them to give an
account Of their deeds. The stiffness o.
Brougham's figure had vanished, his features
seemed concentrated almost TO point; he CLAN
ced towards every part Of the house in success
sion; and sounding the death knell of the secre
tary's forbearance and prudence, with both MI
clenched hands upon the table, he hurled a
him an accusation, more dreadful in its gall
and more torturiDg in its effects, than ever hae
been hurled at mortal man within the same
walls. The result was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. e
lectric. 1t was as when the thunder cloud de-
| seended upon the giant peak-one hash-on'
peal-the sublimity vanished, and all that re
, manned was a small and cold pattering Of rain
Canning started to his feet, ard was only able t.
utter the unguarded words, 1t is false!' te
which followed dull chapter Of apologies
$ From that moment The house became more ,
scene of real business, than of airy display ane
: angry vituperation."