The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-03

rious and deliberate, which may be bestowed on |
others, as so much unjustly withholden from
themselves. But the tone ana manner OF the
gentleman's question, forbid me that thus IN
terrupt it. | am not at liberty to consider it as
nothing more than civility to his friend. 1t |
had an air of taunt and disparagement, little |
of the holiness of asserted superiority, which |
does not allow me to pass it over without no
tice. 1t was put as a question for me to an
swer, and so put, as if it were difficult for me
to answer, whether ] deemed the member from !
Missouri an over-match for myself IN debate
here. 1t seems, to me- sir, that this is extraor-
binary language, and an extraordinary tone, for
the discussions of this body.
Matches are over-matchesi Those terms are
more applicable elsewhere than here, and filter
for other assemblies than this. Sir, the gentle
man seems to forget where and what we are
This is Senate: a Senate of equals: of men
of individual honor and personal character, and
of absolute independence. We know no mas
tiers we acknowledge no dctators. This is a
Hall for mutual consultation and discussion
not an arena for the exhibition of champions.
offer myself, sir, as a match for no man /
throw the challenge at no mans feet. But,
then, sir, since the honorable member has put
the question, in manner that calls for an an
swer, will give him an answer; and | tell
him, that holding myself to be the humblest of
arm of his friend from Missouri, elIner alune,or
when aided by the arm of his friend from South
pousing whatever opinions may choose to es
pouse, from debating whenever may choose to
debate, or from speaking whatever | NAV see
ut to say on the floor of the Senate. Sir when
uttered as matter of commentator or compli-
ment, should dissent from nothing which the
honorable member might say Of his friend. Still
less do put forth any pretensions of my own
but, when put to me as matter of taunt, throw
1t back, and say to the gentleman that he could
possibly say nothing less likely than such COM
parIson, to wound my pride of personal charac-
ter. The anger gifts tone rescued the remark
from Intentional ironry, which, otherwise, prob
ably, would have been its general acceptation.
But, sir, If 1t be imagined that by this mutual
quotation and commentator lift be supposed
that, by casting the characters of the drama,
assigning to each his part to one the attack
10 another the cry of onset; or, if it be though.
that by loud ard empty vaunt of anticipated
victory, any laurels are to be won here if it be
imagined, especially, that any, or all these things
VIII shake any purpose of mine, | can tell the
honorable member once for all, that he is great
~ mistaken, and that he is dealing with one of
whose temper and character he has much to
learn. SIR, will not allow myself, on this &C.
caslon, hope on no occasion, to be BETRAYED
$3.50 L
trust l never shall allow myselfto be, into Grim
nation and recrimination, the honorable mem
per may, perhaps, find, that, in that contest,
there VIII be blows to take as well as blows to
give that others can state comparisons as sig
niflcant, at least, as his own and that his impu-
nifty may perhaps, demand Of him whatever
powers of taunt and sarcasm he may possess
commend to him a prudent husbandry of
his resources.
But, sir, the coalition The coalition! Ave,
" the murdered coalition! !" The gentleman
asks, II were led or frightened into this debate
by the spectre of the Coalition" was it the
ghost of the murdered coalition" he excaims,
. which haunted the member from Massachu-
setts and which, like the ghost of Banquo,
would never down." "The murdered coali- !
ton !! Sir, this charge of coalition, in re-
ference to the late administration, is not orig
i'"i with the hnnn-ahIn ---..IGei. II al =
spring up in the Senate. Whether as a fact, /
as an argument, or as an establishment, it is |
all borrowed. He adopts it, indeed, from |
very low origin, and a still lower present con-
dition. 1t Is one of the thousand calumnies
with which the press teemed, during an excited
political canvass. 1t was a charge of which
there was not only no proof or probability, but
which was, in ITSELF wholly impossible to be
true. No man of common information ever be-
lieved syllable of it. Yet it was of that class
of falsehoods, which, by continued repetition,
through all the organs of detraction and abuse,
are capable of misleading those who are already
far i1isled, and of further tanning passion, al |
ready kindling into fame. Doubtless, it served
Its day, and, in greater or less degree the end /
designed by it. Having done that, it has sunk !
into the general mass of stale and loathed cal /
umnies. 1t is the very cast-off slough of a I
polluted and shameless press. Incapable of
further mischief, it lies in the sewer, lifeless
and desplsed. 1t is now, sir, in the power Of
the honorable member to give it dignity or de- |
ceney, by attempting to elevate it, and to in !
troduce it into the Senate He cannot change
It from what it is, an object of general disgust
and scorn. On the contrary, the contact, il he
chooses to touch it, is more likely to drag him
down, down, TO the place where it lies itself
Bot, sir, the honorable member was not, (
Tor other reasons, entirely happy in his alu- !
sion to the story of Banquos murder and Ban. /
quos ghost. 1t was not, think, the friends, J
but the enemies of the murdered Banauo. at
whose bidding his spirit would not down. The
honorable gentleman is fresh in his reading of
the English classics, and can put me right, i'll
l am wrong; but according to my poor recol- !
lection, 1T was at those who had begun with /
caresses, and ended with foul and treacherous
murder, that the CORY locks were shaken /
The ghost of Banquo, like that Of Hamlet, was 7
an honest ghost. IL disturbed no innocent !
man. 1t knew where its appearance would
Strike terror, and who would cry out a ghost |
1t made itself visible in the right quarter, and
compelled the guilty, and the conscience smit- !
ten, and none others, to start, with
HPrythee, see there behold look! 10!
If l stand here, saw him."
Their eye.balls were scared, twas it not so. !
sir 2 who had thought to shield themselves, by
concealing their own hand, and laying the i'm |
putation of the crime on a low and hireling
agency IN wickedness, who had vanly attempt,
ed to stiHe the workings of their own coward
consclences, by calculating, through white lips
ana cnattering teeth, thou canst not say did
hw ] have misread the great poet. if Il was |
those who had no way partaken in the deed of
the death, who either found that they were. or
feared that they should be, pushed from their
stools by the ghost of the slain, or who cried
out, to a spectre created by their own fears.