Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-25
SECOND SPEECH OF MR. WEBSTER
ON DIR. FO0l'S RESOLUTION
IN sENATE-JANUARY 20, 1850.

Mr.. PRESIDENT; When the mariner has
been tossed, for many days, in thick weather
and on an unknown sea, he naturally avallS
himself of the first pause in the storm, the
earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude,
and ascertain how far the elements have driv-
en- him from his true course. Let US initiate
this prudence, and, before we float farther,
refer to the point from which we departed,
that we may at least be able to conjecture where
we now are ask for the reading OF the re-
solution THE Secretary read the resolu-
ton as follows:
ResoIred, That the Committee on Public Lands be
instructed inquire and report the quantity OF the
public lands remaining unso!d within each State and
Territory, aud whether it be expedent to limit, Tor
certain period the sales ofthe public lands to such lands
only as have heretofore been offered for sale, and are
now subiectto entry at the minimum price, And also,
whether the Office of Surveyor General, and some OF
the land Offices, may not be abolished without derI-
ment to the public interest; whether be exPedient
to adopt &c hasten the Sales and extend more
rapidly the surveys, of the public lands
We have thus heard, sir, what the resolu-
ton is, which is actually before us for con-
sideration; and it will readily occur to every
one that it is almos: the only subject about
which something has not been said in the
speech, running through two days, by which
the Senate has been now entertained by the
gentleman from South Carolina. Every to-
pic in the wide range of our public affairs,
whether past or personal---very. thing, gene
raj or local, whether belonging to national
politics or party politics, seems to have at
tracted more or less of the honorable members
attention, save only the resolution before US.
He has spoken of every thing but the Pub
lie Lands. They have escaped his notice.
To that subject, in all his excursions, he has
not paid even the cold respect of passing
glance.
When this debate, sir, was to be resumed,
on Thursday morning, it so happened that 1t
would be convenient for me TO be elsewhere.
The honorable member, however, did not in
cline to put off the discussion to another day.
He had shot, he said, to return, and he wish
ed TO discharge it. That shot, sir, which it
was kind thus to inform MS was coming, that
we might stand out of the way, or prepare
ourselves to fall before it, and die with decen-
cency, has now been received Under all ad-
vantages, and with expectation awakened by
the tone which preceded it, il has been dis
charged and has spent its force 1t may become
me to say No more of its effect, than that, If
nobody is found, after all, either killed or
wounded by it, it is not the first time, in the
history of human affairs, that the vigor and
success of the war have not quite come up to
the lofty and sounding phrase Of the mani.
festo.
The gentleman, sir, in declining to post
pone the debate, told the Senate, with the
emphasis of his hand upon his heart, that
there was something ranking here, which he
wished to relieve. MIR. Hayne rose, and
disclamed having used the word ranking. J
1t would not Mr.. President, be safe for the
honorable member TO appeal to those around
him, upon the question, whether he did, in
fact, make use of that word. But he may
have been unconscious Of it, At any rate. it is
enough that he disclams it. But still, with
or without the use of that particular word, he
had yet something here, he said, of which he
wished TO rid himself by an immediate reply.
In this respect, sir, have great advantage
over the honorable gentleman. There is
nothing here, sir, which gives me the slight
est uneasiness; neither fear nor anger, nor
that, which is sometimes more troublesome
than either, the consciousness ofhaving been in
the wrong. There is nothing, either origi-
mating here, or now received here, by the
genteman's shot. Nothing original, for had
not the slightest feeling Of disrespect or I'M
kindness towards the honorable MEMBER
Some passages, it is true, had occurred since
our acquaintance in this body, which | could
have wished might have been otherwise; but
had used philosophy and forgotten them.
When the honorable member rose, in his first
speech, | paid him the respect of attentive
listening; and when he sat down, though sur.
prised, and | must say, even astonished, at
some of his opinions, nothing was farther
from my intention than TO commence any
personal warfare; and through the whole Of
the few remarks made in answer, | avoided
studiously and carefully, every thing which
thought possible to be construed into dlsres
pect. And, sir, while there is thus nothing orr
ginating here, which wished, at any time, Oh
now wish to disc barge, | must repeats also tha
nothing has been received here which rankle:
or in any way gives me annoyance