The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-15
REMARKS OF Ma. CLAYTON.

Mr.. Clayton of Delaware, rose to reply to somt
remarks OF Mr.. Smith. He said he rose under
deep sense of the responsibility which he owed to
the Senate and the country this question. He
owed it to himself to the people whose represen-
tative he was, and to the body of which he was a
member, to state briefly the grounds upon which
he should render vote, withholding his advice to
the President to make this appointment.
Ii agree, said Mr.. c., with my friend from Mary
lan6 Mr. Chambers,l in the view which he has
taken Of the instructions given by the late Secre-
tary of State to Minister at the Court of ST.
James. | consider the late negotiation respecting
the West India trade with the English nation, as
the most Illuminating to our national PRIDE that has
occurred in the annals Of our diplomacy. The
Minister was sent with Instructions to fawn and
beg as boon, at the foetstool of foreign power
what we were entitled to as a right, and to aban-
don and denounce, as untenabie pretensons, p
what had been always before insisted upon as a
matter of justice to our country. He was positive
ly directed to consider his own Government az
justly dssdilabie for too long and too tenacious
ly resisting the rights of Great Britain" and par
tcularly for emitting to accept the terms offered
by the act of Parliament of July, 1926. He was
directed to speak tOiM confidence of the respect
i've parts taken by those TO whom the administra-
ton of this Government is now committed" to lay
before Europe the state of parties in this country,
and to degrade and disgrace all the former Admin
istratlons of our Government, during which this
coldtionally Withdrawing all claims for JUS
tce on that country. He was told in substance
to press upon England the state Of our domestic
and party differences at home, and he was admon-
shed that this subject had bearings and relations
which reached beyond the immediate question IN
der discussion. Sir, this Minister did as he was
ordered to do. He "entreated," and appealed, "
and " begged" and "prayed, - regretted" and
solicited" and &" hoped to be excused" and con
sssed had been in the ,crong, instead Of repel
ling with dignity the insolence and sarcasm of the
British ministry, until the contemplate boon was
"granted," and the national character effectualy
degraded. Let him take his place in tine Treasury
for this; but let not him who gave these instruc-
tons, succeed him at the Court of St. James
again to beg" and solicit" and degrade us in
the eyes Of Europe, by laying before the world the
state of our domestic differences at home. LIE. us
say to the British Government this day by our vote
that we never consented to the disgrace which
has befaen US, and that we prefer to recall the
Minister who has dshonored US, to all the pre-
tended benefits Of this miserable negotiation. On
this ground alone will this day condemn this ap-
pointment, SO far my vote will go to effect il
and in doing, an American Senator | say TO
England that we will never consent to crouch for
favors; and to all our Ministers now and for ever
that we will condemn every attempt to carry our
family divisions beyond our own household.
Sir, the gentleman from Maryland who last ad-
dressed u.s. (Mr. Smith, replied to similar objec-
tons made by his colleague, that the President was
alone responsible for these instructions, and not
the Secretary whose name was signed to them-
Such has been the pretence for generating from
all responsibility other persons charged with NAL
administration Of the Government. Either by
preventing the disclosure here of improbable
matter, or by presenting the President as a shield
to the party charged with it, the responsibility oil
every inferior public agent is melted away to no.
thing. The gentleman, without defending the
Secretary the Minister in this negotiation about
the West India trade feels safe if he interpose
the President the party ehargable with the
whole matter. But will do the President the Jus.
tce to say, that cannot believe that he had read
these instructions when they were given: and hold
the Secretary aDswerable TO his country for every
public act performed by him while he remained in
Office
There is another topic, closely connected with
the honor and interest of this nation. upon which
the nominee before US has been strongly charged,
and in relation to which confess the wish that an
investigation, instituted before | took nv seat
this session, had been prosecuted to its termna-
ton before this day. ! refer to the causes which
produced the disruption of the late cabinet 1
view that event as highly disreputabe to our coun.
uy and find that, according to the declarations
OF gentleman who formerly edited paper in the
state OF New York, advocating the Presidents adj
mlnistration, Mr.. Van Buren, privately Informed
him that it (the dissolution Of the laie cabinetl
was caused more by the conduct Of the Vice Pres
ident and Mr.. Ingham who desired the retirement
OF Gen. Jackson from Office at the expiration of the
first four years OF his term Of service !" thus in ef
iect charging conspiracy between these gentle
men to traduce the character of cbaste and viz.
taoas woman, in order to produce the destruction
oil the cabinet; and (statingl that he, Mr.. v. B.
had thought i better to retire in time, knotcing
Nat v he led the tcay, "he rest must foHo,c -
This information is, believe, now in the hands
Of Senator from Mississippi near me, (Mr. Pom
dexter and it is said that the author Of it is pres
est in this city, ready to bear testimony TO the
truth Of It. However this may be, must be per.
mitted to say, as one whose course here has been
plain-having had nothing TO do with either Of
the contending branches Of the party in power
that consider such charge against the Vice Pres
ident as unjust and utterly without foundation /;
while hold that the declaration containing the
charge contains also an unequiyocal admission az
TO the true agent, and tho motive Of that agent,
ia the tranaction to which have alluded. Bat,
without reference to this, and many other matters