Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-28

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other? But even this has been tried. Mr.. Web
ster rose in his giant strength, and '' wished his
own coun,rymen nothing but defeat" Aye. de.
feat them-tra,npie AMI crush them if they raise
a sacri lie yious hand against our Union: But is it
not more patriotic, more Chrlstlanlike, and more
phianthropic. to appeal to human sympathies-
TO invoke the memory OF al, the past-and to sa.
crifice every selfish consideration on the affairs Of
Union and Love?
And who has taken the lead in this work Of re.
generation and harmony7 Who but the calum-
mated and injured CLAW? 1t is he who has twice
broken the moral darkness which hung like a
curse over all ungyatefuI people, vand his is the
genius aud love of country which afford the best
guarantee of our liberties and union. DO en-
rious partizans assail his motives as those of
yet grasping ambitions-ln his own recent Ian.
guage. - he despises their sroveling spirits y
| do not assume the high office of offering sym.
pa,hy to such man as Mr.. Clay; for his lofty
spirit rests upon itself; but do mean to say,
that it is his uindication upon the page of history
to have offered at this trying period method of
compromise, which, if rejected, will but precede
civil slaughter, and which, it cherished. will re-
store US to peace and prolonged political ex
istence. EUen then. Mr.. Snowden. if Mr.Clay
hat entirely desisted from any an,madversion on
the cause Of Notification, think have shown
that his conduct was both proper and discreet
for he was clothed in the sacred garment of me.
diator. But, sir, he has not, as you supposed,
passed lightly over this m"nstrous political here
sy. la his conciiatory speech OF 18th February,
1888, che thought that South Carolina had
made up an issue uUorthy of her; that her
conduct had been rash, Incorporate, and greatly
IN error; and that both verdict and judgment
must 90 against her:-and that Modification had
been put down in way better than by wars or
armies-by acclamation.'
After this brief extract, | have no doubt that
YOU will admit 1t is sufficiently "propcr and
Discreet" In fact, sir, 1 very much suspect
that the brief time which has elapsed since the
18th of this month would not have nbiterated
the dsnunciation contained in the above extract,
from your memory. had it had not been for the
subsequent eloquence of Mr. Webster. |, too,
have listened to that gentleman's splendid rea.
soning in opposition to Mr. Clay bill; but while
I my Judgment approved, my hear, and sympa
thies were against his cold. calculating argument
about the constitutionalty Of using force. This
was a case in which The sword Of power should
be tempered with mercy; or, as MIR. Clay has
eloquen'ly said, ''the sword should be held
forth with the olive branch" When Mr. Web
ster told Mr. Calhoun that :. he should be graft
fed bv meeting this fundamental question of 90
vernment, and tina, he for one, was prepared to
go to the front rauk.' really thought it was
more like the defiance cast into the teeth of TO-.
reign enemv than any thing else. And it is in
this respect that the conduct Of Mr., Clay con-
trRsts beautifully with his opposers; for lie goes
upon the true principle of genuine love of coun-
try: the Others exact. like the Jew in the play,
"thc toand of A sh" In many of my remarks,
l have not alluded To your structures upon Nc.
Claws cour>--for know that nm the a'sin prin-
cple YOU are with hin. and that your paragraph
was only levelled al What you thought too much
Indulgence TO political heresy. trust, sir,
that having shewn to YOU the true reasons on
which Mr.. Cha, seems 10 have acted. and having
referred to portion of his speech which you may
have forgotten, that you will release him from
all censure, as YOU have already done with re.
gard to part VINDEX.
Washiagton City. Feb &c, 1888
H-7, NOnluat ioDS of me nbers of the Common