Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1836-06-23
Correspondence cfths NJ, Y. Adse,4isc,r.' y
> Ista lliiw s's WAsHrNeroN, JUNE @. 1896

~ AshANSToN, JUNE y, 1896. i
Thank Heaven, there are occasional res.
pites from scenes Of rldeness and dulness. =
Yesterday was one Of them. The Senate
chamber was the theatre Of action, and the
greatest talent Of the North, South and West
Personihed the chief characters in the drama
AS informed you, the play was entitled
A bill opreueat BIZ n;i Of ince,l.
diary publications. Webster, Clay ana Cal.
noun, were the chief characters, while the
MINOR parts were taken by Felix Grundy,
Jas. huchanan, and the company generally.
Much nv % my sorrow, was not present when
W s opened the debate. Davis, Of Mass.
Was upon the floor, making very GOOD sDeacfl
against the passage of the bill. Tire ceiehrn-
TED partner of John Holmes, and a certain
other uncomfortable character, known nerss
naps better as Felix (happy,) Grundy, Of fen.
followed IN reply, making some very sensiI
Die remarks in favor of the bill In his 81
plmon, webster was wrong, and Davis also.
acter Of the bill, which only enforced the or
thodox opinion, that one state has no right to
violate laws of another. tof ,s7E tllIl
Clay now entered into the discussion All
was still, and all eyes were resting eagerly
upon the Kentucky Senator. The Senator
iabored under the disadvantage Of personal
illness, and severe domestic aff1iction. vet
ms mlnd was unimpaired, strong, vigorous
mighty as the royal oak which has borne the
storms OF ages. shall always think more
OF Mr.. Clay for this unexpected display Of
talent, genius and learning. / found that |
there was amine of thought in the SENATOR
as deep ana exhaustleSs as the captivating
briliiancy of the man. Now, there was No
defamation, no saving of hands, no attempt
made for effect only. The reasoner. the
ckiVtfi1L
attempt to give you a just idea of Mr.. Claws
remarks made upon the spur of the occasion.
His opinions upon a subject SO interesting,
are full OF Importance, and that you may
know his views I am prompted alone to give |
the substance of his remarks. .sf
MIR. Clay commenced, by stating the rea- |
sons briefly which induced him to vote AGAINST /
the bill. He considered it unnecessary. nm.
called for, and wholly unconstitutional. We
can make no law, continued Mr.. Clay, that
will be adequate to the wants of the South,
because we have no constitutional power to
make such law. We, as a nation, cannot
prevent the distribution of one class of publi-
cation, whilst we admit the transportation of
another class through the mails. Incendiary
papers III the post and N the mails, cando no
more harm than poison in the gallipot ofthe
physician. II ID not in our power to aythat
they shall not remain, or shall not be taken
from or deposited in these conveniences,
made for the whole people. The mistake IN
regard to this bill, continued Mr.. Clay, seems
to be, that men forget that the Constitution Of
the United States IS the ole umpire of every
thing of a national character. Men forget
The extent Of the Constitution of the United
States, and make State Law superior to it.
Such construction or such an opinion. is
against the whole theory Of governneait--
ment's reflection will pretend to say that
State Laws are superior, and United States
Laws secondary. @a {9e2l AiSs' ,5spi
Mr.. Clay continued, consider the bill as
one establishing a most dangerous precedent
Themeasure is precipitate and full of danger,
and while / sincerely lament that incendiary
papers are transmitted in the mail, ] must al
So regret that this bill has been introduced
here. Do not let Congress assume q power
not its own. Leave it with the States who
have the power to regulate the matter, and
who are competent to make laws for their
own preservation To them, and to them a.
lone belong the authority. Iconsider the bill
Qlso particularly Objectionable. because it
ufthe obnoxious papers the subject Of punish
nlent. ThisI grant, may be a necessary evil,
and to me it proves that bill should otpass.
Irepeat, said Mr.. Clay, in conclusion, that
State power alone con prevent the mischief.
The sfayeholding States may punish the evil
done, from this source, within their own boar-
tiaries. They can do it, and they alone.
Mr.. Calhoun replied. The Carolinian had
introduced the Bill and of course watched its
progress with an eagle eye.;s The object of
the Bill he said was simply to make the Post
Masters conform with the laws Of the slave
holding states so, far as those laws went TO