Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1837-09-05


hostile, inimical. opposed to ana l Ll.o.'I5
pruous with each other" as Woulo
appear by a reference to those great
and good works composed, elaborated;
digested, regulated, gotten up' edItea
printed, and published by Joseph Chit-
tv, ESQ. Counsellor at Law, ofIemPie
Bar. Westminster in England ana oy
Jacob Ramsowever of Kamskatka,
Kings Counsel, &c; names winch ne
(the Speaker) never took into his NOUN
without rendering devout thanks to
Coz for vouchsafng US such men, sue"
mighty men !
He proceeded to say, that he would
ask leave on the pant of his trlend' TO
file a plea ''puis darrein continuance"
in abatement, to be regarded as de,
murrer, if one were necessary, "and
with the express understanding that ne
might be permitted to withdraw 1t at
any time, and plead the general issue !;
not guilty, or its succedaneum."
The substance of the plea was as
follows:
lst. The charges were written on
''pink letter papers" a species used only
by aristocrats, finnikin dandies, and
that famous speculator in human
minds and souls, Nicholas Biddle, OF
of Pennsylvania; all which he was rea-
dy to verify. Here he cited Hevey's
Meditations, p. =; Byron's Don Juan,
D. l0l; Chester6eId's Letters, chap. Sd
passions, and Mr.. Benton's speech on
repeating the duty on salt. 81. The Is
were not dotted, nor the Us crossed !;
all which was not only illegal, but inn
moral; see Chitty vol. p. 800, Tidd p.
ITO, and Paley's Moral Philosophy, p.
800.
2dly. The plaintiffs, or petitioners,
not enjoying Corporate existence,
they had no right to sue.
4dly. This was not the forum to
take cognizance of such a motion, but
the Estate Chamber" Court held at
Washington under the eye of the Pres
ident and Postmaster General, and
closely resembling an institution of the
same name in England, fostered by
those illustrious patriots, Kings Richard
I'd, James l, and 2, Charles lst and I'd
of England. See Gen. Jackson's
Mayesville road message 4th edition,
by Blair, p. $50.
4th. This was not the proper pro-
ceeding.
See Watkins Leigh's Reports, to
shew that kick in the seat of honor
was a great conservative remedy for
such cases. This the counsel did not
regard as law, inasmuch as the Virgin
la Reporter was known to be a staunch
wing.
In Ist Hills New Hampshire Reports.
the noted case of TuIrunble, it was laid
down as law, that an humble, private,
and afectionate letter, marked "confi
dential," and free from abreviations and
mcknan1es') with the postage paid, was
the only means of redressing such
wrongs as are mere complained of.
5thly. The plea commended that pe-
tltloners, and all others, were estopped
from asserting these charges against
defendant, inasmuch as they had mo
doubt often Understanding to drink !"
with him, and at his expense /: the bot
tie being confessedly Mr.. Claiborne's
lever, where-with to move votes and
rivet friendships. This is clearly Dem
ocratic usage, and highly proper.
Authorities cited.-Politicians' Isl
Glass Book, p. SO; Burns Tam o. Shan
ter; Benton's Democratic Manual
Sismondi's Decline ofthe Italian Re.
publcs; Picwick papers by Boz.
The Counsel asked that this plea be
filed, wishing to have 1t distinctly I'm
derstood, that though it was trouble
some matter, he should not charge
fee unless he gained the cause or a
least get continuance beyond the No
vember election.
The President, after some discussion
however ruled out the plea, upon tn,
ground that the meeting did not con
slider itself court oflaw, and of cours
, was not bound by the niceties an,
: tormallties of the system of sDecis
/ pleading adhered to in such courts.
2 Against this decision the defendant
: counsel protested, expressing his deter
t minatlon to appeal to the illustrioI
Patriot at the Hermitage. To this tn
President assented.
f The witnesses for the petitioner
5 were then called, and answered to the;
names, Mr.. ****-sworn:
Witness is planter of Kinds count,
; about Is miles from Raymond. on III
: CoPiahroad; was and is whig: and
under existing circumstances. canno
conceive how our currency can he ~
: stored to pristine dignity and Woo
without National Bank: was disnoSe,
; TO make this test at the polls at tn
| July election; believed Prentiss to =
: a bank man, and was undetermine,
| as to the other candidates. On SIM
day before the election, met with .Iob Il,
+. II. Claiborne in his neiphborhood
on his return from one of the lowe
: counties; entered into convarsot;o,
with him in presence with sevarsI :
the subject of the Bank; understoo =
. him to favor such an institution. witbo,,