Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-05-10

! paused, raised his spectacles, settled
himself back upon his short leg, caught
his left wrist in his right hand, and fix.
ed his eye directly and fully on Tom
Benton--he seemed to pierce him
through and through. | had seen the
painting of Adam and Eve, the picture
of the Temptation. I had criticized
that painting for the attempt to paint
visibly the influence of the Serpent up
on the fair mother Of us all. | had
thought an influence could not be pain.
ted. But when ! saw Leigh look at
Benton, | at once yielded the criticism
Il could see something going straight
out of Leigh's eye directly through
him. If it had been keen cutting
two edged sword, piercing to the divi-
ding asunder Of his joints and marrow,
he could not have WINGED more; be
shrunk up to one half his dimensions.
He covered his face with his hand, he
felt and could not conceal it; and il
Leigh had aimed pistol all the time,
q fired ball true into his side, he could
not have hurt him worse than when he
terminated the awful pause by saying
-" And Mr.. President, in that cate
chism, which my mother taught me,
learned TO keep-to keep my hands from
picking and stealing and my tongue
from evH speaking" | prayed for a
Leigh again. looked around and saw
Rlycs II could not desst from spea.
king to him. | did tell him" Sir,
would TO God that this cup had to pass
from you." He seemed to me to feel
humbled and he replied in substance
and nearly in words" Ifany one sup.
poses that this scenes is gotten up by
me, it is a great mistake"
He SAID more, the amount of which
was, as supposed, that he never ex.
pected to be brought up actually to the
damned deed. | could not pity hun,
he fell below contempt. Benton knew
he had played the hypocrlte, he knew
he was conscience stricken, he knew
he had before the respect of many men
Of worth in the opposition of which he
(Benton) had none, he knew it would
be the bitterness of ashes to his taste to
be forced to vote actually for expun-
ging, and he was determined that Rves,
his rival, should be as odious as HIM.
self-he diugged the cup for him, held
1t to his lips, held him to it, and made
him drink it to the dregs. He made
more grimaces, showed more nausea
than sick man. Benton calculated
rightly, he has sunk in self esteem and
in the respect of others ever since.
He DULLES him and bluffs him and his
friends, and Rives is already playing
second fiddle TO Benton. The latter is
ashamed of nothing-he glories in his
total want Of principle and of shame.
When Webster concluded there was for
a moment dead silence, which was
soon, however, broken by the harsh
tones of Benton, who rose and asked if
the question was diyisible. No, said
the chair, it is one entire resolution.
Yes, the whole or none had to be swal-
lowed. The faithful seemed to be fee
ling their outlets for the attempt. The
question was called for and taken by
yeas and nays. The note has been
and the names are doomed
to their fame and inlamy. 1t was de-
cided that the deed should be done.
When ?-was asked. Now, now, said
Benton. No time for relenting was to
be given. Then, or never. Benton
asked if the blanks were filled, and ma
med the 18th for the Gay of the date.
No, no was exclaimed, it is the 10Th
"The 18th them" said he. The blank
was filled, and the Secretary was sent
for the Journal. He was out but a
moment. He returned through the
door in front of the Vice PRESIDENT
chair, bearing the book, the journal ir
his hand. l personified it as human
victim. A truth was to be blotted out
from it; the deed was forbidden deed
Benton appeared the fiend god of the
scene of sacrilege. He alone seemed
erect, chuckling, and triumphing over
truth. The secretary Of the Senate
looked like an exccutloner. He laiC
the book down upon the clerks table
he bore it open and pressed it down a:
if the book was resisting his ruthless
violence. Pressed open wide, he took
the pen, dipped the accused instrument
in gall ofheIl's blackness, and wrote a.
cross the face of Truth the words i" Elk
plunged, &c. "-silence had reigned un
til this moment he raised the ruler by
which the black lines were to be drawn
silence then became insufferable-
groanS and Kisses came burning no
from the Indignation of galleries anC
lobbies and every place. Hearts swell
ling with unutterable agony spoke GU
in the tones of human suffering which
could no longer be endured. The fenc
god sprang to his feet and grated harsh
| lV in tones of thunder" RuffianS