Southern telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1834-1838, 1837-11-21
SKETCH
OF
MIR. HOFFMAN'S SPEECH.

I'VE had the pleasure of hearing the
distinguished author of the speech below,
address his present constituents of the
city OF New York, at a Wing meeting, prior
to his election to Congress. Cicero himself
would have hailed him as an orator!-ED.
Standard
Mr.. HOFFMAN, would not offer an apology
to the House for addressing it upon subject
SO fraught with the highest good or the
deepest evil to his own constituents, as that
now before it. He had been aware when
he first took his seat in that body, that he
would have to contend against great power
and patronage. There had been time in
his political life~when he thought the arm
of this government needed to be strong to
regulate some of the consequences of the
rapid increase, in extent and resources, of
the country. The usurpations of the Exc
cutive, which he had Witnessed for the last
few years, had taught him different les
son. He now found the government too
strong for the people; and tina; some of the
memorable predictions Of the gentleman
from South Carolina (Mr. Pickens) and his
friends in regard to the influence Of Exc
| c'itive dictation and usurpation, were in
fair way to be realized. He had come to
his seat prepared to combat that usurpation
and to contend for the lost rights of the
States; and he thought he should find the
bold, manly, and chivaIrous arm of the
Southron barred to aid him in that contest.
What had been his surprise TO find that We
ny arm on which he had relied for such aid
raised in the van of the attack he had to
| resist? That gentleman MIR. Pickens) had
said that he had renowned no opinions he
had entertained before, 50 yet he was lending
| his aid in the advancement of scheme
which is to unite in one hand the sword and
purse of this Government, and to make, by
his adhesion and support, tho bill before the
committee too strong for the opposition of
those with whom he had been used 10 act in
| concert
Commenting on the argument of Mr.
Pickens as to the character and influence OF
a National Bank, Mr.. ii. demanded of that
gentleman what would be the influence OF
an Executive, in any action against the
rights of the States, who could WELD so for
midable weapon against those rights, n:
all the revenues Of this Government? An(
upon this subject he enlarged extensively
As to what had fallen from that gentle
man in bio remarks of yesterday, in reIatior
ITO the North and South, as relatively placed
in interest and policy, with regard to eacl
other, Mr.. H. was very eloquent and forci
bile. That gentleman (Mr. Pickens) hae
thrcateneda serviie war as the consequence
of struggle between those interests, ane
) had promised to preach insurrectlon to the
laboreIs of the North, as an Offset to similar
! Illegal appeals to the South. That gen
tlcman, (said Mr.. ii is mistaken, if he
thinks there is any parity of reasoning as te
f the laborers of the North, or the slaves o
the South. They were not, was 81
boldly argued, under the domination or con
troll Of the capitalists. They were free
: men, conscious Of their rights and privicg
es. By the Iaboring classes Of the North
the banner of the Revolution had been I'm
fnred, and the fields Of Lexington and Bun
ker Hill been won. BY those classes
there, even in the cities so much villifet
and denounced, were the men who sit il
| that hall sent thiiher; and they were alive
to all the rights of freemen which they sen
their representatives there to defend am
;. advocate. Mr.. Ii. regretted that this bal
of discord had been set rolling here: tina
the Texas and the slavery questions, ha
been started on that floor 10 fright the Hous
e ssfrom its propriety.' He was not untricnc
w to the South. Far from IT. Many {
Il his early and most friendly associates wer
# connected with tha, section. He should b
Il ever found by the side of the people OF tina
j. section, in resisting any invasion OF the'
rights. But still he had paramount dut
to perform-to vindicate from attack, an
to shield from reproach the people OF III
own part of the country.
Mr.. Hoffman paid deserved complimer
to the bold and frank manner in which M
, Pickens had come forward to the aid OF tn
Administration in the support OF this bill
That gentleman had not crept into the rank
of his former enemies. He had, like Tu
lus Aufidius, in Roman history, boldly toi
ii his new allies Of his former battles again:
" them: he had, almost in bravado, indeed
spread before them the records OF his cor
sis,ency as their uncomprosnsing opponen
They had taken him into their employ, an
being in the ranks of the enemy, he M
= H.) must defend his countrymen, though
ne Coriolanus who heads the Volscians
gainst Rome!
The gentleman CONTINUED Mr H.)
n proud of the name Of Loco foco. Sir, thi
is matter of taste.
Mr.. P1cKENs explained. He had said,
allusion to a remark made on that floor som
days since by an honorable member, th'
). he was willing to be such loco-foco
- John Milton was, If he were, indeed on
He had not intended to be understood
declaring himself a loco-foco under the Q