The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-04-13

sas. I saw It's defssls. snd resoiGleiy
opposed Il. almast alnne Of my party
The second or Ihird speech | made. siier /
took nv sesi. xas ID open denuncianon
Of me system: and I may refer % he
grounds I then assumed. the truth Of
whieh have been confirmed By time and
expenenee. With pride and confidence.
This wlll scarcely be selected BY the
Sena,or 10 make good his charge.
pass over other instances. snd cone
20 Mr. Dsllas's bank Of lsls-l5.
That. too. was . party measure. Bank
ing Was then comparatively bur little IN
dersinod, and il msy seem astonishing 81
this iime. that such project should ever
have received any eounaenanee or sup
port. u proposed 10 create bank Of
esd. 900 900. o. consist almost entirely
of What was called then The war stocks;
that Is, The public debl created in carry
ing on the then war. II Was provided
thal the bank should not pay specie dur
ing the var. and for three years after is
termination. for carrying on which il was
20 lend the Government the funds. In
plain language, the Government was 10
borrow back is own credit from the
bank. and pay 10 the Institution SIX per
cent. Cor is use. | had scarcely ever
before seriously thought Of banks 90 bank
ing. but clearly saw through The opera
ton, and the danger 10 the Government
and country, and, regardless OF parry mes
or denuncistions. | opposed and defeated
il in the manner explained al the extra
Session. then subjected myself 10 the
very charge which The Senator now
makes. but time has done me justice, as
IL wIll ~ the present instance.
Passing the intervening instances, ]
cone down 70 nv administration 81 the
War Department. where | acIed on my
own judgment and responsibility. IL is
known 20 ali, thar the Department, al the
time, was perfectly disorgan'zed. With
no. much less Than 5O.00O.0O0 Of out
staining and unsettled accounts. and the
greatest confusion in every branch Of
service. Though without experience.
I prepared. shortly at or went in. the
bill for its nrganlZsuon. and on Us passage
I drra up the body ot rules for carrying
the act into execution. both Of which
remain substantially unchanged 10 this
day. Ailer reducing The outstanding
accounts 10 few millions, and inIrodlc-
ing order and accountability IN every
branch of seIylre. and bringing down the
expenditure Of the army from I0ur 10 iwo
and a half millions annually. without
suh,r lcling a single cominri from either
officer or soldier. | lief, the Department
in condiioa that nigh. well b. rompar-
ed 10 the best IN any country. IL am
deficient IN the qualIues which the senator
attributes 10 me, here in this mass Ol
details and business u onghIIo be Discover
ed. Will he look 70 this 10 make good
his charged
From the War Department | was
transferred 10 the Chair which YOU nov
occupy. How | scqu,aed my self IN the
discharge &c its du,Ies. leave IL To The
body TO decide, without adding a word.
The station, from its leisure, gave me a
good opportunity TO study The genius VI
ihe prominent measure Of the day. called
then the American system, Of which
profitej. I soon perceived where It's
errors lay, and how il would operate.
clearly saw lis desolatIng Effects in one
section, and corrup,ing influence in the
other; and when saw that il could no. be
arrested here, | fell back on my own
State, and blow was gwen 10 a system
destined TO destroy our institutions, II not
oyerlhrown, which brought Il TO the
ground. This brings me down TO the
presen, tunes, and where passions and
preiudices are yei TOO strong TO maxi an
appeal with any prospect Of fair and
impartial verdict. | then transfer the,
and all ms subsequent acts, IncludIng Iht
present, to ;he tribunal Of posIerlty. with
a perfect confidence that nothing will b.
found, in what have ssid or done, Il
impesch my integrity or understanding.
I have now, Senators, repealed iht
attacks on me. have settled the account
and cancelled the debt between me anC
nv accuser. Ihsve not sought this con,
irovprsy, nor have | Stunned u wher
forced on me. have 8cted on the de'
fensire. and if il is TO continue, which
rests wi.h the Senator, | shall through
outrnn,.nne soto act. know too vel
the advantage Of my position to surrende
il. Tue Senator commenced the con
troveTsv; and il is but right that he shnulI
be responsible for the direction IL shal
hereafter take. Be his determination
wba, ia may, stand prepared to NEE
. him.
Mr.. CLAY rose Immediately after Mr
Calhoun mad resumed his seat, and adj
dressed The Senate as follows:
sIallsposilIon, Mr.. President. undel
which am laboring. would have pre-
ven.ed ny attendance in the Senate TO