Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1838-03-31

A melancholy gloom hane soyerthe Megopo-
Titan CITY; a gloom only d nined BY The lurid
flashes Of public indignation. The awful TRACE
dy which occurred on Saturday last, occupies every
tongue aud heart. to the exclusion OF all other
topics. Never have ] Witnessed such mani
festaiion Of popular feeling. u is confined TO 90
party, station, Or color. II fills the streets with
mourning. more cruel, wanton, reuorseless,
heart-rending catastrophe never stained the an
nals Of civilized life. The victim was beyond
comparison, the most promising Of the young
members Of Congress. Honorable, high-minded,
eloquent, Of graceful manners and courteous de-
peanor, he bid fair to rise to the highest distinc.
ION. The puFest blood Of the nation flowed in
his veins. His grandfather was iIInstious in the
Revolution; his brother, brave officer, who dis
ilnguished himself nobly in one Of the most glori-
Gus actions tho last war. Imagination could
not invent more painful combination Of circum-
stances. An interesting wife and three helpless
children, not 10 speak Of numerous connections
and large circle Of friends, add tho CLIMAX 10
this tale Of voc. And Why .yas this noble young
man inundated in cold blood by the hand Of one
to whom he had given ma cause Of offence To
satisfy the malice Of an infamous adventufer %
speak Of whom, as gentleman, is to deseerate the
title. And has il come 10 thisl Cannot a repre-
sentative Of the people, allude in bis place. TO the
notorious misdeeds Of the United States Bank,
without being called to the field, at The bidding
ofsuch creature, aud shot down by the murder
OTIS rihti cannot think or write upon this sub
ject with patience, which, in such case, we're
criminal apathy. The countenance OF the unior-
tunate viciim--a c0unenance noble in life, and
In death serene, haunts my dreams, and dsturbs
my sleep: the wailng Of heart stricken widow;
the plants Of bereaved orphans, arc ever ringing
in my ears. May God, in his infinite mercy.
sooihe grief which is too big for utterance, and
heal a wound which human consolation cannot
alleviate!
"Great as is The sensation here, il seems even |
to increase as the intelligence spreads. The
comments Of tho Northern press Indicate the
most intense excitement, compounded of SYM
patty and indignation. The feeling is honora.
bic TO human nature, and viLdcaies humanity
from the reproach Of utter selishness Poor Mr..
Graves, who is represented 10 be an amiable man,
has my hearty sympathy. The survivor is to be
pilied, even more than the victim For him after
life can have but little happiness in stole. Be.
sides he is said to have been anxious for an hon.
crable reconciliation. All concerned in this mel.
for their sakes in tune and in eternity, that they
did every thing in their power 10 avert this equally
,wanton and shocking catastrophe. Remorseless
md boody.mnded must be tho man, who could
witness such scene, without earnest Interference
TO prevent lis fatal termination.
According to the kind dspensations Of Prov.
idence, there is always some good to be educed
from evil This event is calculated to have
happy effect upon tho future proceedings Of Con-
gress. II will certainly check somewhat that
clustering tone, which for some years past has
almost converted the Legislative haIl into Bear.
garden. There are some men in the House. |
whose only ambition seems to be, the ACQUISITION
Of vulgar notorieiy, founded upon noise rant and
brayado. They are generally without real talen
knowledge, taste, dignity, or character These
are compensated for by a hcctnrng effrontery. |
which stands them in lieu OF every noble faculty
Such men rarely rise, without saving something |
offensive or outrageous. Their whole pleasure
seems 10 be 10 keep tho House in iiotous confu. |
sion. They have no idea Of the high and delicate
courage OF Inc gentleman aud cavalier as anxious
TO avoid, as unwilling to receive offence. TO |
thcm, rs you happily expressed il, on another |
subject, the extreme remedy becomes their daily |
bread. They are frebrands 10 be quenched, and |
nuisances TO be abated. They take up the time
Of the house, to the retardaton, il not the des,ruc-
ton Of business. They monopolze debate and
keep ADLER and better men in the back ground
Their fusiain harangues, are listened to by the
gallery, but no, read by the country. "Whp me
such pretendersn "l'll have no swaggercrsp
"Hui what arc We 10 expect, when men high in
station, and still higher in pre,ensiGn, set such
H.. A.1k -.
tors indulge in wanton violence, what are We to
look Cor from their STRIPPING dscpIesl Did not
Mr.. Clay, but the other day. sexagenarian as he
il. graluiously assault Mr.. Calhoun, in terms and
manner, which, between younger men, would in
iallibly have led to fenconirel You have doubtless
read Mr.. Calhoun's great speech with care. II
so, you cannot but have been struck, with his un.
common courtesy towards the party Of which
Mr.. Clay is the leader; nay, more, by the stud.
Gus care with which he not only avoided offence,
but actually defended the course Of that party,
from the charge Of inconsistency. How gatu
tous, then, was the course assault, Of which he
was few days after, the object, and which made
SO painful an impression upon the Senate and the
gallery. Mr. Clay must not be shocked, il hon
est truth reaches him, through at least one inde-
pendent press. The public interest, the public
character, require that such elevated examples Of
violence, al time when Ouirages are so frequent
should be visited by fearless apprehension. Let
as hope, that hereafter such things will not so
frequently occur. Lei Us hope il for The sake OF
individual happiness, and national character
"Te prevent them ia the House, lei its rules
be strictly and impartialy enforced. Let the first
attempt al personality be at once interrupted. Let
the saIutary authority Of the Speaker be sustained
by the Honse. Let the slightest effort to insult,
10 outrage, Or even to annoy him be at once IN
dignanty ffowned down. Let all irrelevant TOP.
les be carefully excluded. TIE melancholy even