Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-03-29
TWENTY.FuETu CONGRESS-.
SECOND SESSION.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
SArrnpAr, MARCH lo-Continuta.

Senate 10 .day upon any less interesting occasion
than that oil,seninct tho promised reply OF the
Senator from South Carolina, (Mr. CALuous.)
Having done SO, respectfully aud aitcntiveiy shall
not ask for two three weeks prepare aud digest
what have 10 say Invulnerable to anv attack from
any quarter, e!tcased and self poised feel perfect
y ready TO respond such parts of the speech of
honorable Senator as appear 4" require any notice
from me-
| The Senator commenced by complaint OF the
omissions in my speech. presume he means my
speech as published
| Here MI CALHOUN rose. and said that his allu
soh WIS 10 the omissions Of the Senator from Ken
lucky as dchsrrcd-onissions to answer parts OF his
argument
! Mr.. CLAY continued. | have given way once 70,
an explanation; shall permit no other interrupt
| did not interlrrc with the Senator from South
Carolina during the delivery OF hls speech. and he
viii have ample opportunity to reply when have
done.
Sir, the Senator from South Carolina habituay
complains Of omislous and Of misrcpresen of
ms speeches ~hencve, his argument happens 10
be retuted, Now, ! clearly understood HIM. and
think 40 did the whole Senate, to assert the out
set Of his former speech, that there but single
alternative, the bill or the substitute And suppos-
ed his Object To be to ,irve friends and myself to
the acceptance OF one or the other branch OF H. By
way OF excluding any other course, he aasutn.
ed that We had abandoned all thong hit of est fishing
Bank Of the United States. Since | have shown
that there WAS another course. which Is TO do no
thing, far preferable TO the bill, the Senator says that
il WAY very obvious,
Another allegation of the Senator is that | have
msrcpresented him with respect to the power Of he
General Govetnrcut TO contract with State banks.
IL seems that he did not intend to assert broadly
that there existed an inability on the part OF this Co
vernnent II nuke any such contract whattvet. bui
It is the particular contract contained in III. subst.
tutc which, he thinks, cannot be oonstitutioDally
made The contract proposed in the bill with the
State banks, being approved by the Senator. all per
frctly constitutional and right! The Senator goes
for his own thunder, and against that OF every body
else. There was vet another contract with the
State bank. which bad commanded the cordial appro-
baton oil the Senator, and thit IS contained the
drposlfe act oil 1886. think, hr. Prrsidrnt. il vi
be difficult iorthe ingenuity evenof the Senator from
South Carolina 10 MAINTAIN a competency TO make
those two contracts. and inability TO au,horlze
that which Is provided lor in The substitute.
am also accused Of msie proseniIng the Senator
IN respect TO the reception of radeemable bank
for the term OF six years rs provided foi IN the bill
lie thinks II entirely constitutional to make such
limited arrangement whilst II would he, IN his opinion,
wholly inadnalssibe TO continue for any Jude finite
time to receive such notes. The complain, Of the
Senator IS, that did state the circumstances,
CONDITIONS, and qualifications under which hr propo-
SEES This temporary reception Of bank notes. do
not think. Mr.. President, that they vary, in III.
smallest degree, the question OF power. II,
tended Tor by the Senator, the Constitution prohibits
the rec ption OF bank notes in dues TO the Govern
mcnt, the prohibition extends rs well to q term Of
six years as to any indefinite time. The insiru
ment IN his hands perfectly flexible and perpetual
" varying. He coniounds .xpcdcncy and constitu-
uonalty and blends them together. that il is diff
tult 10 discriminate the one from the other. he
argues that We are SO connected with the banks that
we must n gradually, and not sudden, h,scon
tInuc the use Of their paper.
Now, SIR, II my memory serve me, tho Senator
commenced his speech at the extra session by an
nouncing that there WAS total rupture between the
Government and the banks by the Suspension of
specie payments. The dlsconnexon still exists in
fact and III law. The bill, which tho Senator so
warmly sspouscs, makes a contingent revival OF IT,
In 1916, also. the connection had altogether ceased
in pom, oflaw. Then the Senator proposed Bank
OF the United States. In both cases, If understand
him, he proceeds on the ground Of practical neon
vcnicnoc. Now. sir. cannot for my HE concur IN
making the Constitution this nose OF IL does
does authorize Bank cfthc United S,ies. 1t
does does not authorize III. reception OF the OF
local bants. Ii the defect OF authority for the
the other exist, applies to all times, aud under all
circumstances No considerations OF utility or pre-
sent conscrlerce can possibly put in the Constitu
ton pow Ell which We do MT hnd there. The doc
time oil the Senator IN 1916 was, a. he states it,
that bank notes being III tact received BY the Execu
tive, although contrary To law, 1t constitutional
to create Bank of the Un,c States. And IN 1884.
finding the bank, which was constitutional In Its M
ccpiion out had become unconstitutional its pro-
press, Yet IN existence 1t was qune Constitutional to
propose, as the Senator did, to continue twelve
years longer. That IS. it IS not unconstitutional to
proong tine existence OF an Unconstitutional bank
twelve years, but would DO very unconstitutional
create new bank Let us suppose that, plor TO
the expiration ofthe Twelve years. state oil thi es
should ARISE which would require further conlin
Of The bank for another OF twelve years,
might inot be done upon the principles Of the Sena-
tori And thus continued ind, hnltely But, Mr..
President, Will not dwell longer the alleged mis-
conce ptions, my part, msreprcse atations Of the
speech OF the Senator The Senate heard us both,
and our speeches are b tn published to the world.
Mine has been prepared under my superysa. re-
cognisc, aud willing to abide by H. Just as II IS
aud acquesce most chccrfully in whatever judg
mcnt the Seuae aud the Pubic may pronounce.
As'- me personal par,oi the Srcech OF the Senator
iron, ,.h Carroll a,lmust take the occasion TO say
tina, no man is more sincere, ,9S'on' 10 svo'a al" per
sonal controversy than myself. And may s0!l.--
IDENTITY appeal to the whole course OF my life for the
confirmation Of that disposition. No man eherishes
les. than do feelings Of resentment; none ioreets
or forgves n injury sooner than | do. The duty
which had to perform IN aDinnadyerting upon the
public conduct and course ofthe Senator FROM South
Carolina was painful in the extreme but It was,
nevertheless, a public duty, aud shrink nom the
pc RIO rmance of no duly required AT my hands ny my
country. 1t was painful, because had long served
| in the public counc lis with the Senator from South
Carolina admired his genius, and for great WINE
| had been upon terms Of intimacy with nn' ihto"s"
| oui my whole acquaintance wilh MN, nave COZ"
sta Nv struggled 10 think well OF him. andl ascfbe
I, ~ hun public yrues. Even alter his famous sum
/, extra SESSION, on more than one ocea.
"''se' Al u. A hin motives when he was assaed'
- deendt w,s uncharitable 10 attribute to
aud ms" ted that :. IA which he himself avowcd.