The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-01-23
Congressional.
Correspondence of the N, Y. Express.

WASHINGTON, Jan. y,
The message reported to the House yesterday
in relation to Canada matters, came up in the
Senate to day, and created discussion of some
length.
Mr. Clay made some remarks,-when Mr. CAL
houn remarked that war between Great Britain
and the United States would be one of the great
est calamities it would be possible to conceive of.
He YVES for throwing cold water upon the recent
Outrage, and reversed the recent case at Schlos-
rer, and supposed that we had done what British
troops have done, and asked if no analogy could
he found in that case. Mr. Calhoun was for put
ting down all excitement and for excusing, as far
MS possible, the recent outrage.
Mr. Clay said, that the Senator had a right to
his opinion, and he (Mr Clay said he certainly
had right to his opinion also. the outrage up
on the Caroline he looked upon inexcusable,
cruel and atrocious IN the extreme, and lie could
find noapoogy for it. lie was much opposed
as any man could be to pushing neutralities to-
eXtremities,-but he wished for fall, complete
and immediate satisfaction.
A message read from the Secretary OF the
Treasury in regard to the number of Treasury
Notes issued, and the interest those notes bore.
Mr. Webster made some remarks upon the mes
sage, or information received from the Secretary
of the Treasury. He condemned the manner of
issuing notes by the Treasury Department-some
bearing an interest of one MILL and others an in
terest of six per cent. He condemned this DIFF
ference on account OF its inequality and injustice.
An issue of this kind was matter of coercion on
the part of the Government, a coercion too, which
oppressed the people and made these Treasury
Notes several per cent below specie par. Al
ready, he said, lie had been requested 10 petition
Congress for losses sustained by the people Mr.
w concluded his remarks by saying, that when
the subject oGthe Finances came before the coun-
try, he shouId address the Senate upon this sub
Ject.
Mr. Buchanan reported bill of several Sec
tons, for the preservation of neutrality betweeu
neighboring countries. The bill gives the Pres
iden great powers-authorises him to seize arms
stop Communicaton-punis and confne per-
sons going to the neghborng country with hos
tile intent-take away arms and munitions of war
supposed 10 be intended for foreign invasion.-
/ 1T embraces six or seven sections, and John Bull
could not have drawn stronger bill to meet his
wants on the Canadian frontier. Mr. Buchanan
gave notice that as soon as the ILL was printed
and Senators had time to examine it, he should
move to have 1t brought up for immediate action.
MIR Calhoun's slavery resolutions again
the subject OF a long debate, which called forth
one of Mr. Cay's most eloquent and most able
speeches. The fourth resolution passed without
discussion. and with few verbal amendments.
The fifth created long debate. Mr. Clay
spoke for nearly an hour, and made one of
those happy, soothing and beautiful speeches
which no man but Mr. Clay make. Coming
after some Incorporate and exciting remarks
from MIR Calhoun it had wonderful effect upon
all who heard it. MI Clay's notions differ from
Mr. Calhoun's upon almost all subjects. The one
is for coercion, the other for appeal-the one for
settling matters Ivy force OF arms,and the other by
the strength of argument-ihe one for warlike,
and the other for pacific measures.
MIR Clay said there were but three kinds of Pc
ous that could be presented to the Senate, the
first of which prayed for what might be palpably
unconstitutional, and for what Congress could
not even think of answering the second might
be petition about which there was contrarie-
ty of opinions, whether Congress could or could
not, and the last prayer asking for what Con-
gress had an undouhted right to grant The first
I OF these petitions Mr. Clay said should be reject
ed at cnce--the second and third should not
Mr. Clay ranked the abolition petitions among the
second class and assured the Senate that it was
the part OF wisdom, policy prudence and justice,
| to receive these petltlons-to refer thenl-to re-
port upon them. Coercion would not do-for
coercion would increase and multiply the pres
ent difficulties Mr. Clay concluded his remarks
by offering u substitute OF niue resolutions for
! the resolutions offered by Mr. Calhoun. The
buttons OF Il mild and pacific character, cal
| cuated to break down tie barriers now existing
between the two sections of the country, and to
tranquilize and harmonic both the Southern
stakeholder and the northern petitioner.
WAsHINGToN, Jan. 10.
The first of Mr. Calhoun's resolutions came up
for consideration. MIR Clays amendment was
read Mr. Clay proposed it as a substitute. This
amendment says that it would be wrong to abo-
ish slavery in the District of Columbia while Vir-
ginia and Maryland hold slaves, and while the
District protested against abolitlon.
Mir Calhoun made four objections to the a.
mendment. The first, that the amendment was
limited to The District of Columbia and made no
provision for the country; second, that it recog-
njzed the power of aholishing Slavery by pur-
chasing the slaves in the District; the third, that
it acknowledges the right of petition; the fourth
that the resolutions were too much subdued.
Mr. Clay answered the objections one by one.
The FIRST reason, he answered by saying that his
amendment said nothing of the territory of Flor
iIa because he had introduced another resou.
ton to meet the case of Florda-the second, that
it acknowledged the power to break up Slavery
10y purchase. Mr. Clay said that bis resolution
said nothing and intmated nothing OF this mat
ter. The third objection of Mr. Calhoun con-
cerned the right of petition. MIR Clay here de-
Tended this right, with great power and eloquence.
II will not" said he, ''accuse the Senator from
s. Carolina of wishing TO bring about dissoIu
tion of the Union | DO not mpeach his mo-