Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-03-02
POLITICAL.
SKETCH OF MIR. CLAy's SPEECH.

Jay without, suggesting to him apt image of thai
cloud which encompasses our whole land
Scarcely ray Of light penetrated the gloom of either
Mt Clay said he had come 10 the Senate undo,
feelings OF gticf aud oppression caused b, consid.
efing this wide spread suffering 1t has now e,om.
universal. Genlemen. said he, sometimes asef,be
II 10 tue eject OF banking opetaions--ol uct uations
IN the curtency-of conuactions and expansions -
bn' the real causes were far otherwise +; aud III,
were well known TO the country, and to the Senators
themselves. They had ihcit source In a peneral
MAJ. administration of the Government.
ine "hole amount OF bank cn culatiou lie main
ta'ncd' dh not now exceed the alleged amount OF
sP'te-alleged by the exclusive hard. money advo =
eales-nAmrly, eighty five millions oil dollars Eve
~ "hefe throughout the Union, the Bank eirenla-
nan 10 on the decline. 1t ~ decreasing daily and
h"olly In ptooi OF tins he referred with consider
able mlnutcuess OF detail TO the state of The ef,n,
ton IN New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, aud Ken
lucky.
been carried on with all he success which those IN
mehllo the institutions could have expected In thei
'nosl ardent mig nations and II they cnn derive
any consolation from Witnessing the dist,esses they
nave brought On The community, they have ample
cause l"f JOY But he did not upbraid them with III
dnlglne III such feelings. No, Tar from H. lie came
10 NE senate IN no splrt Of ht lily 10 those in pow
ef oul WIN adcsne to conclllaie for a suffering
country, better counscs and better courses nom
them lie would IN lore them, he would eniteat
II
resolved Ia do nothing 10 mitigate lhc accumulated
evils under which the people are suffering, ut least
tneN would do nolhiung 10 increase and ~ gia,ate
ihem. Whatever might be their designs, the new.
table tendency Of these measures WIS downward
oo"h"'id-lo n lower. aud sil lower depth to
ne ullet rum and obstruction Of every interest Of the
Nation. They had goue on i,om step to step IN Tins
career OF mischief lie sincerely believed that n
le uep"sUes had not been remuvej--ii the National
h'hh h"u ptcn frchaitcted al the time when the
voice ol Congress and The People was decided, IN
l"'or OF The measnre-lf the Bin for distributing
Tie proceeds OF The sales of The Public Lands hid
received the signature Of the President alter ha,in
P'ssedboih Houses by unexamplcd IMPURITIES we
would now see prosperity aud happiness throughout
lhe land and ACTIVITY and enterprise III every depart
Iucut OF business.
MI Clay, alter these preliminary remarks which
were delivered with grral aninalon and jmp,rs-
sneness' turned TO the subject before the Senate
lie asked why these resolutions and this report had
been introduced lie mquited-What good Is 10
DC ELECTED by these decldrious Gu bono Sup
iose tue u solutions a'e passed What do they
amount to VIII not The constitution remain the
same VIII you incrpolate il 7 VIII YOU add
any Strength 10 II whatever II you are right theIe
stands the Constitution guarantee, n snirruard
is before, lhnuaGlr aud the TO morrow is to-
day
On y HON will these declar lions he binding i
w III thry bind any body bat those who concur IN
aud adopt them ! WIN they bind even h,m Sup
pose the states declare then Senators mistaken
-snppos" they promulgale opinions in laya, ol the
of assumplIon--"oud not the an-
fhots and advocates of these resolutions especially
those who bold to the doctrine of iosiructmns feel
bound To obey the mandates Of the Slnle, aud re-
solve, aud II called upon, support bill actually
to assume their obi cations
Bur, continued Nh, Clay. who las brought for.
-" arl any proposition Tor assuming The payment ol
the debls Of the States! No one. II has been ON
ty It.fI, ,,pI iii ~.
this chamber There IS not the slightest ptctext or
color Tor at:rIbuIIug such scheme To any body.
Asto what had been sand OF the lelfer ol the
Bafines, and The newspaper and other publications.
he asked, dad II compon with the dignny Of the Sc
haie TO get upa grave dlsquisllion IRONS committee
on any thing agtated out Of doo,s only, and never
10 the body, thought ol in Con-
.fess
Nh. Clay, in this connection. referred 10 the re
maxi oil Mr.. GIuudy, that IT proper for the Sc
nae 10 send forth warning vice 10 Il1e people
even on subjects which weIc not brought ard
lor legislative action. This. lac coulrndrd, was IN
serimg the ploper order. 1t was mixing the Sc.
nate great mandatory OF public oplnion. Instead
Of being he recipients OF opinion from the people Ii
was usnrprng a province winch did telopg 10
them.
The whole course Of proceeding Of The committee
tsald he) has oeeu an afralgumenI OF the Satas Of
the Union-holdlng them up 10 The public gaze and
public ceusure. Aud by whom is tbs done BY
the guatdians OF the ii !hs the honor the IL
ependt Of the States by those who are the Sc
leclcd representative Of the States. II has been
done, too--noi 10 a moment Of parry excitement aud
cody and deliberately by grave Sc
uhnecess rily, cruelty sulmad-
verng on the conduct OF the sovefeghlies they re-
present
SO sen ibc was the chairman Of this cruelty, in
HE inst form oi ms report, that he could stand
the first exposure. lie Obliged To ask to have
II sent back TO him for correction and cncndation
lie struck out many Objectionable points. But lie
bas still lel III II humber of remarks which ought
not to have been retained.
Mr.. Clay here took mp the report, and read some
signal examples OF severe and insul ing feprelen-
sion OF the conduct Of the States by these wouldbe
guardians Of their honor and rights
One OF The charges is that many Of Tie railroads
in this county have hecn so wastefuy. and unslll-
fully carried on, that til y i'll not weld annually
product sufficient TO meet the demands for THEN an
nnal rcpdratIun Mr.. Clay dlsproyed this ACCUSE
ton by reference to The highest authorities; and
commented III strong terms on the improperly, and
Injurious ELECTS 81 sending forth with the sanction oil
the Senate, declaration ofthls kind.
What good tan come from such promuie atom
What benefit can result from iou,lng the credit OF
the States OF the works in which they have enga-
ged The mischief TO The States themselves iron,
tins proceeding, must be great aud mediate.-Ma-
ny 81 the works are yet 10 be completed and, IN
der 10 continue aud 6rIsh them, 1t is most important
that ther credit should not be deprecated.
Suppose from this Course, any of he States should
be SO much it, uled aud oppressed to he unable
10 meet their engagemenrs;-can any pan OF ihis T.
mon lose IT'S honor and pure fame, without loss Of
honor 10 the whole
Here Mr.. Clays own peculiar, natural and car
nrst eloqnence hurst out in one OF the most mpas-
stoned and effective heard from huqna