The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1840-02-11

ought to be moro grateful for il than the SEN.
ator from South Carolina. But for that COM
promise, Mr.. c. was not at all confident that
he would have now had tho honor to meet
that Senator face to face in this national
Capitol.
The Senator had said that his own posi-
ton was that Of State Rights. But what
was the character Of this bill? It was bill
to strip seventeen Of the States Of theirright-
fol inheritance; to sell it all for mess of
pottage; to surrender il for trifle-a mere
nominal sum. The bill was, in effect, an
attempt to strip and rob seventeen States of
this Union Of their property, and assign III
over to some eight or nine Of the States
If this was what the Senator called vindica-
ting the rights of the States, Mr.. G. prayed
God to deliver us from all such rights and all
such advocates.
forced, at this stage. into discussion on the
merits of the bill; but when the proper time
arrived, he would show that the Senator was
entirely mistaken as to it's character, in sup
posing it made y gift of the public lands TO
the States in which they lay. So far 9TH
erwise, it secured one-half of the whole Of
the gross proceeds Of the States to the Gov
eminent, throwing the whole burden and
expense of administration on the new States.
He would not be surprised, il, on fair
statement of the account, the Government
would receive as much under the bill, as un-
der the present system. 1t was, besides,
not only consistent with State Rights, but
grew out of them; while, at the same time,
he verify believed the measure was essen
tial to the peace and harmony Of the Union.
The Senator has said, that l, of ell men.
ought to be grateful to him for the compro.
mise act.
[Mr. Clay-I did not say sto mel
The Senator claims to be the author OF
that measure, and, of course, if there be
any gratitude due, it must be to him. /, said
Mr.. Calhoun, made no allusion to that act,
but as the Senator has thought proper to re-
fer to il, and claim my gratitude, l, in turn,
now tell him feel not the least gratitude
towards him for it. The measure was ne
cessary to save the Senator politically, and
as he has alludedto the subject. both on this
and former occasion, feel bound to ex.
plain what might otherwise have been left
in oblivion. The Senator was then CON-
pCtCO W COMPROMISE " save nlIlSeU.-
Events had placed him fat ON his back, and
he had no way to recover himself but by the
compromise. This is no after thought. L
wrote more than half a dozen of letters home
at the time, to that effect. shall now ex-
plain.
When minority forces dominant ma
j: nity, (which has converted power into an
instrument Of OPPRESSION by State interpo-
sition, or notification, if you please, to take
that by force which they had taken under
color Of law, those who receive the least
share of the spoils, will not be disposed 10
resort 10 the hazard Of force Such was the
case Of the Senator's constituents. Thew
received, under the American System. q
miserable pittance, or rather no pittance at
all; and he would have found Il difficult
task to bring them to sustain his syctem by
force, as he must have clearly seen.
But this was not the only, or even the
principal difficulty with him. The procla-
nation and message Of Gen. Jackson ne
cessarily rallied around him oil the stead
fast friends Of the Senator's system. They
withdrew their allegiance at once from him,
and transferred it to Gen. jackson. The
Senator was thus left in tho most hopeless
condition, with no more weight with his
former partisans than this sheet of paper
This is not ALL The position which Gen.
Jackson had assumed. necessarily attracted
towards him distinguished Senator from
Massachusetts, (Mr. Webster,) who, it is
clear, would have reaped all the political
honors and advantages of the system, had
the contest come to blows. These causes
made the political condi ton Of the Senator
truly forlorn at the time. On him rested
Ill the responsibility, as the author of the
system; while all the power and influence
It gave, had passed into the hands of others.
Compromise was the only means of extri-
cation. He was thus forced by the action
Of the State which in part represent a
gainst his system, by my counsel to CON-
promise, in order to save himself had the |
mastery over him on the occasion. have |
never taken any credit for my agency in
the compromise act. claim a higher
that Of compelling the compromise; and l |
would have dictated my terms, which was
to allow to the year 1910 for the reduction,
taking off one-seventh annually of all duties |
above Is per cent, had not circumstances,
not proper to explain here, prevented i'll
My colleague knows, believe to what al |
lude, though am not certain. never con-
templated sudden reduction. az duties;-ft
knew it would be ruinous. never desired
to destroy the manufactures, and at no time
contemplated full reduction under six or
seven years.
Ruf althos,nh fnal mona IS sl.s .-e: