Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-01-17
MIR. CLAY AND MIR. CALHOUN.
SENATE. Jan. 3

10 the now States. and had moved its ref.
ercncc to the Comnulcc Oh Public Lands.
before Mr. Gays arrival Mr. &. however
took occasion to express his regret that in
disposition had prevented his attendance al
the moment when the bill was introduced
aud referred, as be had one or two suCgcs-
tons to make, and some against i,s teier-
cnce to The committee 1t had been assigned
to; but unless some Senator would move n
re. liberation of that vote. he would be
denied the opportunity. Mr. Soul hard
imwedjnlclv moved a re- consideration.
when Mr. Calhoun expressed his surprise
that the Senator from Kentucky should
seek to change lis Destination, the Com
miuee named, being, III his opinion, the
proper one.
Mr. Cidy in';matod there were many
reasons why it should not 90 to he COM
m,,tee on Public Lands; tor disguise the
matter Us they might. It was an attempt to
give the pntrlmOny Of the United States to
the new States, aud was It no' a notorious
fact that four out Of the five Senators com
prslng that COMMITTEE, were from the
very States that were TO be made The OBJ
jccts of such munlcencc. He submitted,
therefore, whether gentlemen should be
placed in position where the question OF
some hundreds Of millions o: acres OF the
pubic domain wore to accrue TO the states
they represented. He asked # some other
dlspos itlon should not be made OF the bill,
80 "a To preserve the outward torms--tO
show at least the dccency OF Legislation.
While up, Mr. G.. sad he would inquire
Al n pF ho n ~ nj 81 nj ion pp
not? does the Executive stand neutral,
and uncommlt,ed with regard to =" He
was induced to make tha, inquiry in conse-
quence of ,chispered understandings of
friendly and confidential relations lately
entered into between the Senator and the
Executive. Ifrumor speaks the truth, the
inquiry whether i, was an administration
measure or not, was one 10 which the
whole country was interested.
Mr. Calhoun Contendcd that it was not a
proper stage to bring IN objections which
he would say were the most extraordinary
he had ever heard-ihc very reasons urged
by the Senator against the reference,
were the very strongest why it should 90
to the commltlee on Public Lands. 1t was
in c0nsonance with usage, That the bill
should have been so referred. The Sena.
tor from Kentucky would like TO know if it
was al Executive measure now he sub
m''tcd TO the Senate and country whether
it was decorous IN that Senator to make
illusions 10 his private relations with the
President. and whether they were changed
or unchanged. Did that Senator suppose
that his private relations involved or lnfiu.
enced his public dnrles' The Senator,
when he makes such illusions, mnst Judge
him rather by his own than his lNlr. C.'s)
standard.
Mr. Clay was perfectly aware Of the
usage observed IN parliamentary proceed
ings. and that when a measure was SUB
mllted, the form. shape detail, &c. were
given TO its friends. not lis opponents; bat
was that his objcc'ion' Here was "A plan
for granting the pa'r'mony "f the whplc
States to few, and oonhded to these who
were to be The recipients OF The bounty.
Where were the friends Of the Old States
where stood the Senator himself on such
an cccaslon? His objection was that it
was not referred fairly to the old aud new,
where each party might have some oppor-
tunity OF looking to lis interests, and taking
care " 'nehi' -" 'h' az VIC private rem
tons OF the gentlemen were concerned, 1t
was the last of bis thoughts to lnqnlrc INTO
them; but rnmor Did moi limit the coGncc
ton 10 pricnie .frjendship-l spoke no less
loud of political connection, Of mutual sup.
port: if that were rue, when great meas.
ure was brought before the Lalion, was 1t
not of some Importance to the country To
ascertain the tact' Was /; matter OF M
Importance for us to know when the loud
and angry denunclallons of the gentleman
against the Executive, were sll irc-h ~
our cars, Whether be had made ms bow a.
court, kissed the hand, AID become the
liege sulject Of she monarch? and ready OF
all times to do his bddIug' lie repeated
that he desired 20 know if the measure
was one which The administration 'ostcrcd
or whether it was COMMITTED or uncommit