Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1841-07-31
A SprnND1p SCENE IN THE SENATE

Mr. Webster, and therefore favored the
amendment proposed by Mr.. Rives,whi
| also, IN all probability, expresses the
views OF the president.
We extract from the Globe the descrIp-
ton Of the sceEe, abrIdging it and throw
it inlo the dialogue form:
Choate. Iharc no dQ',Jt; indeed, IagW
sag to my friends that hno1r; if they dd-
here to this BGak bill mithom the amend.
mcat aoU proposed, they lriA hare no Baak
this session.
Clay (Bralng lis passion although
any person coujd sec ii sticking Out) VIII
the Senator from Massachusetts allow me
to interrupt him a moment Il is but
one word, sir-to ask him plain question.
He says, positively, that we are to have
no Bank this session, unless the amend
ment is adopted--lhat he hnows it, Now
| have every respect for the arguments
and opinions of the Senator from Massa-
chusetts; bat when he, goes beyond an eX-
IpressIon OF opinion, and positively asserts
that he kHOws there will be no Bank bill
this session, an inference is left to be
drawn, which compeIs me to rise and call
on him to give the grounds on which he
makes this broad assertion.
Choate. Surely the Senator Of Ken
lucky will allow me, without Interruptions
the right OF expressing manfulIy my firm
conviction, without being Obliged to give
reasons which cannot gire wittom It
breach of FriDiIedge, or roiIatiHg P9rlja-
meatay rule, rhich lido not feel disposed to
Doiiate. tell the Senator again there
will be no Bank this session unless the
amendment prevails.
Clay. am satisfied that the honora-
ble Senator made an assertion much
stronger than that which he rfow makes,
lie SAID he kncw there would be no bank
this session unless this amendment was
adopted. wanted 10 ascertain how he
knew the fact might have been aulhoriz.
ed in supposlng he knew it from the Execu.
tive, he might have derived his knowledge
from the other branca; but | wanted to
know where he got the fact from.
Ch0atc. 1t is proper for me to say that
never exchanged syllable with the Ex-
ecutive, or derived from his Ii ps any eX-
preston on this subject. said that |
believed this was the only way we had to
get Bank this session; and stated dis
uncty that | bad no authority for saying
this from the Executive or any one else
whom the Senator from Kentucky alIudes
to as my supposed authority. | stated
my own convictions.
Clay. rise, sir, to the vindicate my
self from The inference that had no
grounds for questioning the Senator when
interrupted him. The Inference that
| interlered IN consequence Of a mere eX-
preston Of his opinion is not warranted.
| did no such thing. The gentlemen said
that he kac;O we would have no such Bank
this session unless we adopted this amend
mont. lie made the assertion most posi-
tyeIy,a As if from the authority of some
competent power to render the measure
nugatory. wanted to know what author
ity he had for the assertion, and, for that
purpose alone, ! interrupted him.
Chodtc. had given my conviction.
The Senator from Kentucky asked me
what grounds rested my belief upon. !
replied that | based them facts and deduc-
tons | did not think proper to disclose. |
did not, in giving convictions from a be-
, lief could not controI, imply that | had
Z any Executive authority for what sta
ted.
, Clay.-( ercited) Wlllthe gentlemen
say that he did not, in answer to my d.
rect interrogatory, state'that he could not
,. disclose the source of his convictions, with.
out'a breach of privilege and violation
of parliamentary rule?
[Choato attempted again to explain, but
, was interrupted by Clay, in great excite
, mem.
: Clay. That, sir, is not the thing.
, Did you not say that you could not, with.
out breach of privilege, aud violation of
parliamentary rels, disclose your adthori-
+ y?
; Choatc. Sir, insist on my rightto ex-
plain what l did say, in my own words.
, Clay-(ander great ercitemont) Did
/ you not say, sir, that
Mr.. Preston. rise, sir, (addrassing
the Chair and advancing towards the ecu.
ire ofthe floor, where Mr. Clay stood close
to Mr.. Choate,) | rise, sir 10 II question Of
order.
"You men" said lady the other day,
fare constantly ridlcuIing US for squeez-