Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-03-25
.CONGRESS-Extra Session.
In SENATE, Mondoy, March l5.-Soon af


within the recollection Of the Senate that,
few days since, very unpleasant collisio
occurred Oh ihls huvr between The SENATE
from Kentucky and The Senator from Alabl
ma. Any interruption of the babitual an
characteristic harmony OF tho body, or ia
parliamentary tecurum ot lis prDceeqlngs, II
under any circumstances, deeply 10 be re
gretted; but especially IN The present cas-,
inasinuch sS the manifestation of hrut Oc
Cured between Senators VI such long nn
distinguished standing. 1t might well b.
supposed that nothing but mistake or uccl
Il DEM could have led 10 such result I; bDI
\ thoroughly convinced 0f this, ] rise, Nj
y President, 10 state my CONVICTION OF the ex
lsience OF mlsdpprehcnslon, and 10 stat
succlntly the mode IN which /; occurred.
/ On The occasion alluded 10, the Senate
H hom Kentucky, conceNlng that the remarks
\ Of the Senator from Alabama were calcu
lated and intended to be injurious to IN,
n character, aud personally Offensive, rctortct
In language OF direct atffont--languag,
which am conv vnced he could not have cm
I ployed but under u deep sense Of injury
la ihis view OF the renIarks Of the Senator
from Alabama, believe he was mistaken
Il Indeed | am convinced, from informatio,
which has casually come 10 my possession
that the Senator from Ala. did not intend Ia
be personally offensive. At the bottom 6I
this affair therefore, there is q mlsapprehen.
sion, which | announce with pleasure, nnd
IN HE confident belief that, being announced
The honorable and distinguished Senator,
will permit no formal difficulty TO arrest an
adjustment which Is earnestly demanded
by the Senate and the country.
Mr.. Clay said he shared with the Senator
from South Carolina Mr.. Preston) ~ the
regret which he had manifested, on account
OF the occurrence, disturbing the usual har-
mony aud good feeling which prevail in the
Senate, 10 which he had alluded and he
bore with pleasure testimony to the honora
BILE and high minded feelings which had
prompted tha, Senator TO make the appeal
which he had just presented.
Before Mr.. &. proceeded to respond par
ticu.arly to that appeal, he wished 20 submit
u few general observations to the Senate ~
regard to the privileges Of Congressional OF
Parliamentary debate.
Every Senator had the most perfect right
10 speak with the utmost lreedum ot those
who were IN power; he might dcnouncr
them us arbitrary, wicked and incompetent
aud their measures as tyrannIcal, corrupt
try. So it was equally the right Of every
member TO deliver his sentiments without
reserve on the character of all persons not
members Of The body, but whose names o.
characters were connected with the subject
under debate, and all brought before lh,
Senate as candidates tor appointment TO OF
flee. All tins a member has a right 10 do
under no other responsibility than that which
hls own conscience and public opinion IN
pose. But while tins right was clear ano
was essential to the due dis
charge OF oiiicu duty, and was in 10 cas-,
To be restrained, the same liberty did not eX
tend To the language OF Senators towarG
each other, or ~ reference to their mutlvcs
In speaking TO or Of each other, the utmosl
respect and decoium ought over 10 be pre-
served, all personality avoided, and especial !
!y all imputation Of improper motives. Un.
der these Impressions as the privileges ~
debate, and guided by these rules, Mr.. e.
had spoken few days since, of the elder
editor Of the Globe newspaper, whom it wa,
then proposed to dismiss from the Office ol
printer to the Senate. Had not ,ha, lndi
vldua been thus legilimalcIy and dircctl, |
before the body, he should have folborne, n,
he had always hitherto, IN his public station,
the paper which he edits.
Notwithstanding ten years Of tho most I'm |
paralIeied abuse and wanton aud unscrupn.
lons attacks OF himself, Mr. T.. had rennalnro
silent aud su he should still have remained II
rectly before the Senate, and nIs chauctci \
md conduct of public journal became
cgtImate subject TOR It's consideration, h
,II i.ili A In h.. ,i,,Iit
u the terms he had done. When, on the mex II
lay, the Scna'or from Alabama (Mr. kmnl II
ddrcsscd the Senate, he must say iha,
Willie that gentleman was speaking. he huu
bought that there was, on his part, u studied i
premedilaled, und, as he then believed, II
'reconc.r,cd design to make an assault uro, Il
mn aud his character. And when the Scua
or concluded by Instltuiipg Il comparison Of
ir. 4. to man whom he had but n da, II
einre. declared TO be Infamous, and Of
'hDn he had spoken as a common hbellcr
nd of his paper rs hbelious, he did nol
onbt that his object was personal offence
- Mr.. T.. 1t was under tins impression thai
'r. T.. had addressed To- The Chair some re-
,nrks which he intended as Il dclberat,
Hence to thni Senator.
But it was due to the Senator from Ala H
oiHi N'Il as 10 IIIUsCIl 10 6tatc llat ID. II
al since received satisfactory information. /
n which he placed implcl, reliance, thai
lerc had been no purpose or intention on H
nc part OF that Senator to offer any PERSONA II
front to Mr.. &. or to cast the slightest i'm
nia'ion on his character or honor. Mr.. e. H
al therefore been mistaken as to The design
Inch he had supposed lha, Senator to en-. II
'T'aln; 4; and he must have entirely msap Il
rehendcd the language employed.
Ready, therefore, at all tunes, promptly tell
,palr al injury ns he hoped he ever shoud
TO ,epel an lndlgnly, nnd always taking
ore pleasure To repair than to rcpel, ard Z
i,hout any regard to the nicely of mere {
cbDlcal forms, TO which those ncquan.
q with him vel knew he never attached
Tcat inporinnco-under the circumstances
: thus explained, aud with the understand
'g which he now had Of the real intention.
that Senator, II was with infinite pleasure
. now declared every cpllhet in the least !
'rogatory TO him, to his honor or to hi,
iaracter, to bo Withdrawn. llc
Tins declaration elected n spontaneous
irsi of applause from the surrounding nudi H
ice, who had listened with cagcrncss to nl
at had passed. The Chair, however, in
ricred, aud the applause was Immediately II
Mr.. King said concur with the Senator &
Ia "a l. al. |