The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-19
MONDAY, March 10, 1871.

with view Of doing full Jusuee 10 all interested IN
the affair.
MONDAY, March is, 1871.
Soon after the Senate came to order
Mr. PRESTON and addressed the Senate
as follows; IL is, l am sure painfully within the
recollection of the Senate that few days sincea very
unpleasant collision occurred this floor between the
Senator from Kentucky and the Senator from Alaba-
ma Any interruption of the habitual and charac-
teristic harmony of this body, the parliamentary
decorum Of It's proceedings, is, under any circum-
Stances deeply to be Iegreltedbut especially IN the
present case inasmuch the manifestation OF heat
occurred between Senators Of such long and dstin-
gulshed standing. II might well be supposed, that
nothing but mistake accident could have led to
such result, and thoroughly convinced Of this rise,
Mr.. President to state my conviction OF the existence
OF Misrepresentation and to state succnctly the mode
in which il occurred
On the occasion alluded to, the Senator from Ken
lucky concevng that the remarks ofthe Senator from
Alabama were calculated and intended TO be injurious
to his character and personally offensive retorted in
language Of direct afiront-language which am
convinced he could not have employed but under a
deep OF injury In tnis view of the remarks OF
the Senator from Alabama believe he was mistaken.
Indeed, | am convinced, from information which has
oasualy 10 my possession that the Senator from
Alabama did not intend TO be personally Offensive
Al the bottom OF this affair." therefore, there is mis-
apprehension, which announce with pleasure, aud
in the confident belief that, being announced, the
honorable and distinguished Senators 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 gentleman from
South Carolina Mr.. PREsToN) in the regret which
he had manifested account of the occurrence, dis
turbing the usual harmony and good feeling which
prevail in the Senate to which lie had alluded and
he bore with pleasure testimony TO the honorable and
high-minded feelings which had prompted that Sena
tor 10 make the appeal which he had just presented
Before he Mr. C.) proceeded to respond particular
ly TO that appeal he wished to submit few general
observations the Senate in regard to the privileges
of Congressional or Parliamentary debate.
Every Senator had the most perfect right to speak
with the utmost freedom of those who were In power
he might denounce them arbitrary, wicked and In
competent and their tyiannical, corrupt,
and ruinous to the best interests OF the country GO
il was equally the right OF every member to deliver ms
sentiments without the character Of all per-
sons not members Of the body but whose names or
characters connected with the subject under de-
bate and all brought before the Senate candidates
for appointment to office. All this member has a
right 10 do under no other responsibility than that
which his own conscience and public opinion impose.
But while this right was clear and undenable, was
essential the due discharge of official duty, and was
in no case to be restrained the liberty did not
extend the language of Senators towards each other
reference to their motives. In speaking 10 or OF
each other the utmost respect and decorum ought ever
to be preserved, all personality avoided, and especially
all imputa,ion OF improper motives Under these I'M
pressions the privileges of debate and guided by
these rules Mr. g. had spoken, few days since of the
elder editor OF the Globe newspaper whom was then
proposed to dismiss from the office of printer to the Be
Had not that individual been thus legitimatey
and directly before the body he should have oIborne
as he had always hitherto, in his public station for
borne to say word in regard TO him or the paper
which he edits Notwithstanding ten years OF the
most unparalleled abuse and wanon and INSCRIPTIONS
attacks OF himself Mr. G. had remained silent and
SO he should still have remained; but when the
of that person directly before the Senate and his
character and conduct of public journal became
legitimate subject for consideration he had felt it to be
his right to speak of him in the terms he had done.
When, on the next day, the Senator from Alabama
(Mr. KINe) addressed the Senate he must say that
while that gentleman speaking, he had thought
that there was, his part studied premeditated,
and he then believed, preconcclted design to
make an assault upon him and his character. And
when the Senator concluded by instutng compa-
rson of Mr.. q. to man whom he had but day be-
FORE declared to be infamous, and of whom he had
spoken as libclicr and of his paper libel
lous he did not doubt that his object personal
offence to Mr.. C. II under this impression that
Mr. C. had addressed TO the Chair some remarks
which he had intended deliberate offence to that
Senator.
But il was due to the Senator from Alabama well
himself state that he had since received salts
factory information, which he placed implicit re-
lance that there had been no purpose or intention on
the part of that Senator TO offer any personal aron
TO Mr.. C. or to cast the slightest imputaton his
character or honor. Mr.. T.. had therefore been mis-
taken as to the design which he had supposed that
Senator to entertain and he must have entirely mis-
apprehended the language employed. Ready, there
fore, at all times promptly TO repair an INJURY as ne
hoped he should be TO repel indignity, and al
ways taking more pleasure to repair than TO repe and
without any regard to the nicely of mere technical
forms, TO which those acquainted with him well knew
he never attached great importance--under the cir
cumstances as thus explained, and with the under
standing which he now had of the real intentions Of
that Senator it was with infinite pleasure he de-
clared every epthet in the least derogatory him.
his honor or to his character, to be withdrawn.
This declaration elected spontaneous burst of APP
pause from the surrounding audience, who had lis
tened with eager attention to all that had passed..
The CHAIR, however, interfered and the applause was
Immediately suppressed
Mr.. KING said | concur with the Senator from
Kentucky to the duty which every Senator owes
TO himself and to the body of which he member
he should sudiously avoid all personalities and keep
himself strictly within the rules of order and never
depart from dccorum in debate. have long been a
member of this Senate and | can fearessy appeal to
my brother Senators to say whether any occasion
have violated prescribed rules been guilty of in
decorum in debate.
ceived the information, has not been misinformed.-
That Senator having, with his characteristic frank
ness explicitly withdrawn the injurious expressions
used by him feel myself at liberty to state, and
do il in the spirit of frankness, that nothing
which said by me intended TO be personally
offensive to that Senator was il my design in any
manner to derogate from his character gentleman
of honor. | make this statement with plea
sure; for, while l am always prepared to defend my
honor when assailed carefully avoid attacking others
Mr.. PRESTON stated that he could repress
the feelings which prompted him to congratulate the
Senate and the country upon the honorable adjust
mcnt of this painful controversy The gentlemen
had acted became their high character and dstin
gushcJ position-affordng example for the future,
of fearless and candid under circumstances of
apparent difficulty; while the painful suspense in
which the Senate had been involved for some days
would be- he trusted, guaranty for the cautious
maintenance of scrupulous forbcaranco in debate
L..