Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-27
hose who had sustained thi, compounds against

II
originally. he voted for It with such deep repusnane'
he will allow me to make some slight deduction
from the zeal he now exhibits or to attribute som
par of It to temporary influences.
| Unless he has misunderstood some late dcclara
tons from the Senator, he was Of opinion that tn
provision OF home valuation Ia the compromise &C
was both imprac,icable aud unconstitutional. u
| this his sense of one q, the main features ot th'
thing, TO which he attaches such claim upon pub
| c reverence and tailhi IL is now SAID 10 violate
the Constitution in OF the chief benefits which
was to have compensated one Of the pates TO y
/ for their concessions! And the gentleman voice
for the bill. with knowledge OF the nulty OF tins
very provision, Does he now mean 10 avail him.
self OF his vote to the defeat OF the
very consideration that as held out to one Of the
parties TO the compromised What will he now dol
Garry out this constitutional nullity or discard It.
and execute only much OF this sacred, this indis
soluble contract, as he likes1 Pray, let him con
tnuc his lecture little further. What would havs
been Gen. Harrison's Interpretation OF his duty to-
wards the acr, under the present exgency he don't
know and can't know but he can tell US his own;
which is much more to the purpose, and which he
probably understands quite as well. We, who
supported Gen. Harrison, may surely be rs able as
his enemies TO know what his opinions were. Why
should the Senator cone, then, to teach us either
wha, they were or how to revere ,heml
MIR CALHOUN thought this was a most unprovok-
ed attack upon him; an1 was sorry that the Sena-
tor from Kentucky should, IN this respect, so offend,
disregardng the prophecies OF that body. he then
entered into brief history OF the scene and cir
cumstances under which tho adjustment of the
ference between himself ard MIR Clay. OF the
facts, he appealed to MIR Mangum, as the only wit
ness. These are, however. historic details, which
the public has before received, still more minutely.
Mr CALHOUN went on, after stating the facts as
TO the introduction OF the COMPROMISE Act, to de-
lend himself as to his agreement TO the provision IN
regard to home valuation. He had suggested lhe
difficulties attending it, and the unconstitutional
corning TO the price which commodities would bring
IN Northern and in Southern ports. Gentlemen,
however, had interpoSed and insisted that such 4
system could be devised would reconcile the thing
with the Constitution.
When the bill came up on its passage, he rose
The said) and stated that he had no authority TO
pledge his State by any thing more solemn or bind
ing than the circumstances under which the adjusts
ment was adopted. MIR Clay, on his part, avowed
that no man would violate the arrangement. But
now, gentlemen, pleading an unreal necessity, break
the faith pledged, and set aside the compact.
But II hac been charged that after having united
himself with the Wings, he had deserted them. Yet
what was the fact1 When Mr. Clay 6rst bestowed
upon the party in the Senate. the designation OF
Wings, he himself declared, from his place. that the
name was good one, but that he did not adopt 1t,
preierring TO retain that which more exactly ex
pressed the principles which had always guided him;
ne was, and should continue TO be, State Rights
Republican and 4 Nuliifer.
The Senator had accused him Of change. How
had he changed? For what measure had he ever
contended which he did not still advocate Here
the Senator eIpaiated little on the prophetic vision
which be had ever enjoyed, and which had always
guided him alike through the most intricate shifiings
of questions across which nobody else had seen his
way. Let the Senator, he continued name one sub
lect IN all the wide range of public measures during
The last fourteen years, whore | have been in the
smallest particular different from myself.
As TO the compromise, he had acted with the
Wings in sustaining it against the Democratic par
~; and he now acted with the Democratic party in
maintaining the same compromise against the pro-
posed invasion Of il by the Wings.
The Senator then passed TO the explanation OF
his celebrated Edgehed letter. In that he had but
slsnhed that, parties having deviated, he should
pursue his own steady why. The Administration
bad adopted his principles He was bound there.
fore, to sustain them. They took ground sgain,t
the banking, the credit system In that, he saw and
SAID, was involved the whole question OF tar II or
no tariff, cfeIpenditure extravaganza OF limited
or unlimited exercise of the powers OF Government.
II became, therefore, his duty TO support them -
And hero he launched out afresh into the praises OF
hs own consistency, deiying all effort to shake IT,
During a part OF the preceding remarks MIR
PhEsros came m. and, taking his seat, began 10
CONVERSIONS it afterwards appeared on some indil-
ierent subject-with Mr. CKIrrESDEE.
Mr CALEous twho was then speaking Of his
Etgehed letter. remarked 1t, and asked whether
his colleague would confirm or contradict the state,
ment he had lust made
Mr. PREsros desired to know what question had
been addressed to him He had not heardi,.
Mr. CALHouS, twaiving his handy lie! it pass,
sir. I.etn pass.
Mr. PREsros. The Senator addressed question
TO me- and desire TO know wha, II was7
Mir CALHOUN, las befo e } Let it pass, sir.
MIR PRESTON, (in very marked way) Then,
SIR shat! call upon the Senator in a more forma!
manner.
When Mr. CALHous's preceding remarks were
MIR p. again rose and said: Il has pleased
my colleague TO direct questions TO me, and ca A
upon him now TO say what was the purport OF hIs
Mr. CALHOUN. I saw my colleague making. rs
thought, suggestions 10 the Senator from kentucky;
and spoke, that he might have an opportunity
eiher TO confirm, or, IT lie pleased, TO deny what
had SAID. perceived, however, that had done
wrong, and therefore waived the matter.
MIR Preston. Yes, sir, the Senator did wrong, !
and very grossly wrong, not merely in every par
lamenIary, but in every personal sense. IL was
gross breach OF the order Of tho Senate al1de
what Senators had really said in private else.
10 the merely suspected, eoniectured tenor ola mem
ber's personal communications with another mem
Der, is in the last degree improper Am account
able 10 the Senator for whatever accidental unheafd
may indulge 10 his presence7 When
{; Il my part 10 speak, stand m need OF speak.
ing at my colleagues instance; and give him 10
understand that when question requires from me
any remark, will make them, employing what
ever language choose | will permit neither that
Senator nor any other 10 call me 70 repeat wha,
] have said in private or out OF the Senate. I am
ready 10 answer out Of the Senate any thing have
said out of the Senate; and | ready to answer
in the Senate any thing have said in the Senate.
The course Of the Senator was unparliamenf,ry
and the suspicion which he had so improperly dis
p.syed was as unounded II was unfit. Instead
VI being really engaged in making to the Senator
from Kentucky any suggestion 10 I've Zoe he has in
Iina,ed) used against HIM, had really paid no at
.eniiob TO my colleague. remarks.
MIR CALHOUN remarked that the Senate must
Judge whether there was any occasion or any ft
ness IN the lofty tone which his colleague had taken
He had observed the inauiible discourse in w0icb
his colleague was addressing the Senator from Ken
lucky, and, conlecturing tina. something IN regard
10 himself was the subject OF his conversation, he
had wished, whether MS colleagues communication
was adverse to him or not, 70 give him the oppor-
,uniy OF repeating u IN the presence Of the Sen.
ate. lie had, however IN an instant felt tbat I've
was wrong; and had fastened, when addrsssed by
bis colleague, 70 say 50. This, he thought should
have satisfied him. 1t il did no., he might make
Inc most % IL.
Mr. PREsToE. shall make the most OF il, sir.
what becomes me and becomes the Senator. lis
aliuson to my casual conversation, Of which he
knew nothing, was most unpnrliamentary. Impro
per every way, 1t was Infinitely more improper in
view Of the relations in which we have long ood
Those relations should have made the Senator scru
pulOus Of adverung 10 me without any occasion
and doubly scrupulOus Of every such unwnrranta.
bic allution ~ thlt he has Just made, amounting
10 an accusation Of furnishing arms m secro, aeains,
him. OF him, whatever my opinion. fotbelr 10
speak, out Of respect 10 the Senate, and o. those
very relations which he has thus disfegarJed IL
had not been my Intention 10 mix in this matter.
was returning 70 ny seat, after having been sbeant