The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-29
Mr.. CIay's VaIediCtOry.
THURSDAY, March 81, l842.
IN CEAel TE

IN SEJV:a TIE.
After several reports from committees on
private claims, and ordering two or three pri-
Vate bills TO be engrossed-
Mr.. CLAY said las imperfectly heard in
the reporters galeries) that, before proceed
ing to make the motion for which he had RI
sen, he begged leave to submit, on the only
occasion afforded him, an observation or two
on different subject. It would be remem-
bered that he had offered, on a former day,
some resolutions going to propose certain a.
mencments in the constitution of the United
States; they had undergone some discussion,
and he had been DESTROYS of obtaining an
expression on the sense of the Senate upon
their adoption; but owing to the infrm state
Of his health, TO the pressure of business in
the Senate, and especially TO the absence at
this moment Of several of his friends, he had
concluded this to be unnecessary nor should
he deem himself called upon to reply to the
arguments Of such gentlemen as had consi-
dered it their duty to oppose the resolutions.
He should commit the subject, therefore, to
the hands Of the Senate, TO be disposed of as
their judgment should dictate: concluding
what he had to say in relation to them with
the remark, that the conviction he had before
entertained in regard to the several amend
ments, he still deliberately held, after all that
he had heard upon the subjects of them.
And now, said Mr.. c., allow me to an
nounce, formally and officially, my retirement
from the Senate of the United States, and to
present the last motion / shall ever make in
this body. But, before l make that motion, |
trust shall be pardoned if l avail myself of
the occasion to make a few remarks which
are suggested to my mind by the present &C.
casiOn.
l entered the Senate of the United States
in December, 1906. l regarded that body
then, and still contemplate it, as a body
which may compare, without disad vantages,
with any legislative assembly, either of an
cient or modern times, whether look to it's
dignity, the extent and importance of its
powers, or the ability by which its individual
members have been distinguished, or it's con-
stitutOn. If compared in any OF these re-
spects with the Senates either of France OF
OF England, that Of the United States will
sustain no derogation. With respect to the
mode of it's constitution, of those bodies
NAV observe that in the House Of Peers in
England, with the exceptions but of Ireland
u and of Scotland-and that of France, with
no exception whatever-the members hold
their places under no delegated authority
but derive them from the grant of the Crown
transmitted by descent, or expressed in new
patents of nobility; while here we have the
proud title of Representatives of sovereign
States, of distinct and independent Common
Wealths.
If we look again at the powers exercised
BY the Senates Of France and England, and
by the Senate of the United States, WI shall
hnd that the aggregate Of power is much
greater here. In all the members possessei
the legislative power. In the foreign Senate
as in this, the judicial power is invested, al
though there it exists in a larger degree thar
here. But, on the other hand that vast, un
defined and undefnable power involved il
the right TO cooperate with the Executive
IN the formation and ratification Of treaties
Il enjoyed in all It's magnitude and weight b.
this body. while il is possessed BY neither
theirs besides which, there is another o
very great practical impOrtance-that OF sha
ring with the Executive branch in distrlbu
ling the vast patronage Of this government
In both these latter respects, we stand OF
grounds different from the House OF Peer
Either Of England or France. And then q
% the dignity and decorum gifts proceedings