The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-03-25
Pc S T s c. RI P T Il.
Washington.
Correspondence Of the Hsrald.l


WAsHsersS, March q, 1872
senate-Mr. Clay-His speech-Mexico and
the United States.
Mr.. Southland being indlsposed this morning, Mr.
King, at the request of Mr. s., took the Chair The
business OF the morning Of very little pubic IN
terest. AT o'clock the Senate then took up the
resolutions OF Mr. Clay, TO increase the tarii ABOVE
the maximum Of the Compromise act 10 repeai
that provision of the Distribution act which requires
its operation to be suspended II duty OF more 'han
twenty per cent be demanded 10 support The Co.
yernment TO re trench and economist The expenses
of Government.
To which. Mr. WRIGHT had proposed amend
ments-in favor of practical economy, by abolishing
useless Offices by looping of all unnecessary ex-
penses in Congress and all the Departments Of the
Government, and by repeating the distribution act.
50 as TO render any increase Of the tariff above the
COMPROMISE act, or any new burdens on the people,
unnecessary.
Mr. Clay took the floor and made another of his
greatest speeches. He never speaks without having
the circumstance previously announced, and rarely
without two or three days notice order that crowd
may be gathered He had the floor yesterday, and
his purpose to speak was generally known in the city.
But the rush to hear him not so great as usual;
and although he went to the Senate prepared, and
intending to show of, he was dissatisfied with the
audience and refused TO perform. Mr.. Clay retires
In few days, and il is TO be hoped that the system
Of theatrical clap trap and trickery, to cram the
house, will cease when his engagement is al an end.
The system of starring has ruined the oratory Of the
Senate. There are at least half-a dozen men on the
whig side who can prepare themselves and beat Mr..
Clay in oh any day ofhe year, but either
of them shall speak TO empty galleries, while he,
having become the fashion, will have the galleries
and every avenue TO the chamber crowded to suffo-
cation, long before he is to take the floor. What
is the consequence These men, his equals in
talents, and vastly superior to him in information,
feeling themselves neglected and overlooked, never
speak with that life and enthusiasm which might be
expected under other circumstances, and which is
necessary to produce the highest effect
Mr., Clay has been an actor all his life. That he
has many of the elements of greatness about him,
nobody will pretend to deny but he has very
large alloy Of humbug and nonsense. The afiecta-
ton of dislike to public lie, and the constant pa
rade of his intention to retire to his home in Ken
lucky for the last twenty years, is unworthy Of him.
This has long been part of his game to attract
public attention. In the National Intelligencer Of
llth May, 1920, is the following paragraph =
(Speaker) avowed his intention shortly to retire to
the pursuits OF private liie"
The papers from tina; time to this, contain SINH
lar announcements once in every two or three years.
and at last he has made up his mind to 60. 1t is
fortunate thing for the country that he has come to
this determination. His turbulant and dictatorial
course has contributed more to bring about the
present unhappy condition of the government than
the conduct and influence of any other ten men in
the country.
In the course Of his speech to-day, Mr.. Clay call
ed the bushes to the cheeks of some Of his fair
hearers, by rectng the filthy lies which are alleged
10 have been used in some indecent ceremony for
merly practised in England. The first line is,
"Here am, riding black RAM"
The others, which are too indicate for publication,
may be found in one of the numbers of the Specta.
tor, in which the ceremony is described
Mr.. Lawrence, of New Orleans, the gentleman
who was sent to the city of Mexico by Mr.. Peyton,
United States Attorney, for the Southern District Of
Louisiana, under the authority Of our government,
TO mehorate the condition of the Americans held in
custody by the Mexicans has arrived in this city,
with dispatches TO the State Department. Mr.. l..
thinks the prisoners will not be released except uptn
the energetic and determined interference Of This
government May we not hope for prompt and re-
solute action on our part The Mexicans have NAL
treated our citizens, confiscated their property, ard
nsulted our flag with IMMUNITY, until they have
ceived general and profound contempt for a
nation. 1t is time to avenge the accumulated
wrongs which they have heaped upon us. Our min
lister, Mr. Ellis, seems to be little better than help
less imbecile neither inspiring personal respect nor
sustaining the national honor. Something besides
gentle circumstances required in this emergen-
cy There must be peremptory demand for re-
Dress supported il necessary, by an adequate naval
force. We have home squadron powerful enough
to bring the Mexicans to their senses, without any
extra expense to the country. No Executive was
ever more alive to the honor Of the nation than Pre-.
sident Tyler, the navy more efficient and intel
ligent head than Judge Upshur. Let Congress take
the requisite measures and in three months time the
stain under which the country is suffering, Of
submitting to the insolence, arrogance, and inius-
tice of miserably degraded country such as MeSi-
co, will be wiped awayfIr ever.
House Of Rcprcscntatives-The Question Of
Privilege TreNson-R csignation of Mr.
GiddIngs-Dr. Lardner's Lectures.
Atthe assembling Of the House this morning, there
Il IL. h, eAI IL