The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-02


and illuminated by his own counlrymen, she thtew
around him her impenetrabe shield, and, bearing nun
aloit, repeed the attacks OF msllgnty ana
1t 10 him. therefore, unspeakabe pleasure ua'
he was shortly to return to his home, and lha' he
would eventually deposit and the day was mol iar us
tant his last remains under her generous SOIL where
sleep her gallant and patriotic sons. An ephet haa
recently been applied to him. whether for the purpose
of honor detraciion he did not know he haa
been held up to the country as Dictator. ne dea
of a dictatorship was drawn from Roman lnsti-
tu,ions and when it created the person VINO
was invested With that authority had concentrated In
his person all the powers Of State all the property
and the life of every citizen were In his hands ne
could raise armies without levies and revenue without
law Now, if lie mr. Clay had been a Dictator
what would have been the power with when ne
would have been entrusted' Would he not have mad
an army navy, revenue, and Distribution Oh inc
patronage of the Government! But had ne any
power in short whatever! If he had been Dlcta-
tor he thought that those who lately applied the
epithe must admit two things. First that his dicta-
torship had been distinguished by cruel executions
that it had been stained by BLOOD and soiled by no
act of dishonor And although he did not know
when the commission of dictatorship bore date-he
supposed however, from the extra sesslon-they must
admit that if he had become invested with or usurped
the power of Dictator he had voluntarily surrendered
it much sooner than the time fixed by the Roman law
for its continuance. If endeavoI at the extra SEES
sion, and at this, by co operation with his frends 70
1870 if desire to see dsordered currency and the
exchanges regulated if desire to replensh the empty
Golfers of the Treasury 10y an imposition OF suitable
duties if desire to extend relief to the unfortunate
bankrupts of the country, who had been rulned IN
great measure by the policy of his Government; II
desire with the corporation of his friends TO limit
restrain and to check the Executive branch OF this
Government if desire to preserve the lonor and
credit of the country by adequate and suitable provl-
sons sufficient for the purpose of fulfilling the public
10 foih tn mIaaa nd n
sire carry and redeem the pledges which were
made by his friends when they were struggling
for acquisition of pOwer-if these constr
uted him dictator, then he supposed that
he must bear the odium of the epithet his
disposition in the public service had been enthusiastic
he was ready TO own; and those who supposed that
he had entertained desire to dictate had only mis-
taken his ador in debate and his patriotic exer'lons
to fulfil the trusts under which he held his seat
During his long and arduous services In the public
councils and especially during the last eleven years
service in the Senate of the United States, with an
ardor of temperament and enthusiasm OF character,
he had doubi--in the honest pursuit and endeavor
to maintain the opinions which he entertained IN OPP
position those which prevailed on the opposite side
with regard to public afairs-often and unntention-
ally and indsceetly made Of language which was
susceptible of injurious Interpretation py MS pro
Their Senators But If there any who retained any
feelings of disafection resulting from the employment
such language he begged to them that ne now
made the amplest apology for deviatng from paria
mentary of proceeding; and he assured the Sc
one and ALL without exception and without reserve
that he retired from the Senate without carrying with
him single feeling Of resentment or dsafecton to-
wards the Senate itsel any OF Its members
He went from it under the hope they would mutually
endeavor to maintain the honor of their country, and
whatever might be their personal considerations, that
they would only dwell on conflicts OF mind against
mind and in the struggles of intellect against intel
ect in the mode of prom citing its interests and its
happiness These the feelings under which he
had spoken, and he trusted that he would be al
lowed make the motion which it was his purpose to
submit when he 1t was TO present the creden-
tals Of his friend and successor If any void would
be created by his withdrawal from the Senate, it would
be filled to OVERLOOKING by his worthy successor, whose
gallant bearing and seadfast adherence to principle
and his uncommon powers in debate, were already
know to the whole country He moved that his Gre
den,a be received and that the oath required he taken
and now, in retiring as he about to do, forever
from the Senate of the United States he would eX-
press the earnest hope that patriotic measures would
be adopted for the relief of the country and that it
might fulfil the destiny which was contemplated by
the trainers of the Constitution that the delibera
tons in the public councils, and hereafter, may
be for the good of the common country, and for the
restoration of its former prosperity, and preserva-
ton and maintenance of its honor abroad and Its In
terests at home. He retired from the Senate at a
period of infinite distress, and he wished that he
could have taken his leave under more favorable aus
pieces. Without saying upon whom reproach should
| fall for the condition in which the country was
placed, he thought that he might appeal to the Sen
ate and to the country for the truth of the observa
ton that there was no blame which justly rested at
his door. And now said Mr. Clay, may the bles-
sings of Heaven rest upon the heads Of the whole
Senate, and may they still advance in honor
and fame, and when they shall return to The
bosom of their constituents may they all Individually
meet there the reward The highest of all human re-
ward, the grateful SALVATION of Well done thou
| good and faiihful servant" Mr.. President, and
Messieurs Senators, bld you, one and all, long a
| last farewell
| The credentials of the Hon. JOHN j. CRITTENDEN
| were then read, and he qualified by taking the
oath TO support the Constitution of the United States.
! On the motion of Mr. PRESTON, the Senate then