The Democratic Whig., 1843-08-24
From the Southron:

CItdkSpedfe.
Ma. DUDLEY am not constant reader |
OF the Missssippian, but my attention has
been directed to an article in that paper of the
Sd instant, over the signature of''Casca, which
merits animadveEson. The ostensble object
of Casca's communication was to give the
editor Of the Mississippian "synopsis" of Mr..
Clayton's speech delivered in Canton or the
22d of last month, but it is a perfect tissue of
Misrepresentation. My object is to bring
these misrepr presentations 70 the notice of the
public.
In regard to the character Of the audience
which Mr.. Clayton addressed, Casca says he
found considerable assembly, composed prin-
cipally of Whigs'an1 they for the most part,
wings ofthe tOaOn, their wives, children and
friends" q shall take the liberty to italicise
such words and phrases as l may wish TO re-
mark upon.) will not pretend to say wheth-
er by the tterm considable," he meant that
the assembly was worthy Of regard or atten-
ton, respectable or moderately large ; but
mean to say myself that the meeting was
large, the spacious court room being crowded
There were no "children" that / saw; and
there was about dozen intelligent ladies. And
although the meeting consisted principally of
wings, they were not" for the most part
wings or the EOto7l.'' You can,in the very out
set discover the demagogue spirit of Casca in
endeavorilg to create invIdious distinctions
between citizens who live in town and those
who live m the country, as if the latter were
any better than the former. This spirit is
characteristic of locofocoism. The "most part"
were planters of the country-what Casca
would have "designated" the bone and sinew
of the country, if they had been locofocos. He
says it was Gas intelligent an audience as
could be collected in the United States for its
members" This, l suppose, was intended to
be hyperbolical. If so, | will not quarrel
| about il.
Casca admits that Mr. Clayton is ga man
of gentlemanly bearing" but says Mr.. G..
made it evident to his (Casca's) "humble.
comprehensions," that Mr.. Clayton is an
old fashioned full blooded driStOcrat." which he
defines to be Ia man who scorns poor people
and Judges mans worth and integrity by his
| wealth and ability 10 pay debts" | have no
doubt that Casca's stumble comprehension"
was the only one to which this was made ev-
| dent, for Mr.. Clayton's cOuntenance and bear
| ing,indicate the possession Of large benevol-
ence and charity any thing but "scorn." /
know from conversations with candid demo
crats-democrats of "gentlemanly bearing"
| that MIR. Clayton made favorable impression
| on them as a man, however much they might
differ from him in political principles and the
remarks of the editor of the "Independent
Democrat might be cited in proof Of this.
|
Sd. Casca says that Mr.. Clayton "then dc
tailed Gen. Browns amount ofindebtedness to
the Union Bank-how much he had borrow
ed how much he had endorsed for, how much
he still owed, with mathematical exactness,
and kept fepeGtulg that it came with very
bad grace from Gen. Brown to set up such
a plea as unconstitutionahty of the Union
Rank honds" He then asks.
alas it come 10 this, that poor man can
not express his opinions on a grave constu-
tional question, because he has the misfortune
to be in debt % Nor be a candidate for of
fee Ia Mississippi while indebted to bank,
'but at the hazard of having base motives base
ly tnSinudted against him Z" And then dds;
"How Insignificant is this attack, and that too
in the absence Of Gen. Brolcal" lie contin-
ues "Is il honorable, is it magnanimous, is
it even gentlemGnly GriStOcrdtic, to insinuate
so base a motive of action to an opponent"
&c.
Now, in answer to all this | have 10 say
that Mr., Clayton did not urge Gen. Browns
Indebtedness to the Union Bank as a reason
| why Gen. B. should dot plead the constitution
| atty, of the bonds. This CasCa knows, or
ought to have known ere he ventured to write
| his i"synopsis." He showed corclusively that
| Gen. Brown had been benefited to the amount
of several thousand dollars by getting money
| to large amount for himself and friends
when the money was about at par and being
now able to pay it back in the notes of the
bank at their present deprecated value !;
while MIR. Clayton himself never had borrow
ed dollar from the bank, and had not been
benefited at an by it. Hence Ehe Eargued
that Gen. Brown, thus being largely profted
by the bank, could with less reason and Justice
be opposed to taxation to pay than Mr.. Clay
ton,who had received no profit whatever. And
while doing so he disclaimed any lmputation
OF bad motives to his opponent. There was
no oase motives basely insinuated, as Casca
alleges. How could Casca admit, as he does
that man who would act thus as he repre-
sents him 10 have done is a man of Hgentle-
manly bearing 70 / feel some disposition to
doubt whether this phrase is ineligible to his
stumble comprehension
But MIR. Clayton did show from the journals
OF the Legislature, if am not greatly mistaken
that Gen. Browns UOteS while member of
that body and saOorn to support the constitution
DO estoP him from raising the question of cons
ututIonahty. 1t was this and not being ga poor
man according to the hypocritical and contem-
ptble cant of Casca, that ought to prevent Gen.
u. from raising such question. Is there any
thngs then, in Casca's third7questiOn VIII ch
makes it evident that Mr.. Clayton is a full
blooded aristocrat :!
9th. Casca "insinuates'' that MIR. Clayton's
tdLher was violent opponent of the u. States
Bank, until that institution lent him $4,000, |
''and his wrath, as a member Of Congress- as
representative ofthe people, cooled OFF, and |
all has house were converted of a sudden to
the Bank )" thus iDsinuating that Mr.. Clay
tons father now deceased, who was one Of
the most distinguished statesman of Georgia,
was while member of Congress, corrupt and
bought to friendship to the United States by a
loan OF money and enquiring of Mr.. George
Z. Clayton "what would he think of Gen.
Brown, were he to get up and tell him" this,
sand attribute Mr., Clayton's political course to
that $4,000 Indebtedness to the United
States bank - Now,whether Mr. Clayton's
father ever borrowed that amount of money
from the United States Bank, am unable to
say and from the instances which Casca has
gwen OF his disregard of ofcorrectness, should
feel an unwlllingness to believe it upon his un
supported assertion. / have understood that
certain democrat pOhispered-yes, aDhispered
~ sa - n