The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-06-10
DEGENERACY OF THE CHIvALRY.

DEGENERACY OF THE CHIVALRY.
Mr. McDufie, in his speech upon the annexa-
ton of Texas, may be said to have acquitted
himself remarkably WE'LL inasmuch as he spoke
for an hour or more without making the least
hint at dissolution of the Union. His argu-
ments amounted to nothing more than summary
of those of Mr.. Walker, of Mississippi, with the
exception of the following which we subjon as
being little out of the way of Senatorial dis
plays. We have always regarded Mr. M. as
Drained ultra nullifier, but had suppose ed him
to be, at the same time, high toned, dignifed
Carolinian, whose good taste and manly pride
would ever keep him aloof from the ribaldry and
coarseness which is one of the striking charac-
teristics of Locofocoism. But it seems we were
entirely mistaken. We think it will be difficult
for the annals of Locofocosm to present any
thing in the way of argument, either lower in its
origin or more insipidly scurvy, than the speci-
men we present below
But will now bring this question to the test
of practical illustration. am not sure that
the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. CHoATE)
has ever witnessed fight between two DULLES
on courthouse green. For his especial benefit
will therefore suppose pitched battle to take
place between two such heroes--the respective
champions Of two militia regiments. The largest
Of these DULLES, it shall be supposed gets horri-
bly, and disgracefully whipped, and returns from
the ring with bloody nose and fallen crest. The
battle between them did not last over five minutes
but the defeated hero. having reached safe posi-
ton, with sufficient interpostion of distance
stands there for two long hours by Shrewsbury
clock, cursing, vlfying, and denouncing his adj
versary in all the choice phrases which can be
collected from the vocabulary of billingsgate or
Pope's bu--the conquering hero hearing all this
with perfect composure, and in all the dgnfed
silence of contempt. Now, will the Senators
from Massachusetts and Missouri be good enough
to tell me how long, in this case, the fight actu-
ally lasted! Did it continue only FIVE minutes
or two hours! Did it continue during the actual
conflict, or during the whole period in which the
defeated hero continued to hurl his impotent
curses at the head Of his conqueror! The an
swer TO these questions will, in my opinion, settle
the question whether Mexico is at war with
Texas. For myself, consider this fight to have
lasted just five minutes, and no longer. But. Tor
sake of variety, | will suppose another conflict
equally in point-one which presume, as did
before, the Senator from Massachusetts never
witnessed in his life, but which feel very sure
the honorable Senator from Missouri has witness.
ed very cften-I mean cock fight | will sup
pose, then, fight to take place between large
dunghill rooster and small game. 10 make
a precise fit in the illustration. The dunghill
cock, as is usual with birds of that feather, gives
violent flap or two, and then shows his feather,
hacks, and runs. When he gets out of the reach
of danger, he turns round, picks up gravel to
stimulate his craw, struts for a moment, and
then crows-the signal of defiance universally
recognised among fighting cocks. The in
slant the game cock hears this signa, he darts
at his adversary, who shows the white feather,
and runs again. After repeating these hostile
demonstrations, by his throat and heels, for two
or three times, this dunghill rooster, finding that
MS adversary has finally given up the pursuit,
JOINS party of hens, and commences a war of
strutting and Growing, which he continues for
TWO hours. Now, ask the Senators from Mas
sachusetts and Missouri whether they consider
these Two hours of strutting and Growing as a
continuance Of the war!
One would have supposed that South Caro-
linan of Mr. McDufies pre,ensions had been
deeply read in Vattel and Grotus and Ruther.
forth; but it appears that he has learned his pre-
cedents in International law, from the cock and
the bully. He certainly deserves great credit for
originality. The achymists in vain sought to
convert the base metals into, gold but the SEN
ator from South Carolina has accomplished what
was far more difficult-he has converted the
cockpit and the bullyrng into schools of political
philosophy. We think his new schools deserve
TO be protected from Northern competition, under
Inc provisions OF his excise law, which, as he
threatens, is shortly to be put in force
WHAT NEXT 7-Some of The Iocofoco n,,ers
called Polk Young Hickory" Tho E,rnn
thinks he must be something of a sonnn ~
way he was tWisfsd and bent about by Goyernor