Columbus Whig. (Columbus, Miss.) 1843-18??, 1844-03-21

Der this. -Qn uauuIuB utm al PlsIoB NOhs
TatsnaIl sprung the l15ir trigger. Mr.. Ran
"best shuts in Virginia, with either pistol or
..pun, vet, / never fire with the hair trigger;
"6esides. have thick bucksk'n glove on,
switch will destroy the deicacy of my touch,
"and the trigger may fly before know where
am" But, from his great soIicitude for his
friend, TattnalI insisted upon hiring the trigger
! On taking tboir. portions, the fact turned out
az Mr.. Randolph anticipa ted; his pistol went
off before the word, with the muzzle down.
The moment This event took place, Gen.
Jesup, Mr. Gays friend. called out that he
would instantly leave the ground, with his
friend, IL this occurred againD-Mr. Clay at
once exclaimed il was entirely an accident, and
begged that the gentleman might be allowed
to 90 on. On the word being given, Mr..
CLAY fred without effect, Mr Randolph dis
charging his pistol in the air. The moment
Mr. Clay saw that Mr. Randolph had thrown
awav his Are. with a gush Of sensibility. he
;n.tsntIv aUproaehed Mr. R1 AID with an emo
ton never can forget, IL trust IN God my
"deaY mir, you are untouched; after what has
uoccured. [ would not have harmed you for a
thousand worlds" Deeply affected by this
scene / graspcd Mr.. Clay BY the hand, and
said. NY GOOD Sir we have been long sepa-
uratcd, but, after the events Of to day. feel
that We mast be friends forever" We haze
been 50.
] / do not know that should hs We referred to
! thiS transaction, If did not believe this last
| incident had no small influence on an import
ant public event in Mr.. Clay's life. I alude
70 the celebrated compromise On the action Of
the Tariff Of 1929. BY the State Of South Car
| Olina.
need not roeapitulate the circumstances
which precipltated that measure, or the fearful
1it uation in winch the country was placed,
when, Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Calhoun standing, as
It were, over the tioubled waters. approached
nearer to each other to still the angry flood.
| Apart from all public consider atoms; which
ecu a adequately find their origin ia his own
patriotism, have always believed. although
pride and delcacy have hitherto forbid an ex-
| PLANTATION, that the touch Of our hands on the
old battlefield IN the banks Of the Potomac,
was not without itS influence with Mr.. Clay,
when uniting his eKertions 70 those Of MF Cal
| houn. to compose this seemingly disastrous
quarrel, he took an a0xiOus and friendly esti-
mate OF what he deemed the difficulty OF my
posticn.-But, in the viessitudes Of all human
things, how strangely the relations Of party had
| been changed!-Hero on the one hand was
Gen Jackson. to whom SOutA Carolina had
dedicated the embodied spirit Of al her sons,
beleagUering her with his troops, and Mr..
Clay, who had been The unspared object Of
her reproach. striving 20 avert a conflict!
! feel sir, that the coEntFy owes him a large
debt Of gratitude fUr has exeTtions at this con-
Ijunctu-e, and that tho south has never done him
justice. desire not to be mi5undrI:ood. There
was no day IN the week. Sunday excepted, on
which the volunteers which had the honor to
command at that TIME in Charleston, would moi
have gone out and have given General Jack |
sons Regulars battle, il this was to have deci.
ded the issue, notwithstanding our just appre-
citation OF the skill and CALAMITY Of the distin.
Rushed officer to whom their command had
been confded, and who, on n trying occasion
added TO his known valOr 60 beniguant desire
for peace and Cancellation But we knew that
on the discharge Of the first musket, the |
streets Of our city would run with fraternal |
blood. Mr.. Clay !ent his hand to stay the tor |
rent. Can We then, regard with indifference |
the services such q man rendered al such a |
time9 |
You will permit me TO remark that now |
take no part in the politics Of the country.
have not voted for fve years at an ekction, |
NOT, do know that shall vote for the next \
Eve years to come. Engaged IN an anxious |
and ardent effort tSPay my debts by tiIng the |
god on the banks OF this river--thC sunny ac- |
clivity cfpublic honOFs has no attraction for me |
Il seek the valley and prefer the shade.
There was q time when / might have cher
ished other aspirations, but that time has gone
forever. Retired therefore, from the contest
of parties. think my very position makes me
a witness beyond exception. But, still, my
opinions may be of very little value; such as
they are, you are entitled 10 them.
1beleve Mr.. Clay's election is about as pro-
babe rs any human event in futurIty can well
be. A vista of renown will be opened to him
which has waited the administration of no pre-
vious President, since that Of the "Father of
our country" Ifhe is able. by his command.
ing influence. to rest. In Congress, the por-
tentOus agitation of the slave question, and to
fix the tariff, firmly on the basis of the princi-
pies ofhis Of0n compromise, he will in saving
his country, have Feaped his own harvest.
abundant and iructnying, now and forever
know no man who has more ofthe instru- |
mental means to perform this high function :
than himself
believe, in the splendor of a yet uncIouded
genius his ambition will be on level with the
august position he is likely to occupy: God
grant that it may be sol
That man must have limited SIGHT. and
strong nerveswho does not see, or seeing does
not feel that the country has to pass thro1oh
valley, encompassediwlth,clou and darkness. il
The crisis requires gifted sagacity, and the L
highest moral courage; Mr.. Clay has these il
qualities in a degree conferred on few men. a
In making these remarks beg you not to con-
slider one of them as intended IN disnara0e. | /;
nent of OF the gentleman who is considered =
IS hitherto, in opposition to Mr.. Calhoun in the
'anks OF the same party, to which they are both
aid to belong d
For Mr., Van Buren, l cherish FEELINGS ofI
Ilndness and esteem, which should be irsen. 8
abe 70 both his merits and his uniform friend. =
nip 1t dad not both entertain and express. I'll
I any time, have ever. appeared to occunv
70 antagonist position to this gentleman, it has
zen rather 10 the measures Of his partv. tbaoI
llmseIf-measures which derived their anthor-
y from the potent influence Of Chief the .
epcee Of whose declining years wouId no, .
losO disturb. if | could. Let ths rows of his
Tory gather together on the banks OF the riv. C
r am soon destined to visit, settle with col
scted majesty, eternal and enduring, on bis
Ame. pI
Ycumay well ask, If I entertain these feel. g
igs towards most Of our public men 10 whom le
- opposed. ! answer no one. The EN- s.