Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-08-20
PgIyIIL Al.
THE COALITION BETWEEN MESSRS.
ADAMS AND CLAY.
Cong,rx- Hv~of Pcovsen'0'ires, .ilarcf3l, l626

ADAMS AND CLAY.
Congress Mpwof PcnHsea.0'ires, .'larci 81, 1876
Mr.. lIcDUFFIE'S SPEECH,
On the question. 10 amend tie Constitution 30 as
To change the mode o.. 81, cling the President
Of The United Sta;cs.-[ EXTRACTS.
Bul the gentleman from Massachusetts has As
sumcd the bold position that this House is incor.
ru,lible. In other words he maintains that there
are no men in This Congress, aud will be none in
future Congresses with ambition more strong
than their patriotism, and upon whom the tasci-
nations OF power and Office can have the cticc; Of
swer-ing from their fidelity To iileil constituents
and their Luiy TO the nation. Sir, do not know
from whal source the gentleman has drawn his
notions Of human nature but am very certain
they are dawn neither from the Sacred Volumes
OF Inspiration, nor from the melancholy records
ot ear can race, inscrLci b. the pencil of i'm
partial history. IncoriupihIe. He might, with
as mich pi;.usibility claim or the attribute OF
omnisc.cnce: for, surel,, we have 10 higher
claims 10 perfection in our moral tiian in our in
tclcclu:l attributes.
Here. however, The grnile;nan again asSaii>
me with his haLitual charge Ct inconsistency 1t
seems 10 him 10 be: strange contradiction 10 say,
that electors, chosen by districts, will hot be,ray
the people and vet To maintain that members Of
this House clec.ed also by districts, are liable 10
be corrupted or misled from their dGiy 10 their
Constituents. | must he excused Tor saying
tliat the gentleman, III deGgcinG his an2iogicI
SENS 10 ilc Ia look al the WORDS rather than the
Substance Of the proposition before him. Does ii
follow: that there is any resemblance: between our
situation and that o; electors, neIcy tccase
bolt, are chosen by disTic:s9 WHY is this Hoisc
ial!c to re corrupted! iiecayac ii is a prc-cX-
i>lino and 4 pormanrr; boay, having constant
Intercourse with Tie candidates for the PreSiteE-
cv. al the seat OF Government. These are ~
very circumstances that were pointed on h Tie
wi.lsi Of those who framed the Constitution, a.
eXpo>i 9 al electoral body 10 nc 'tamrcrcd with
10 prostitute their votes Why are not the cleo
tors liable 10 be corrupted! Because in all these
circumstances their situation is precisely The re-
verse OF oars. They ale chosen al the "par;icu-
lar lnnciurc' and Immediately perform their
function; and aboye all, they are not in long and
habiinal Intercourse here with Tie candidates for
the Presidency. The important question is as 10
the circumstances Of temptation in which we are
PLACID: and can assure you. that ala no; So
hindly dcyGted 10 tie district system Is to sup
pose, ha! Z member Of Congress, when elected
in that rode, rsts al once ...oyc the condition OF
humanty.
Gt.o,tia. 10 lie fall Of our first parents, which
adduccd a> illustrative ci the power OF temp
tation, and is furnishing 'licy 10 our situation
here, in the election of Inc President, The gentle
man from Massachusetts :ays, lie READS that in
tcrcSin. lessoa with different moral" II seems
tat he aas asceylaincl, in his curious research
Is inio geographical and political antiquities, that
the garden of Eden was not Under the general
tckt; d.>pensaor. bat was divided into districts;
and that Inc Devil never wonll have succeeded
in ni> scheme Of seduction, il he had not carried
Eve into the fatal circle of one VI these districts
IN a rcmo.c corner Of the GARDEN. Sir will not
question the accuracy ol The gentleman minute
and learned researches: neither viii stop To en-
Gui.p how mucs OF the merit o. his commentary
on this Interesting lesson consists in his pan
uron the word GiNrd; hrt thank i'm sincerely
ior lulni, hing me with the occasion OF present
ing that interesting !esscn,' win fuller deye-
opmcnt OF lis moral ar.alogc>. then did in my
orchrg remarks Sir The imagination ct !nan
could not devise an analogy more striking and
impressive than that which exists between our
situation and that Of our hrs, parent, when She
WIS overcome by the fatal sorcerv oithe temper.
True, Sir, She was carried into secluded spot
in the .ardcn--a diSyici, il Tou wlll-rcmote
from her guardian and protector. And where,
pray vou are We ana :.ho are the guardians OF
our fidelity? We are tar i,Ir removed IRON he
Peopic. In whom W. are responsible. ard. in Ike
midst ol whom We would bc on al the reach ot
temptation: We are here in the very region, the
iavorc abode Of the tcmp,er, and ~ a 'falal-
~" uneS;cc;c,, no Goub,. ~ thu gentleman;
and in Il District too AID HAT District the
Di>'rc' al Co'aaibG! And what. Sir. aic the
circumstances, what the fatal auspices, under
which the temper 'nay present HIMSELF Clothed
in the imposing g.rb Of patriotism, in dark and
secret conclaye, perhaps Ia tie dead hour OF the
night, when there is no cyc 10 behold, and lao hand
to deliver. l:c tuncs his g,oz'ng procne' 10
strains of Syrcn iaol9iy, ard Gnolds his ia>cina
ting aluIclnents with such arl!iil casuiStfy that
the unconscious victi... knows not TIE Cree
c:angh! he is drinkin@ nl' he finds himself con-
vcr;ed into sWiEc. b. tux "ct:i"m"n 10 r.
view his rcading of the impressive story oi the
l'all. in connection with liS sanicc', md tn: K
h. will perceive that The remo,cacs OF the people
in ic disirira propose 10 establish, : 4 remote
.c*s IRON temptation: and, OH the contrary, that
oar r.inoeness from the people is fatal prozi-
iaiw 10 the power I'll temptation. One more view
Of this in,cresiiny analogy, and haze done with
IT, Why. Sir, was Eve exposed, in her uasup-
ported ir;i.ty, 10 the power of the TEMPER! Was
there anv necessity for The exposure? No. Sir
Zone Her atfcclionaie partner warned her not
10 Leave him: that there was danger in the sepa-
ration. Fatally coaf!ing in her innocence, she
rstu,"A h;,a for his suspicious, and resolved 10
prove that they were unjust. by going in search
q the Evil Spirit. 10 meet and TO resist him. Ia
tally Eve resolved, fatally Adam consented, ana IA
.av ill key both !eaii2e the bitter and cvcilast-
in. lrus It The rash experiment And what is
TIC case with rs! Is there any NECESSITY for the
exposure to which We are subjected in eccting
the President? No, sir that is not pic'crded-
We are expressly told, as lhc fact is dat what
renairs 10 be decided after the election dcvo!ves
upon This House, Is comparatively of 10 impof-
tnce Now mark 'hc .;',al similitudc. We,
like Eve are rashi. seeking experimental advcE-
lures, 10 prove end 10 illustrate orr purity. Rest
assured Sir il we perscvcrc, the future historian
vii! nave lorecori The sane affecting catastrophe,
and nos..riy Will fca lie in he downfall. oIe noble
fabric Of oug liberties the fatal iils d our rash.
ness Sir, the gave inaXiins OF wisdom, the So
cred lessons OF inspiration, arr mol 10 De het, up
IL 4 Christian assembly, as children plaN!" II
was III Son Of God, clothed in The lra;''ies d oar
nature, Whu taught us 10 say, Lead rS moi MO
temptation"
II et.Tcncc to the general course Of tie argn-
Iacnl il. opposition To- this branch q! tie amend
merit must be permitted 10 say that none q the
gentlemen who have embarked in il have met
the question fairly. They ;'licge, that the aiSl-
merits have used against the exercise oil The
power in question by this House, 90 10 destroy all
confidence in public agents, and 10 produce anar
CIV Now Sir, submit il 10 III c3ndor and
good sens Of the committee TO say, whether hi,
is not perver>ion of ny ar@'men's and an eva
sion of the true question! When al!esr that
this is 4 power of such peculiar character Is to
render any small body an unfit depository for its
exercise: when alieye, that we are unavoidaby
exposed, in exercising IT, to temptations which s.
milar bodies OF men never have resisted ana ne
yer can resist; AMI when expressly admit thai
all the essential poweIs o'lesslaiion may be sate
" coni5cd 10 Congress, il You take away Iii:
elective power, which all agree is unnecessary,
deriving It's Whole importance from its iempa
tons; i ii candid or TAI: 10 assert that my argu
ment leads TO the obstruction CT all confidence il
public iunc,oaaiies, and the dissolution of tho
bonds which loLi civil society together? No, Sir
with dexcrity better suited 10 another theatre
gentcmcn have answered The specific arguments
which argcd against this particular power, by
the vague and general declaration, as true as OF
this point i, is un;;npcrant-lhat all Governmen
is founded essentially on confidence III polilica
ag,i.ts.
In the remarks heretofore submitted 20 tn
committee. advered 10 the history Of the Eng
| Esh Parliament and To the notorious fact that I'M