Arkansas intelligencer. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1842-1859, 1844-02-17

Clay, in relation to so large and respectable por-
t.on OF Inc American people, is unbecoming an
American statesman; and for fear some one NAV
De scept'cal as to the truth of the charge here
prefer against him, subioin the evidence of ,ev.
eral Senators in Congress, who were present. a nd
heard him make the unjust and offensive remarks
ana who wrote the words down as they we're spo.
ken. -
mr.. =. Z. CLAY, of Alabama, in his reply &c
Mr.. Clay, of kentucky, quoted him as charging
the settlers on the public lands, as :. VIOLATIONS
OF TUE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. uho had seizedthe pub
Iic property whom he had stigmatised as perpetraf
ors Of ihe most disgroceful frauds" 1',.-s~r
In the same debate, Mr.. YOUNG, of Illinois, eharg-
ed Mr.. Clay with having said that tb0 settlers on
the public lands might well ~se'7e upon your
forts and arsenals your Ships on the Ocean, PLUM.
DER THE MONEY, as thus to seize upon the public
lands, and appropriate them 10 their use, in viola.
ton of Ia" and against the just rights of the ma.
| ton. r-... ..Er..
la the Senate, Monday, January Goth, Mr.. LIZ.
ON, of Michigan, said that Mr.. CLAY had denounced
the settlers upon the public lands as Gland PI.
RATES" "PLUNDERERS'' and .ROBBERS.'
During the same debate, Mr.. TlproN of Indiana
said, understand that he (Mr. Clay) denounced
the settlers on the public lands as a LAwLEss BAN.
DiITi OF LAND ROBBERS, unjustly grasping at the
public treasure.
Mr.. Norvell said, "They the settlers, on pre-.
emptIons had made the wilderness blossom rs the
rose--the desert smile with gadness and 10y
was 1t proper todenounce such mon as 'HEARrLEss
rREssPAssERs FRAUDULENT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF the public lands, as they had been denounced
by tho Senator from Kentucky, Mr.. CLAvr'
In speech delivered by Mr.. CLAY, in the Senate
of tho United States, the 29lh January, as pub.
llshed, in tho proceedings, he said.
81 dare say there are members in this and the
other House, ready to pronounce that more hon.
est, deserving set of men than those club law mon
does not exist--men who openly violate tn, law
men whose moral scnse would be violated by an
enforcement Of existing laws, as they have been
tod by Senator on that floor. Whose moral sense!
why. the moral sense of these club law men. who
band themselves together, and over-awe and set at
defiance the officers of the Government. VIVA:
pre;cnce had these lawless men for rowing abou,
the country and Selling by violence on the choicest
spots of land!''
Here are five Senators, in the Congress of the
United States, whose character for integrity is as
spotless as any, bearing testimony, and writing
down the charges they were made bv him a,
tho tme-all concurring to convict Mr.. Clay OF
having used language towards the settlers of the
new States, unbecoming, and untrue in fact-con.
sequenty. they cannot be contradicted. Mr..
Gays object for abusing the citizens of the new
States is perfectly manifest. Some of tho old
States were opposed to the pre-emption BILL and
for the purpose of gaining strength with them, he
conceived it sound policy to prefer charges of a
serious character against thos, for whose bencfi,
the law was intended. Another reason for Mr.
Clay. was that Mr.. VAN buren, ras in faror O,
the pre-empiioa principle, and declared in his mes
sage Of December. 1887 fhatthe United States had
adequate pecuniary interest TO induce tile gorern
ment 10 drire these settlers from tue lands Mey occu.
py. for the purpose Of selling them TO others. En-.
tertaining these views, recomm nd the passage OF
a pre-emption lar for their beneff," &c.
In looking at Mr.. Clay's political course, from
the period when Gen. Jackson went into office, un
I'll Mr.. Van Buren, went out, it proves that he was
determined to oppose every thing those statesmen
were in fovor and to advocate every thing thew
| opposed. For instructive find him strugplino
to charter an irresponsible corporation, with pow.
ers sufficiently strong to enable it to come into the
political field conlcndlng for mastery against the
government itself. We find him passing laws tc
the South and West, for the benefit of the North
no. for the support Of the government; but 70,
the protection of fow Northern capitalists, many
of whom were, and arc now anxious 10 DESTROY
the domestic institutions of the South and West
create thereby, a scene of confusion and boodshed
unpa ralleled in the history Of the world. We finc
him exerting himself to the utmost of his abilities
to establish system of internal improvement BY
the General Government, the direct tendency Of
which, was to strengthen the Executive arm, anc
faslen upon tho country an amount Of public deb
that should alarm every patriot. Gen. Jackson
and Mr.. Van Buren, were opposed 20 these enorm
ties, which would have been sufficient for Mr.
Clay TO 60 for them-as no believed they slooc
between him ard the Presidency
But to return to the Pre-emption Bil.-Durin,
| (unnn tha
the 18th Of March, 1889, land the truth of which
has never been denied) Mr.. Senator You've said
"Mr. President, since commenced these remarks
in defence Of the position occupy in this debate
an extract from the speech of the Hon. Senate
from Indiana, Mr.. TIpToN, on the bill of last ses
sion, has been placed in my hands, containing Mr.
Clay's orn declaration as to what he did say, ant
Tor the purpose of showing that did not misrep
resent him, in attributing expressions to him, which