The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-07-22
E3ayns and Webster.

Our object 10 TO give sketch Of Congress
MS it s--!ts members nnd their manners but
aye must he pardoncd if we travel little out
of tho record to u point OF time removed
some years back. We refer to the great
South Carolina debate, which took place in
She Senate Chamber, upon the tariff question
rJt 1888 We We're in the gallery. The nu-
'ljfcuton fever had risen almost frenzy high.
Members ofall parties had deserted the low
"er house to witness the splintering OF lances
between Robert Y. tisyne, of South Carolina
and Daniel Webster. When we entered the
hall, Gen. liNyne was speaking. iic was q
man Of general youthful appearance, with his
shirt collar turned over lis cravat and his
hair smoothly brushed across his Gorehead.-
lie was oFtho middle stature, aud well made
ale was speaking energeticaliy his eyes were
peculiarly briliant,and lis face was extreme
~ pale he moved up and down tho aisIes
formed between the desks, with q rapid and
agitated step; his gestures were vehement.
and nc appeared 10 DO under high state of
excitement. We were peculiarly struck with
Isis whole appearance. and The tone ofleelinr
evident in the Chamber. Nr Calhoun, then
Vice President, WAS in the chair. With his
Barge, steady, aud vigilnnt eyes Witnessing
1he first gre at battle of his doctrine, he seem
cd the very spirit OF embodied interest; not
II word, not q gesture ofGen. Hayne escaped
his lion look. The Senate WAS deeply i'll
Eerested, as Il matter of course. The Ian
Euage Of Gen. Hayuc was rich and vigorous
and his powerful sketch of the inpost law on
The South-thc description he gave Of her
peop!e-his own bold and hazardous elocu-
sion and impetuous beariEE-were evidently
making strong impression Oh the body
From time to time, attention would be dircc-
ted from him to the gentleman who was ex-
Pected to answer him, and whom Gen. Iiayne
.a+ nI ~ -, l.,
Hing fire.
Cold. serene, dark, and melancholy, that
man thus assailed, sat apart bleak and lrown-
iug as mountain rock he evidently felt the
gigantic influences that were ut work around
linn, but his profound mind was strengthens
ing itself for the contest. And how deeply
solemn was that hour, that moment how
grand that scene and what were tho medi-
tntions and spirit rallyings of that dark man
His coun;enance wavercd not during the |
whole ofthat tremendous speech assault at |
ter assault was made upon him. but yet he |
Neither turned to the right nor left, but calm !
ly and gallnTtly, like soldier waiting the sig |
nal he bided his hour. That time of retalia-
lion came, swift as the thoughts ofvengeance
TO Daniel Webster. Who will forget the ex-
ordjum OF that remarkable effort the lashing
the whitening tones of that voice,
and the temper of his language? General
Il
color, and appeared much disconcerted.-
But who that heard him will permit the pero-
rntion to he forgotten ?-those closing pas
sages of grandeur, that majestic alusion to
The flag of freedom and his country. Look
ing, with his dark and lustrous eye, through
the glass dome Of the chamber, over which
he could see that banner flowing, he deliver
cd an aIosrophe, which has never been sur
passed, and seldom equaled. 1t composed n
igure of the most thrilling intcrest-a burst
IF solemn and pathetic feeling; and, coming
rom such source, Ia man generally es- {
eemed phlegmatic,) it was electric. 1t was l
ike tho beam of sunset, or the CLEAN ofsum-
her lightning, radiaiing the brow OF the Cliff |
o which we have above alluded. b
Bat those scenes nre past. and the country {
NE the bemehi of those speeches; but the Y
memory Of them. and the incidents TINT at I,
ended them, are forcibly impressed on our 9
Aind.-.NG.iona! ,5fq5a@iIe.