Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-09-06
THE DEBATE CONTINUED.

We stated in our last paper that at the time OF
going to press, the discussion which was opened on
Monday by the Petersburg Elector, Mr.. F. f.
RIvEs, on the part Of the democrats, followed by
MIR. STUART, the Wing Elector for this district
had been resumed on Tuesday by the Hon. AN
DREW STEVENSON, TO be followed by THOMAS. j.
MIcHr, Esq.
The former gentleman commencing at | o'clock
consumed the day until 81. p. NJ, leaving TO his
Antagonist but little time for reply and jaded au-
dience TO listen TO him. After speaking half hour
or SO, Mr. M. gave way to motion to adjourn till
the next morning at 1 o'clock at which time he
resumed his subject and clused the discussion about
2, PM
We regret both the want of space and of an APP
,itude at reporting, else might we serve up to our
readers out of this prolonged debate, rich repast
in which, so blended and compounded were the in
gradients, they would find it difficult to pronounce
whether sound argument, ingenious sophistry, broad
humoT, happy repartee, bald humbug, indignant
lnvective, OF self satisfied complucency did most a
bound.
His Excelency the cX-speaker of the House of
Representatives and eX minister at the Court of ST.
James, entertained us with very remarkable ef
fusion indeed. 1t was a speech which would have
set at naugh, far higher powers Of stenography and
reporting than any we possess. So fertile the
orator OF resources, suggestive his intellect, that
he hardly ever finished what he began to say but
when midway in an argument, illustration or
an anecdote, some figure or more plausible ar
gument or wt,icr story would suggest itself, and
fort ,bo
man was off in hot pursuit Of the new topic. He
owes us We. some half-dozen good things in The way
of unfinished or promised anecdotes which he held
up in prospect to us just long enough to whet
our appetite without gratifying it; not to mention
score or more of convincing demonstrations and
overwhelming proofs, which from the opening to
the close Of his long harangue, he was forever ego
ing presently to shew." That old fashioned cup of
Tantaus was fool Gin the way of fooling thirsty
soul to this most promising speech of very promis
ing orator. In the midst of an elaborate and elo.
quent eulogum of Mr. Clay, in which he carried
us higher up into the clouds, if not to the
sun than ever Icarus scared, he suddenly dashed
off into a rich tribute to the lovely sex, wherein
! Cornea and the Gracch-he Spartan mother and
the Shield, Napoleon and Madame Campan, all
figured in one respondent and high sounding peri
cd, to the utter exclusion of poor Mr.. Clay. How
we got back to earth never ye, have been able
| to account.
But let us be just, though the heavens fall. One
theme he never left unfinished. nor ever touched
without adjoining it. His own personal exploits,
his personal "reminiscences his personal intercourse
with illustrious men at home and abroad, from his
challenge of o. Conne to mortal combat" down
Tor up? to his daily smoking the pipe (the calumet
Of peace) with the old hero OF the Hermitage
these topics he quite exhausted, and If he often re-
turned 10 them, it was doubtless owing as wei! to
their intrinsic importance 10 his greater familiar
ity with them.
| For the rest it was the old story-an ola pc
drida-of Wing principles obsolete, bank, tariff
distribution Gas if he had not known that by com
mon consent the bank was an adjourned question
till the locofocos themselves, uniting with th'
whole country, should demand it--as if the Ia
riff wanted any better advocate than the war anc
the champions Of war policy-as if the land dis
trbution were any longer possible question, since
every dollar Of the land proceeds is solemnly pedg
ed and every Of the lands morigaged TO pa,
the war debt with which these gentlemen OF prin-
cipIe have saddle1 us !)-and to this political pud
ding, the orator added the spice of found ant
holy democratic horror ofeevating military chief
tain to the highest post of civil Tust-pouring owe
the whole, by way Of sauce. rich glorfcation Q
the Presidential peto upon the peoples representa-
ves, as the ark Of safety for the peoples rights.
To all this logic, how was Mr.. Niche to reply
He could but founder so long as he attempted t
follow the Pickering luminary through the Dogs an
low grounds into which he sometimes would con
duct him, and as TO keeping pace with him in hi
sky scrapng fights, our elector had too much dis
, erection for that.
We would be glad il it were in our power t
present even a condensed synopsis Of The concluding
argument. Treating his antagonist personally wit
all courtesy and respect, he yet assailed withou
; gloves, and, we think, deierentialIy, quite over