The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1848-07-26
MECH OF TIE
SPEECH or mr. CLAYTON.

4 SPEECH OF mr. CLAYTON.
I Ma cLayrox said. II he bad not been
interrupted nv tie Senator isem connee-
lieut.. lMr. Nilesl The remarks which he
designed N snbmiI would have been ron.
eluded in murh less time Than had heen
consumed in The discussion oi his right 10
occupy the floor. The Senate would bear
witness that he seldom inlrndnced irFele.
want matter inlo the debates. On several
occasions The Senator from Mississippi.
tMr. fooie,l had appealed 10 The Wing
side OF The chamber for an exposition Of
their prineiples-he had repeatedly adj
dressed him personally. and DECLARED lhsi
he would moi permii'ihe issue 10 be dodg.
ed. Under these circumstances, and when
lhusinsoked and challenged 10 come forth.
he could NOT withhold his surprise that
any objection had been made. and point
Of or,ler raised TO prevent him from pro-
reeding. IL did mol become him 10 sup
pose that gentlemen would now avoid the
encounter which they have provoked. Al
all events he slood ready To meet il, and
having accepted The guntlei. he now came
10 dnbaille.
lie diselaimed having any means Of &c.
cess 10 the opinions Of Gen. TAYLOR other
than were open 70 the public al large.
lie never wrote him letter and never re-
ceised one from him. By his corespon.
dence, as published 10 The world, lie jndg-
ed him, and by nothing else. This was
all The evidence upon which he relied. II
was due to Gen. Taylor 10 say. that his
position had been greatly misrepresentcd.
lie has been represented TO the country
solely as a party candIdale--bound 10 sus-
tain every Wing doclnne-shelher obso.
leie or nol-wheiher professed or ina.
Igined,-lo carry out every party behest,
and iopsiand on The narrow basis prescribe
ed BY polsical JUNO. Gen. TAYLOR had
repIdialed this in every letter he had ever
written. He had been nominated by thou.
sands o, Wings and Democrats. Of Native
and Naturalized citizens, though he had
given no pledges. The objection now al.
legged was, that he had been nominated by
the Wing Cenven,ion-to be sure, with
the fullest assurance and understanding
that he would not be the tool of party.
and, if elected, would be the President Of
the United States.
By examining the letter 10 Capt. ALI
son, il would be found that the principles
of General Taylor were clearly defined
and avowed. They could not be misun.
ders,ood but by design. He read several
extracts in this connection. exhibiting his
views on the tariff, currency. internal im-
provenenis, &c. But, said MIR. G., he
stands upon higher ground than all these
questions Of public policy, which sink IN
utter insignificance compared with the Sc
rious issue at stake. lie stands as the ex'
ponent and champion Of The great primer
pie of the right of man to self government
and OF the majority Of the people to gov
en. lie cited from Mr.. Jefierson's Me-
moirs 10 shaw the distinction between the
Republican and Federal parlies-the frs'
desiring To strengthen the popular branch
Of the Govemment-the other TO extend
the permanent branch. Upon this issue
TAYLOR and Cass were divided. Taylor
claims that the popular branch has the
right 10 represent The wishes and Interests
of the people, and therefore he will defer
10 them and abide by the legislation o
t their elected representatives. Cass, OF
/, the other hand, denies the right Of the peo
{ ple-he is for the old Federal doctrine o
consolidating power in the hands OF IN
r Executive against the Legislature. VIVA
5 were the circumstances under which III
S was nominated! The first act OF ih'
B Convention at Baltimore, was to declare
e tha, the will of the majority should no
S govern. In playing solitaire, every ont
: tried to cheat himself: so it was with TN
|. Conventional had cheated itself. M
D man could be nominated unless he ha'
il two-,hirds. Now what was the effect o
$ this system? A hundred thousand office
e holders could pack Convention with one
: third. if not one.half. They did 50 o.
d that occasion. They proceed to nnm
= nate and find packed minority ready I
II resist him who will not subscribe TO thel
conditions and bind himself 10 subserS
their purposes. Every candidate unde
I. stands that this interest must be concllI;
n ,ed-he has no option but to adopt wha
i. ever is dictated by this small organize
e faction. The effect is to create an obi
rs garchy of office-holders. They have
Of veto on the acts Of the Convention, ju
r: as powerful as that OF the President ov,
,e the legislation of Congress. In this wa
of the parry was defranded by a method
rs legerlemain and hocus-pocus, admittir
e, the minority 10 govern.
rs What are the doctrines of this model
" Democracy. so cordially approved /
he their candidate for the Presidency! III
ri. frs, was the veto power without limit
rs ton. Mr.. Madison and the patriots wi
d. acted with him, declared that the object
n. the veto was to enable the President
K. defend himself, No such exercise Of