The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-24


fore the Senate of the United States
/ do not mention this Mr. President, because con
sder II possible Tor any one 10 conceive for moment
that there is any cause for impeachment in this gen.
uemans declining TO be aeandidate for the presidency
IN these letters, because be thought il inconsistent with
ms judicial duty al that time, unless you intesd to I'M
peach man for that most uncommon crme--moiesiy
| Ii may be crime, sir, but do not think there is
anything in Bacon or Cicero that viii take that view
OF it, do not know, Mr.. President and will not
venture to state further than upon the authority OF
Judge McLean's leierand ! read it very hasiily-iha
the Supreme Court had decided the very question |;
but In nix pretty lair Interpretation of the decision
in the supreme court OF Mississippi, in the case Of
Groves and Stodlard, would warrant Judge Mclean III
saying that they had decided proposition from which
the other necessarily dednced-that slavery
matter of municipal legislation, and could not exist with
out IL he may be mistaken in that opinion. He is not
nla ,hs that y very clear lea wish nc were YER and
from MississPpi-what dare say he may have known
or heard of-ha i it is supposed that the production Of
drawn from them, will shake the confidence of those
who have known Judge Mclean personally and WELL
during hIs whole political and judicial life, that he will
be found to labor under very great Misrepresentation.
| 1t will not be believed that who has passed
through the stations he has occupied, with little
cepton OF any kind ever taken to his public
duct. has, at this peroa OF his life, gone so far astray
as to forfeit the good opinions of his fellow citizens
in that station which he has occupied with much
honor 10 himself and, will venture to add SO much
usefulness to the country, for about twenty years Let
say again. that do not entertain, myself, the slight
objection to the expression of the views which the
honestly his own views; do object to his promul-
eating his own opinions, anywhere and everywhere but
Mr. President, felt myself compelled. representing
do in part the State in which Judge Mclean has
sided during the whole Of his mature life, 10 express my
views, lest my friends might suppose that | silently
guessed IN the conclusions OF the senator from Mis-
MI KING. was not in my seat when the gentleman
from Mississippi commenced his remarks When took
my seat inquired whether there any business upon
which he might base his argument in vndcation. sup
posed that the rule uniformly adopted by the Senate
dered proper that he should be called to ORDER sup
posed his remarks departure from the usage and
regular order of business.
understand, however, that the senator from Misss-
spp has been arraigned in of the official papers of
the Senate, in consequence of remarks which he made
on previous day and we have many instances where
senators have come forward with those papers in their
hands, and have justified themselves against charges
which they considered in some degree deroga'ory to
them. II | had known that, | should not have inter
fered but should have suffered the from Misss-
spp TO proceed without interruption my part.
shall not say anything the charges he has urged
against Judge Mclean That is matter for the country
10 decide, bu, have my own opinion upon the whole
matter When nterfered it was with no disposition to
prevent the senator from doing act of justice TO him
self but supposed his remarks to be irregular and con-
| MIR. FoOrE am highly gratifed at receiving this
kind explanation from my friend from Alabama ii does
not surprise me- though he has only exhibited his char
acters,ic courtesy aud liberaty. / was sure that he
would not have presented any objection 10 my being al
lowed to vndcae myself had he known OF the necessity
which demanded 1t.
Mr. President have but short reply to offer to the
honorable from Ohio, who after several days las
should conjecture) of anxious PREPARATION and of
sutaon, too has at last been able to make himself ready
for the mediated encounter of arms, and who has but
just now, sight and in hearing, strkngy
sgnaized both his valor and his w.t. by charging with
all the holiness of true cavalier, and with all the
sumptuous individual who has dared TO accuse his
illnslrious Judicial friend and Magnus apollo of grave
official delinqaencies as high public functionary
had brave troops in Mexico been always tardy
preparing to meet the enemies OF the country has been
the from Ohio this occasion, may least
be seriously doubted whether they would have been able
to acquire 1.-THE OF the glory which envelope. them,
and has claimed for them the eternal respect and graft
ter of my remarks the other day upon the conduct of
that official parsonage for whose defence the from
Ohio has though proper at last to buckle his aror, at
all demanding regular reply II Is most wonderful that
gentleman fertile in the senator from Ohio
is known to be- and potent whal the advocate and
defender of prosecuted innocence did not at once with
out moments delay, when champions, too
loudly challenged 10 appear, his willingness 10
become the defender of that parsonage whom he
now to hold IN such high reneration, and whose fame
he processes regard absolutely beyond the reach of
injury from any assaults which the envious and the
malignant of this world may presume to make upon it.
After all this tremendous clashing of arms and thun-
dern of artillery. what has the honorable senator from
Ohio accomplished? He has succeeded arraignng
me; but has he accomplished the vindcation of his
friend Why, sir the senator has not even approached
the merits OF the controversy between the learned Judge
of the Supreme Court of the Union, whose defence he
has undertaken, and myself lie has not alluded
to the material point question which Did he Judge
Mclean, or did he not, express opinion the
papers upon question which he had reason to believe
he would be shortly called upon to aid in settling Judi
cially The honorable senator of becoming
dissatisfied with Justice Mclean and with denouncng
HIM, simply because he does not concur with myself and
others in opinion upon certain legal question. should
feel myself dlsgraced could and positively
deny this strange allegation Why have not objected
TO Judge McLean's having formed the opinion which he
has considered ii decent to have attacked
| A as
to be- have been always willing recognise the posi-
bily of such opinion being adopted by thoroughly
Conscientious and patriotic man; and have thought
knew members OF this Senate, all respects emit
tied to regard and confidence, who have notwithstand
ing arrived at conclusions similar those announced BY
Judge Mclean. But repeat it is the public expression Of
an opinion by Judge Mclean upon question likely to
of It's regular presentation before that tribunal of which
have complained, and of which have insisted that the
country had right to complain Has this view of the
subject been met by the senator from Ohoi Does he
feel authorized to deny any of the facts stated by and
now established by irreutabe testimony Does he
dertake to justify such of Judge Mclean he has
been thus proved to have perpetfaied No, sir,
from Ohio risk himself before the country by attempting
any of these things And yet the senator seems real.
~ To imagine thai he has defended his trend oil
the Supreme Bench that will be able hereafter,
in the least degree to call hun IN question why,
really If the from Ohio could not reconcile to
his take higher and holder ground IN
dca,ion OF the parsonage complained OF than he has
sumed in his behalf must regard II as unfortunate for
Judge Mclean that he has uttered single word in his
defence At any rate, cannot perceive thai the Judge
occupies position at all credtabe to his character
as a public functionary than that which he occupied