Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-07-25

10 show that it was owing to its introduce
lion, and the disclosures it made, that l
was deferred from Introducing them as lie
states. The fact ls not so. The session
commenced the first Monday Of Deem
Der, 1877, and Mr.. Dix die not introduce
the paper until The 26'h of July, l64S,
nearly eight months subsequent. and one
month after / had fully discussed The prin-
ciples of my resolutions. Did he see, that
ali. this would have Leen manifest nj once
without a word from me, if he had given
the dates and was not that bis reason for
moi giving them?
Col. Benton seems 10 lie conscious, that
it was necessary for him TO explain why
he had not assailed my resolutions, and
The base and corrupt motives he attributes
10 me for Introducing Them, long before,
nud in his place in the Senate; ami &c.
cordingly. he has attempted 10 make one.
He asserts that Mr.. Calhoun's resolu-
lions are those of The Missouri Legislature.
They are identical. Ore is copied from
The other. When the original is invali.
dated, the copy is Of no avail. am an
swering his resolutions, and choose 10 do
it,. 1t is just and proper that | should do
so. lie is The prime mover aud head cons
trivcr. | have had DO chance 10 answer
him in The Senate, and il will not do TO al
low him to take a snap judgment upon
me 10 Missouri, in carrying disunion reso.
~lutions in my own State, which he has
been forced to abandon in The Senate.
Duty TO The country requires me TO answer
him, and personal reasons re.iniorce that
public duty"
HIS explanation then is. that notwilh-
standing his burning zeal to defend the
Union and Of his own character against
these wicked resolutions. " he could get no
chance before TO answer Them" What !.
could get no chance from February, 1917.
until June. IS40. Uhc dale Of his speech)
a period of upwards ofiwo years! Could
get no chance when they were first intro
dYced and discussed? None during The
long session which followed and which
lasted moro than eight months? None
during the long and full discussion on The
Oregon Territorial bill, when the princi-
ples of the resolutions formed the basis of
the argument on the side of The south ?
None 10 reply TO me-, who fully discussed,
and | may say established them beyond
controversy? None during the discussion
o. the report Of The selec committee, Of
which MIR. Clayton WAS chairman? None
on the discussion Of the bill from The
House Of Representatives, which applied
The Wilmot Proviso to the Oregon terri.
tory, and which was passed by his vote
and his friend Gen. Houslon's? None
during The whole Of the last session, and
still more wonderful, none in making his
last speech? l say none, for he confined
himself 10 d%enupciation and abuse of the
resolutions, without even attempting To
answer them. No, he never could get,
aud never can get a chance to answer
Them. For every other purpose be can
get a chance. whenever he pleases. No
one is better at getting a chance when he
is disposed. He had no difficulty in get,
ting a chance 10 pour out a torrent of
abuse, 10 empty seats, against the late Ge.
neral Kearney, day after day, for the
greater part Of a week, aud that TOO just
at the close Of session, 10 the utter dis
g1sl of the Senate, and at The hazard of
defeating many bills then ready for final
action. / might 60 on and repeat similar
questions until they would fill pages, but
enough has been said TO prove lha, his ex-
PLANTATION is puerilc and hollow.
He had many and fair chances to an
swer the resolutions, and could have made
one, if he desired it at any time, but there
were ,wo reasons which prevented him.
The first is, that although he had made up
his mind 10 desert you and your cause be-
fore The introduction Of the resolutions, he
saw the hazard. and was unwilling to take
that step hastily. The Missouri resolu.
tons forced him 10 disclose his intentions,
and 10 proclaim his deserliou before he
was fully prepared to execute his design,
and hence The depth TO which they have
excited his ire. The other is, that he had
too much discretion 10 address sucn a far
rago to a body too well informed to be inn
posed upon by old, stale aud oft.repealed
charges. lie knew besides that they would
have been promptly met and repealed, and
that the anlido,e would so with the poison.
He knew this from experience. He had
tried it before. 1t failed most signalIy.
1t was in the session of 1647, a few
days after | had introduced the resolutions.
In that attack he paraded, nearly in the
same words, all that he has charged in
this, about the Florida treaty, Texas, and
almost every other subject. lie had taken
time and prepared deliberately. 1t was
given out that no would demolish me.
The Senate was crowded by those who
wished to witness the sacrifice. l rose and
repealed of hand his charges. l leave
those who were present to decide With
what effect. 1t was certainly not 10 his
qualification or satisfaction. lie did not
even attempt a rejoiuder. But what be-
comes of his apology, that he had no
chance to reply to my resolution? They
had been introduced but shortly before,
and then he had d full chance to answer
Them. Elc then assailed every act of my
life, which he thought he could distort, so
as TO make a plausible charge asains, me.
Why then omit to answer resolutions which
he now holds up as tho worst and most
Objectionable Of all? Can any answer he
given, except that he is either not sincere,
in what he asserts, or that the time had
not then arrived, at which he could safely