The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-21

ng Congress TO prohibit any new State or territory
rom coming into the Union. unless the Wllm,t I
'ioviso was attached to the law of its admission .
ne next hoy.
VIII be the abolition Of slavery IN
Dlstrct of Columbia. The third and last VIII
be the grand cansummauon-i,s abolition IN che
States themselves, which can be deae ~ revising |
the constitution, and, on the plarl of the Wimot
Proviso, free States enough would, within a few
years, be admitted TO give two-thirds major ,,v
for such purpose 1t is useless, therefore, for Mr.
Clayton's organ TO try to stave off this ques ,on-
Why not meet it like men, and settle 1t at oneeq
How can this be done We have al eadv said
that the old parties nearly broken . and there
is q class Of statesmen now in Congre a. who have
grown gray in the service of the NJ lion. and who
have grown tired III the service of Marty The
livery of whiggery and democ' acy. which they
have so long worn, has grow n shabby by time:
and before they lay their hea ism the grave, they
would wish to signalze Z .eir history by some
grand national service, VIII ch would gain the re-
spect OF all their cotemr .orariss, and weave for
their brows an untadiD wreath with posterty
These men are Henry Jay, Daniel Webster John
g. Calhoun, ana Tho mas II. Benton. For forty
years or more the!f ave been dedicated TO the pub
nc service. Endo' ged with extraordinary genius,
they have made heir own fortunes against almost
unconqueFabie opposition. In any other country
out ours even these men, who now constitute the
Qohtlcei ans" crazy of the nation, would be called
pafvenues Hardly one of them represents, in the
senate, the State he was born in. In early life
they were adventures, and they left their fathers
roofs VIII fortunes TO make in the world. Mr..
Webste ewas born in New Hampshire, the younger
son Oh poor farmer, who was satisfied with the
lean nd scanty crop which he reaped from barren
and nhospitabe soil When his genius began TO
ieti the electric shock of learning, he saw that the
M Is Of the granite State were sterile and rock
r bbed 10 afford scope for his ambition He started
as an adyenturer and tried his fortunes in Boston,
and for whole generation he has represented the
State Of Massachusetts IN the national legislature.
When he took his first step Ia public life, and rose
into emnence, the aristocracy OF Boston gave
him bette, and for several years the most despe-
rate efforts were made TO crush him, on the part of
the young men OF Boston, whose faith rs and an
cestors before them had held the conscences and
fortunes Of Massachusetts in their hands. That
feeling was soon smothered, but never entirely
quenched. To this day there are many able men
in Massachusetts, who are walking about under
WebsieI's colossal legs "to find themselves dis
honorable graves" Mr.. Webser's position and
fame are secure, end he has had the good sense
not 10 Iely upon any Of the tricks Of the dema-
sogue, in gaining or in preserving his influence.
Up to this hour he is a national man, and he is
one of those who could now come forward with
an unsued name, 10 lend the force of his fame
and station TO settle tins perplexing question.
Henry Clay, as all the world knows was born
in Virginia-a poor boy, who never could have
arisen by the force of accident from so obscure
an origin. Guided by the same ambition, and
fired by the same impulse a. Webster, he left his
home and turned his face towards kentucky, like
his Northern competitor, an adyenturer for fame
among strangers His talents soon brought h,n
before the public, gained him its confidence. and
introduced him into public life. Nearly forty
years ago he was Speaker OF the House of Repre-
seniatiyes; end, from that day TO this, has swayed
more personal influence over his counirymen than
almost any other man IN the nation. He, too, has
kept himself aloof from the uliraisms of the times,
and, swayng the influence he does, over millions
of men atrthe North and the South, he could WELD
Herculean arm in this great controversy.
And there is Mr.. Calhoun, who, In the nervous
and Irritable glow OF his genius, betrays his Irish
extraction even he is not descended from the
Southern chivalry; for his father emigrsted TO
Pennsylvania IN 1873, and IN 1856 removed to
families OF that State as an ndyenturer; aud from
tie early years OF the century. when he entered
public life, he encountered steady opposition,
which arose out Of the jealousy of some of the
ancient families Of that State and to this day,
We have reasons for believing. has almos, die
teioria sway over Carolina and the iniellec OF the
South Is regarded with GOODNESS aud suspicion, by
many Of those families VINO look upon themselves
as the legitimate and hereditary arisiocmcy OF the
South but the force of his genius has been IRE
sisiibe. lie has made the cause of the South his
own. He has been the Richard Cmur De Lion
Of the Southern States and while his chyalric
defence Of Southern Interests has made him dear
10 the Southern States, his incorporating and
selfsacufcing political integrity have gained him
the refpeot Of many Of his contemporaries through.
out the world BY some he IL regarded as fina-
Teal and ultra on the question OF slavery; but we
have yet 10 Learn that Mr. Calhoun has required
/ that Congress should do any thing, except to re-
I deem and preserve the guarantees Of the constr
/ tuition lie asks for no special lerisliion lie
| makes no demands upon thu favor of any
| administration. Independent Of az prcsdents
and all cabinets, his own free man, he loves the
Union, and he would preserve n but n loves the
South better STILL when she is danger, aud he will
stand b. her. and preserve her, al all hazards Il
has been the misfortune of Mr.. Calhoun TO be mis-
represented and misunderstood by his coniempora-
ries but, IN this respect he u only suffering the
fate Of other great NEE. who see more clearly
through the passions of the present, and the msts
Of the future. He. like them. must pay the penalty
OF ioiecssnr events and acting ahead Of bis time;
hut we have read this enicmaiicsl man to no pur.
POSE unless we can reckon upon substantial aid
from him, in bringing the great difficulty which
now threatens the nation TO amcabe. psece-
able, honorable, safe, and final adjustment
We are not cure Ina, Mr. Benton his no, already
made too broad an issue with the South, aud 90
compromised himself thereby, 20 impair. materi-
ally, his influence in this great arbitration; bat
some personal passions and prejudiccs may have
r,xfd thfftselves mn for thr rass NO hour with h