The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-17
/" Mr.. DAVIS Of Mississippi. Il, did not ar


was addressed, at the convention, and there shown
by him. 1t was singular coincidence, too, that
an honorable citizenof South Carolina should have
happened to be passing down the river, should
have visited the convention, should have been m
yited tb.appear and be seated in the assembly,
should have remained there during the time flor
believe he was very cviy treaed) until tie delib-
berations were concluded, and then have departed.
Now all l say is, that this looks suspicious.
do not say that there is anything IN 1t. IL would,
however, have led my mind to the conclusion that
the author of this letter had had something TO do
with the suggestions according TO which this con-
yention was assembled, and that by some appro-
pirate arrangements the honorable citizen OF South
Carolina was there at the time. II would seem
Ito me IN, il matter Of concert, and that shat
sconcert had much to do with the deliberations of
the convention. = Il Eg
"Mr. DAVIS, of Mississippi All suspicious
about what that citizen of South Carolina was en-
gagged in and what led him To Mississippi at that
Tune, can easily be removed He is now mem
be of the House of Representatives, and the sem
ator can consult him at any day
The senator IN his note in reply to mine is
pleased tossay, 81 did not use your name, nor the
name of Mr.. Calhoun, nor the name Of any gen
teman with disrespect in the debate OF yeser-
day"
1t is not my lot to be known to fame, like the
senator from Texas. | have not the notoriety to
be acquired by assuming the costume and bearing
State, the president of gallant Republic, or the
official robes of senator. But unlike the senator
from Texas, have been content III my humble
sphere, to receive such marks of distinction only,
as those with whom | have been associated have
thought proper to confer upon me. have to m
form the senator, however, that there are few be-
yond the limits of his acquaintance who are more
Intimately acquainted with his history than am.
1t is certainly the privilege of all, to be familiar
ach the Tires of the great epen IN their ocn conceu
Being thus acquainted with the characteristic
doublings, and cunning evasions of the senator,
could not be surprised at the marked attempt at
evasion, the labored and dislngenuous effort to
avoid the true issue, which is manifest in the
above clause of his note He did not name Mr..
| Calhoun, or myself, but he used other means not
| less palpable, to make known To the Senate the
persons to whom he alluded. He seeks TO ac-
| complsh by insinuations and inuendos, what he
| dared not openly avow, least the stamp of UNI
truth should be fixed upon his unfounded state
ments. He retreats behind the screen, and stabs
without seeming to do it, with the adroiness OF a
| professional assassin, that he may avoid the re-
sponsibility.of his net, and the condemnation due
i to his offence. In this thesenator is true to his
| instincts He resorts to- the subterfuge of the
calumnator, ''who is willing to wound yet afraid
| to strike, and fixes blot upon reputation, while
| he escapes the punishment of the offended law
! The senator does not act without motive. He
could not have been ignorant of the fact that the
stale ISLANDERS which, like the witch of .Endor, he
was calling up from the tomb where had buried
them had been pronounced false by me in the pub
lie journals of the country over my own sigma
ture. This was not enough to wean the senator
| from, his besettng sin of prevarication, when he
1 Rad design 20 ~ocenIf,s.i, OF revenge To graf
! fly. Thai senatoris perhaps aware, and II he is
j moi the public certainly are, that TO deprive him
of the privilege of disortisFg facts, and conceal
! ing the truth, would, like the shareing Of Samp-
! son of his locks, deprive him Of all his il-goten
notoriety and consequence. lie cannot therefore
surrender the right arm Of his strength which he
yields so dexterousy, by yielding the privilege to
! retail exploded calumnies either for the purpose
of giving vent to his malignant feelings, or of graf
flying his personal AMBITION without struggle and
rather than give up this privilege, the senator may
ey en- be induced to undergo some risk, at leas
upon n question of veracty.
Hence, in the matter under constellation, al
though he could not but be aware, p3Sthe ale
cations he uttered were false, ald1<I ~ pub
Withhold them, was tol Cekd e. ne .slEots -
s sasge, %'a andsr The ssEss i,as sSil sha
ity," would havseen 10 ekpatge from }9s phil
pic, in which, in 6is IND dinsts {anty, he aouBu
les s sspeGasiSa sas ~
too great for the sena 81 q ~ y H was y,
gaged in his wonted\ csliine, bf;endeeyoring e
make falsehood triumPnNst oYH truth hand =
striving for the success of aff$ 1ppze, I'M CD
he has grown grey; and it is no malooLof rNe,
therefore, that he still persisted in his efforts,
notwithstanding his declarations were often
nailed tn the counter, rs unmitigated fabrcauons
by Senator Davis, while he was IN the act oil Ut
tering them. The senator yerihes the maxim,
that there are moral, as well as physical Diseases
which, if permitted 10 take deep hold OF the sys-
tenn becomes chronic and Incurable, and | am
trIU
pharmacopea which can cure the malay under
which the senator suffers so much affection. In
charity to the senator himself, but more especially
to the country, would apply healing balm to
his moral ulcers, which exceed, IN number, those
under which Job suffered; but, as tins Is beyond
my art, must leave HIM To that slow decay, 10
which lime, and his own moral obliguities and
infrmMes, conspire To consign hun. lis age at
least, should, ere this, have taught HIM the value
Of necessary prudence, and he would do well To
: remember that, which at one Tune was uppermost
, in his mind, that he has no cause to complain u
he should occasionally receive wound from the
thorn Of the tree which he has himself planted.
Ii is somewhat remarkable that there is single
truth TO be found in the statements of the senator.
did travel, for brief period. on the bosom OF
: the Mississippi, about the time TO which he al
ludes in such romantic terms. But unlike the
journeyings of the senator himself, upon the
's father OF waters" / did not travel because j
had renowned civilization, aud the restraints
which law and order impose upon brutal appe-
tites Unlike him, too, at the time to which |
refer, did not travel in the garb of a savage, to
the ciapparels of a savage land To seek, IN the
wigwaln, II freedom Of indulgence denied 10 the
/ liberiine in the country left behind me, nor to
avoid the merited casligalions which an outraged
L eommdnity sometimes innicts upon tie man, for
4 whose guilt the law affords no adequate punish
Il ment
The studied assault which the senator has nnde
upon me, may not, perhaps, be characterized by
| the element which always attends the crime of
| felony, to witt malice aforethoughtt The malig-
nani hate which, while living, he bore to ANOTHER,
who in life, lived upon moral emnence, which
his malice could never reach, burns 50 fercely III
his bosom yet, that he cannot permit his ashes TO
/ repose in peace. The sanctty Of the grave af-
fords no shield against the senator impotent vi
| tuperation, and he attempts to drag me into view,
! to enable him to add venom to the arrow which he
hurls at the memory Of the honored dead; and ]
shall perhaps teach that senator in the end, that
! he shall not use my name, either directly or by
| implication, for such purpose, without having
administered to him merIted rebuke.
An act like this, which includes in its corpus
deiieti, the sweepings of all other vices, and
which can be truly characterized only by the term
meanness, is without paaton or UNSUITABLE pre-
=.