Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-26

to the wisdom OF moderation of man. will merely
mark in conclusion, that ithe Senator from Alabama
Mr. Clemens has alluded to peaceable dissolution OF
the Union. He will pardon me for saying, that hope
| no one will deude himself with any such expectation.
II it does not bring disappointment the history OF the
world has been written TO no purpose. In political
commissions, like that which would attend the breaking
up Of this contedeacy the appeal from to force
is as sure to follow the night succeeds day. May
He who guided our fathers in times OF peril direct us in
| the paths OF peace and safety!
| Mr. CLAY. thank the senator from Michigan
Mr. Cass, for the few remarks which he hast just
| addressed to the Senate and beg leave to say
| that have not particle of doubt the speech so
| short and to me gratifying, which he made the
| other day. was an ehuson perfectly spontaneous,
unprecedented, and unprepared. | do not know
that have heard from any senator the Inference of
| sentiments with more pleasure than did from the
Senator from Michigan on the occasion to which
| allude. And allow me to say that the language
| with which he has just closed his short address to
| the Senate upon the characterization of which
the country at this moment stands much in dan
| ger, is founded | regret to say too much upon
| truth.
| 1t is not my purpose to enter into an elaborate
reply TO the arguments of the eloquent senator from
| Alabama, Mr. Clemens "a senator, who am in
| hopes, will add honor to this body by the talents
| and the ability which he has brought into it. But,
sir, it seems to me that there two three OBJ
| servations of that senator which demand from me
| some short comments; and the first is an alusion
| to an intercourse between senator not now in
his seat, from Missouri, Mr.. Benton and myself
| "The lion and the lamb had met together" 1 do
not know which of those quadrupeds he assigned
to me. Laughter should make very poor
| lamb, am afraid; and am not very ambitious of
| the proves Of the lion.
| Mr.. CLEMENS, | meant of course, that the sena-
tor from Kentucky was the lion | meant simply
to express by this figure, that they who had always
/ hornt hnan tho Of oh, otI,o H.
now met together upon this question: and therefore
| that the South was menaced with danger.
| Mr.. CLAY. | beg leave to commend to the
honorable Senator, the philosophical mode which
was recommended to mankind by Lord Bacon;
| that is, to ascertain facts before he proceeds to
argue upon them Now, upon what facts does
he undertake to assert that there has been any CO.
operation whatever between the honorable Sena-
tor from Missouri and myself! Upon what facts
does he assert this And if no facts exist will
| ask of him what right he has to comment or ami
madvert upon any supposed intercourse or CO.
operation which might take place between the
| honorable Senator from Missouri and myself?
Why sir, the truth is, that there existed for Sc
| veral years no very friendly social intercourse be-
| tween the senator from Missouri and mysef-a
| state of total nonnercourse if YOU please-em-
barge, and all other restrict that belong to the
| commerce between nations but sir, two or three
years ago came together again, and restored
relations, at least of cvilty and amiy, which was
| L
| any one. | would do so with the whole world if
| | could.
| Now, sir, with regard to the fact of cooperation
| if the senator had done me the honor to inquire
would have told him with great frankness and truth
| that ! never saw the proposition Of the senator
| from Mssouri--the proposition that is embraced
in the bill that he has presented here respecting the
boundary of TeXas-nor had any communication,
oral or written, with him on the subject, until his
bill was presented. And with reference to the re-
solutions which offered by me, the eye of the
| Senator from Missouri never gaZed upon them
nor had he ever heard their contents: he had no
more knowledge Of them before | presented them
| to the Senate than had the Senator from Alabama
| himself
Well then, sir, what facts had he to 20 upon?
Does he mean to say that he feels himself at lib
erty when the fact the other day, the hon
| orable Senator from Missouri came around here
and had little conversation with me, to speculate
| upon the occurrence of such an incident and de-
duce from it what he peases Why, it is true the
| honorable Senator from Mississippi made an allu-
sion to the same fact the other day; and did not
recm to it at the time, because it really passed out
| Of my mind.
Mr.. FeorE. Will the honorable Senator allow
me to interrupt him for a moment? The reason
why alluded to it was that the honorable Senator
from Kentucky had himself referred TO it, and ex-
planned the matter very distinctly and clearly in our
| hearing. The Senator from Missouri had risen
and expressed his surprise and disappointment that
| the Senator from Kentucky did not come to his
rescue upon that occasion, he had expected from
the intercourse thath taken place between them
And when this was announced the Senator from
| Kentucky made his explanation, and that explana-
ton, remarked at the time verified the belief
| that had previously entertained
Mr.. CLAY. But the Senator went on to say that
| he saw the Senator from Missouri come over from
| the other side of the chamber to this, and that he
| some whispering between us, and then pro-
ceeded to make his own deducons for which
say he had no a,lthority.-Now, repeat that, be-
tween the honorable Senator from Missouri and
myself there was no interchange of opinion, either
in regard to the project which he had submitted to
the Senate, or in regard to the resolutions which
have presented. When the Senator from Missouri,
on the morning to which the Senator from Misss-
sippi on a former occasion alluded, and to which
the Senator from Alabama ! suppose, has alluded
came across the chamber, it was to speak of the
disposition of the question before the Senate. And
let ask has it come to this, that one Senator
not commune with another about the disposition of
the public business of the country, without incur
ring SUSPICION without subjectng himself to ami
madversion, and in such language as is tantamount
to a formal accusation? protest against the right
of any Senator to subject my conduct or inter-
course with my fellow Senators to any such trial or
test as that But sir, so deeply am | impressed with
the awful crisis that exists in the country that if the
Senator from Missouri had been the worst enemy
the bterest enemy had i'll the world, and thought
that by any conference or intercourse with him we
could mutually dispose each other, and the Senate
and Congress, to settle this dstracting question: bu
rying in moment all animosiy that entertained
against him, | would have gone to him as the best
and most afectionate friend had on EARTH in or
der to produce such a great and glorious result as
that would be of harmonlzlng the different portions
of this at present unfortunate country.
Sir, it is possible, indeed am inclined to think
that on the occasion of preparing these resolutions
consulted with too few. Those with whom did
consult were generally my friends from the South
with one solitary exception, consulted no North
ern gentlemen. In the years 1928, when had
occasion to present scheme for compromising
another great question that then existed in this
country, committed the opposite error: | con-
suited too many; the effect of which was to en-
danger the fate of the measure that suggested
determined, therefore, on this OCCASION to con-
suit as few as possible, and to limit myself with