Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-08-03
tFrom the Pha Bulletin, July i7thl
MR.. CLAY'S GREAT SPEECH.
THE bEgArE THAT SUCCEEDED IT.

speech on the IOHpIoHiioo, WHY" "" =
cd yesterday, Mr.. Barnwell, Of South Caro-
lica, rose TO make few remarks about his
State and MIR. Rhett. The following inter-
esting debate then ensued:. rr .t
Mr. Clay. Mr.. President, I said nothing
with respect to the character OF Mr. Rhet',
for might as well name him. l know him
personally, and have some respect for him.
But il he pronounced the sentiment attributed
10 him Of raising the standard of disunion and
of resistance 10 the common government,
whatever, he has been, if he follows up that
declaration by corresponding overt acts, he
will be traitor, and hope he will meet
the fate of traitor. [Great applause in the
galleries, with difficulty suppressed by the
Chair
The President. The Chair will be under
the necessity Of ordering the gallery 10 be
cleared, if there is again the slightest inter-
euption. He has once already given warn
ing that he is under the necessity of keeping
order. The Senate chamber is not theatre.
Mr. Clay resumed. MIR. President, have
heard with pain and regret confirmation OF
the remark made, that the sentiment of
disunion is becoming familiar. | hope it Is
confined to South Carolina. do not regard
as my duty what the honorable Senator seems
to regard as his. If Kentucky Tomorrow,
unfurls the banner of resistance unjustly,
never will fight under that banner. owe
a paramount allegiance TO the whole Union
a subordinate one to my own State. When
my State is right-when it has cause for
resistance-when tyranny, and wrong, and
oppression insufferable arise--l then will
share her fortunes but if she summons me
to the battlefield, or TO support her in any
cause which is unjust agains, the Union, ne
yer, neuer will engage with her in such a
cause.
With regard to South Carolina, and the
spirit Of her people, have said nothing. |
have respect for her but must say, with
entire truth, that my respect for her is that
inspired by her ancient and revolutionary
character, and not so much for her modern
character. But, spirited as she is, spirited
as she may suppose herself to be, competent
as she may think herself to WELD her sepa-
rate power against the power of this Union,
will tell the Senator himself, that there are
as brave, as dauntless, as gallant men and as
devoted patriots, in my opinion, in every
other State in the Union as are to be found
in South Carolina herself; and if, in any un-
just cause, South Carolina or any other State
should hoist the flag of disunion and rebel
lion, thousands, tens of thousands, Of Ken
tuckians would flock to the standard of their
country to dissipate and repress their re.
bellion.-These are my sentiments make
the most Of them.
Mr.. Barnwel. do not know that have
anything 10 say exactly in reply TO the Sena.
tor from Kentucky; except that, when he
uses such language as "traitors" and "their
DOOM" he compels me TO remind him of the
old adage, 'that there are two ends to rope"
and when the Senator comes to the condem-
nation of "traitors," it may prove that they
are the true men. With respect 10 the threats
Of the Senator from Kentucky, if history
speaks truly, there was certain British Off
Ger once who promised, with a regiment Of
soldiers, to drive the rebels from one end of
the continent to the other. need not say
the performance hardly equalled the promise
But made, think no threats institute no
comparisons. be it from me TO detract
from the fidelity or the galantry of the peo-
pie of any of the States of this Union. |
should do great Injustice to my own convlc-
tions, were to do SO. With respect to the
justice of the cause upheld by South Carolina
the Senator has not now TO learn that she is
sustained in her judgment by the recorded
opinions of the numerous States who made
common cause with the State of Virginia in
her assertion of her rights. And shall any
State, however feeble, subject herself to ru.
inous and unjust domination, from appre-
hension that tyranny might prove TOO strong
for her-that the armed heel of the oppres.
sor might !rample out the life which he only
designed TO make degraded and miserable =!
trust not, sir; and | contend only for the
duty and the right of asserting justice, even
at the hazard of safety
MIR. Hale. do not intend TO OCCUPY the
attention Of the Senate but moment. AS
the Senator from Kentucky has taken issue
with me on point of history, want to give
what understand to be truth of the case. He
says the Missouri Compromise was very
beneficial measure. do not undertake to
say whether it was or not; but ifthere is any
truth in history, though was boy at the
time, when the New England States were of
considerable more relative and numerical
Importance than they are now, the history of
those men who went for the Missouri Com
promise has been warning from that day to
this 10 northern men who come here on the
floor of Congress TO surrender northern right
to propitate power. think the Senator from
Massachusetts in my eye lMr. Davis) will
tell you that some of the most promising and
talented of the public men in that State, who
went for that measure, have never recovered