The North-Carolina standard., 1850-01-23

known to be then occupying seats in the two houses
of Congress- The attractions Of the anticipated in
augural scene had drawn together large number Of
the wisest and most patriotic citizens belonging to
the nation. Instead Of permitting the amendment Of
the senator from Wisconsin to become part of the
law of the land, and TINS closing the controversial
strife which had been so long distracting the coun-
try-instead of urging upon his friends in the two
ously in securing the consummation of this noble
scheme of paci6cationthe President and his cabinet
are described by the senator from New York as throw
ing themselves at once upon his counsels and submit
ing themselves in this grave conuncture to his exclu
ives direction venture to pronounce this the most
founding instance of that ever has
been recorded by historian, or been depictured by
poet novelist. The elder Pitt once said,," Conf
dence is plant of slow growth in aged bosoms.''
In this instance Mushroom rapidity of growth is
ing to all who did not suppose the honorable senator
from New York to labor under the influence of
special hallucination in imagining himself to have
been trusted so exorbitanty.
Well, sir, what did the honorable senator from New
York do when thus employed as the sole neeotiator
of business so difficult and momentous!
will endeavor to give you his own words, as con-
taned in the letter already referred to- far as my
memory will serve nae for the purpose. If mistake
the import of the letter. hope to be corrected by the
honorable senator. This, then, is what he said: 81
repaired to the Capitol in company with MI. Ewing
There 1 procured copy of Nh. Walkers amendment
which / had not before read. Immediately prepar-
ed what contemplated as an amendment to Mr.
Walkers amendment, or as substitute for it." Yes,
sir, he Immediately prepared his substitute. The sub
ject was not new to him we all know but the
existing condition Of things could not possibly have
been known to him personally until his arrival at
Washington. He was quickly called into consulta-
ton, and his capacities as manager at once put in
requisition He required no time for deliberation
the operations of his intellect were like the movements
of electricity. There is really marvellous ceerity
in the actions of his mind, modestly described
by himself in this epise the flashes of divine ntui
ton scarcely beimagned to be instantaneous
..Afterwards' he says, 81 found Mr.. Websters pro-
the provisions had contemplated, very tersey ex-
pressed" Prodigious He actually found that Mr..
Webster's amendment contained all the provisions
he had contemplated, and seems to have been not a
little gratied that two great ntellecs should so hap
PLY have harmonized. The only difference between
them appears have been what may have the
honorable senator from Massachusetts, several daysand
nights of anxious contemplation and painful scrutiny,
was struck out at single heat by the honorable sen
tor from the Empire State. Ncertainly must be look
ed upon fortunate circumstance for the country
that the amendment of the honorable senator from
Massachusetts was actually approved by his illus
trious contemporary; and perhaps it may be some
what gratifying. too, to the pride Of the last-mention
ed senator to know that his amendment has been hon.
ored with the special commentator of the honorable
He pronounced it 20 be uery tersey oppressed that is
to say, S'neafy expressed" clear ,uitkout poupo-
sity." regarded the fame of the.honorable senator
from Massachusetts as literary man quite well es-
tabshed before no one will certainly hereafter doubt
his ability to draw up amendment in suitable par
liamentary language. l hope may be here INDUCED
in comparison without incurring the charge of
profanity. When the great Creator of the Uni
verse sin the beginning created the heavens and the
earth" and had brought his goodly work to a con-
H. se <o1 kou olro1
everything he had made, and to have pronounced it
livery good" And so in like manner, the honorable
senator from New York looking upon the amendment
of the honorable senator from Massachusetts, and
finding it to correspond in substance with his own,
pronounced it every good, and proceeded to act upon
it without delay. s. 1 took Mr.. Webster's amend
ment," says he, ''and, having shown it to Mr.. Ew-
ing, Dho left tie ,uhoe to my judgment, vs
tied many members of the House Of Representatives,
and urged the adoption of it. MI. Vinton, chairman
ed me that the committee would report the amend
ment, with some slight notifications, to which did
not object" 81 spent" says he 'the residue Of the
day in urging the adoption of the amendment of the
Committee of Ways and Means upon the members
of the House."
But his labors did not end here, Mr.. President
nothing like it. To be sure he had swept all obsa-
ces before him in house of Congress- but he had
yet to encounter still serious obstacles in the
Senate. Besides, the hour of midnight had arrived,
ly unpropitous to renewed deliberations in this body.
And yet there was one circumstance-possibl quite
unthought of at the tme-not altogether unfavorabe
to the contemplated scheme of operation. The MEM
bers of the Senate might be found overweared with
their several legislative la abors-some of the friends
of the Walker amendment, and of course the enc
mics Of the new one, might, at that late hour OF the
night, be perchance asleep absent, and the dark
deed which had been plotted might be accomplished
after the constitutional term Of Legislation had
n.rl
call upon the country to observe that the honorable
senator from the Empire Site had never then occu-
pied seat in either house Of Congress, and could
not be nducted into the seat in this hail. then adorn-
ed by an accomplished gentleman, now no longer
among US, until the succeeding Monday: And yet
he did not hesitate to take upon himself the perform
ance of Legislative functions which, believe, no
statesman in America had before thought of as
suming. Having been formally put in charge Of this
matter in the manner described, and the whole nods
operandi having been left to his judgment; when
his abors had terminated in the House of Repesen-
tatives he gded most despatchuly into the halls of
the senate, and there, says he, exerted myself to
procure the assent of the Senate to the amendment,
and insisted that different provision ought to
pass. continued my efforts until the Senate decid-
of Ways and Means Of the House. 1t is well known
that the whole design of government for California
failed by reason of that disagreement"
Such are the statements of the extraordinary letter
published in the National Intelgencer, on the 29th
Of March last, over the signature of the honorable
senator of the Empire State, now present. And now,
Mr.. President, is not this wonderful ePlste! Does
it not abound surprising statements Does 1t not
describe remarkable achievements upon the par
amenary arena Is not this letter destined to awak-
en- the astonishment Of all Poserity There Is moth
ing, think, so surprising il all the pages of history,
ancient and modern, from Herodotus down to Macau-
Law, as these exploits Of the honorable senator from
New York, as recorded by himself. have several