The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-18
From the Laslrsnspille Herald.
To Henry Clay OF Kentueky-No. ..

ia not the least remarkable period of your histo-
nv. During the presidential canvass OF 1910,
the popular mind was afflicted with malady OF
startling import. Reason, decency and sense,
were dethroned, and disappeared before the dis
gushing orgies of popular cant and party rage
The Independence of popular suffrage, and the
dgni Of principle, were borne away by party
clamor and unreasoning passion. The "hard
cider and coon skin symbols OF fish market
mob were paraded through the streets OF our
most opulent cities, to the notes OF rbald songs
and drunken reyelres; and upon this dark and
turbid flood, Gen. Harrison rode into the Presl
Dental seat From your retreat at Ashland
you beheld with secret Joy the fall of your coun-
try from the moral eminence upon which it
should stand, to the debasement of barbarism;
for the impure elements which appeared from
the substraium of society, and rolled on towards
Washington, brought up to the surface " hig
majority of both Houses of Congress Again
defeated in your aspirations for the Presidency,
you FASTENED to place yourself at the head OF the
central legislature as the presiding genius OF
the storm, and as if in revenge for your dlsap-
pointment, began the work Of your country's
destruction 1t was not your purpose, by wise
and Just legislation, to give strength and dura-
bility to the institutions of your country-to re,
buke corruption and licentiousness-to dffuse
the blessings of republican liberty, and to lay
the foundations, broad and deep, OF public vir-
tue, equal rights and equal laws. No, sir; aims
like these, which alone are worthy OF the states
man and senator, could not interpose to prevent
the execution Of your criminal designs. Your
party had triumphed, and with indecent haste
you formed your plans to distribute the sPoils
of conquest among the victors. You could not
wait for Congress to assemble at the time fixed
by the Constitution. To lead the storm while
at the eliminating point of its fury, was the pol
lev which promised success to your schemes,
and accorded most with your inclination. 1t
was your design to lay hold of the reins OF gov
eminent, and accomplish the work to which your
whole life has been devoted, while the public
mind was without reason or judgment to con-
denim your rapacity.
Under your counsel, an extra session OF Con-
gress was called by the President, and the same
symbols which decorated the banners OF the
mob, in the canvass for the Presidency, were
virtually festooned around the Senatorial tri-
hume. and constituted the altar at the foot OF
which your corrupt ministrations began. The
Barbone's Parliament, of Cromwell, was re-
viyed. We had arrived at period in our his
tory, " hen gunpowder plot would have been
more UNSUITABLE than that which marked an era
in English history. You began your journey
to Washington, rot in the character OF the
citizen, illustrious public benefactor, but as
a sort of political leviathan, OF genus and type
before unknown, which the froth Of the political
sea had disgorged and thrown upon the beach,
with fearful powers of mischief, and which the
superstitious might suppose was sent to the
world, as an evidence of Divine dspleasure
You reioiced at your elevation. and as the mobs
gathered around you, as you travelled on, de-
scending from the dignity of the senator, you
appeared before them. at the porticoes of the
hotels, and upon the decks of the steamboats,,
and adopting the ribald cant Of the times, you
announced yourself as " that same old coon"
O tenporai O mores! The dignity OF the
senator was merged in the professional dema'
gogue, and the plaudits which followed this
chaste announcement, was an Offering most ac-
ceptabe to your egotism and vanity.
Much peeuniary embarrassment followed the
financial crisis of 1887 You resolved 10 strike
another bold stroke to revive your sinking pop
uarity, and increase your chances for the Prssi.
dency. Your policy was 10 make yourself the
| hero Of the popular excitement phich then pre-
rallied. You made your calculations skilfully
The algvbraic symbols With which you solved
the mystjc problems Of political sorcery, enabled
you todjetermine that the debtors constituted :
more numerous class than the creditors, and
that the beasts which howlei in the mensgerie
must have food TO appease their hunger. You
took your seat in the Senate, and, like Chim@ra
put on the lion, not the man. Your first sc
was a daring attempt 10 absolye the numerous
class Of debtors throughout the Unicn frum al
legal obligations TO pay their debts, that you
might gain them over 10 your interests, and OBJ
tain their aid TO adorn your brow with the Presi
Dental diadem. In criminaty Of conception
and boldness Of execution, this act is without Z
parallel in the annals Of legislation. You intro
dueed your bankrupt bill, the first Of a series o
measures which amounted 10 a declaration o
war upon the property Of the country. Her'
again you evolved from your exhaustess crucibl'
a new element Of political crime. While Fou
| rier and Proudhon theorised upon agrarianisu
| and communism, you laid hold Of the lever o
government, TO reduce their destructive Theories
| 10 practice, and 10 take the lead out Of thei
hands Your doctrines Of the reorganization o
society began where theirs sndtd, and adopting
their theory, that all property Is crime. you
bankrupt bill, for the purpose Of robbing elias
Of people, By legislative ensctments, OF $500,
100000 Of their property. This single act va
Sufficient 10 give you infarou. Immortality II
parliamentary history. No law ever befor
passed acted Immediately upon so many indi
viduals
| Ten millions OF people ~ the ume TINS bl'
was passed, stood towards each other in tn
relations Of debtors and creditors. IL was
scheme infamous alike in the motive, conception
and execution. Il violated justice, religion an'
Law, and put the existence Of society 10 peril
II violated the faith and obligations Of contracts
and simed a fearful blow at the right Of proper
ty. You were not ignorant Of the fact, tia
bankrupt laws are founded upon the principle
that society is bound 10 prevent dishonest debt
ors from dsfrauding their creditors-that thes
laws are intended as q punishment and not Al
immunity, and 10 compel the payment OF homes
debts, 10 the extent Of the ability Of the debtor
Nor were you ignorant Of the fact, that all pre-
cedent bankrupt laws, both 10 Europe and Amer
lea, applied only 70 particular class Of persons
who were sexsoed ia carrying on the commsrc
Of the country. II was reserved for you, sir, a
an American legislator. 70 exhibit your usus
disregard Of ell reason, principle. ard precedent
and instead Of the debtor, n make db oredito
The criminal The Judicial tribunals Of Engan'
were directed by act Of Parliament 10 constru'
4 al bankrupt laws benehcislly for the creditor
Your bankrupt law proceeded virtually upon tb'