Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-03-08

uctant acceptluce even of the gift by the Secretary
State, the country will be satisfied, it the facts can
reach it, that it sought by that officer before he as
sumed the duties Of his place.
Andnow, sir, ask, if such influences brought to bear
upon high functonary of State not dangerous TO
pubcustice, to all the interests of the country and es-
pecay dangerous, when pecunary concerns of immense
amount are placed in the hands of such officer,
sumet by him
Now what the reply of my colleague last even
ing He said his colleague Mr.. A. sent here to
uphold the of humane berty and endeavored to
enlist the prejudices of large majority of this House
against the political character of the speaker; and the
gentleman from Alabama, (Mr. Hillard) chimed
in with his sweet voice. Ii attempt to close the
ear of the House against the truth by calling up political
preudces and thereby dvertng attention from the real
issue which was before it.
Sir, whatever my political sentiments may be, can
appealtoa the members of this House to bear wit
ness that have been frank, open and undisguised
make no speeches for part of the country, and allow
the papers in this city and south of to publish them
made, and sometime afterwards write out different
version of those speeches for country
paper athome, which is never south of Mason &
Dixons line do not whisper to you in place that
| am the friend of southern measures, and hold an
opposite policy to my constituents. On the other hand
gentlemen will do me the Justice to say that have
unduly obtruded bv opinions upon the House. 1t
to me that the aspirations which my colleague and his
confederate have cast upon will fail of eeetng their
purpose, and must ecoil upon their heads and up
on the cause they would by such means sustain This
House and the country will not be borne away from the
true issue by this attempt to divert attention from it, and
to smother the truth under the weight Of sectnna and
party prejudice.
! My colleague has seen fit to assail me upon mat
tiers altogether disconnected with the subject before
! the House. The impotence of the attack may per-
haps eXtort pardon for its maligny. But of what
consequence is it to this House, or what has it to do
with the subject of its inquiry that in consequence
oil the law peculiar to Massachusetts which requires
a majority over all competitors, no election has vet
been made In my district, though two trials have
taken place, and my plurality is some twelve hum
dred or fifteen hundred over my Wing opponent
For what purpose does the malice of my colleague
thus vent itself? As to coalitions, sir, know of
none in my district but in the district of my assai
ant there has been for years coalition of the stran
gest character, by which he has been kept in bis
seat 1t is a coalition Of men of entirely opposite
characters, one part adherng to the representative
through the force Of party ties and the other portion
brought into sympathy with the incumbent through
affnitles of far different nature, If any one is
curious TO investigate the history and character off
this remarkable combination, there are probably at
all times some around the Capitol who can fully
unfold them
Objection is made to any disclosure of the in6rm-
ties of the Secretary, and this objection comes from
the member from Alabama, Mr.. HILLIARD,l on
the ground of the greatness Of that individual
However much the public interest may require in
vestgaton into the conduct of that gentleman, the
shield, not of place merely, but also of high intel
ectual character, is to be thrown over him. And
here let do faint Justice to the singular speech of
the member from Alabama. 1t seems that gentle
man has found way to solve the problem which He
whose servant the gentleman assumes to be one dav
in seven, declared be hard and even impossible Of
solution. He has found out how to ssserve two
masters" Rising from his seat, when an opportu-
lt,1fx az, -l,1
source OF preferment and worldly honor the glorious
VISION of foreign embassy passing before bis be.
dazzed eyes, he poured forthsrans of poetic praise
touching and SO beautiful that the enthusiasm Of his
friend from South Carolina MIR. HoLMEs1 was ex-
cited to the highest pitch Of extatic JOY confess to
the pos esslon ola taste less Fortunate and could not
feel all the emotion of that gentleman as the member
from Alabama pronounced his sentences, made IN
OF slltterng fragments borrowed from this orator and
that orator, from poets of all times, living and dead
10 crafty his taste rather than my own | will
indulge the gentleman from Alabama with one quo
talon, which, at the moment of his speech occurred
to my mind as afmding the only mode of accounting
for the genteman's display of himself Ii must in
deed, be that he chad been to feast of LANGUAGES
and stolen the scraps.''
But sir, to treat this argument with due seriaus
ness, let me repeat, In substance what not long since
mad occasion to say, that | know well enough the
great intelligence ofhat distinguished man. Daniel
Webster. know very well the power of his mighty
intellect, how it stands out in monstrous dispropor-
ton to every other attribute of the man. bow in
silent wonder, before the mysterious dispensaon of
Providence, which fit to confer so much of INTEL
lectual power, where there was so little moral
strength.
What is knowledge, what is talent, without good
ness, as guide in the affairs of life? And what
but demon would the greatest intellect which the
Deity ever created be, if it stood independent of
goodness
The world has had examples of men in all ages
who were gifted with great powers of intellect. and
who yet would fall before temptations, which the
feeblest of mankind often resist The instances as
you know, have not been few, but many--so many.
that trust the people have long since learned to
disregard the dlcation Of mere intellect where there
are no qualities of the heart also upon which they
can rely.
call to mind, at this moment, one of the most
distinguished men the world ever knew 1t will be
no Encouragement to say that he possessed an intel
lect superior even to that OF Mr.. Webster himself
Certainly his attainmcnts, in every department of
knowledge, were far superior. And yet he sank be-
fore temptations which the weakest resist. and was
dismissed from the highest place of State in dis
grace and with contempt. That man, characterized
as n.
"W sest, brightest meanest of mankind"
stands on the page of history, as a warning to- the
world, that Intelligence and virtue are not insenorab
" combined, and that you must see to it, that tho
brilliant intellect to which You tutn for guidance and
dlrectlon is itself controlled and directed bv unya
verng principle
II Is further insisted that should not have dis-
closed the facts have communicated TO The IIonso