Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-02-25
Th.rty-First ConGress--2d session..
Correspondence Of the Courier

Correspondence Of the Courier
Was,uSGroN Feb. ls.
found the Senate yesterday, engaged in
d.bate Of 4 very spirited kind, upon the refer
eurc of pettion from the State of Maine, Tor
, Modification of the fugitive slave act.
The Senators had received the information
of negro riot in Boston, in which negroes had
forciblv rescued man from the custody OF the
Marshal, in open court This was the reason
for the departure by the Senate from its usual
course. as taken mt this session, OF entire lndlt
ference to the presentati m and disposition OF
the hundreds of petitions on this subject.
The galleries and the privileged seats were
tbronged: for there are one or two Thousand
visitors here, of recent arrival mostly from the
North. The petition had beon referred sud
sileniio. Mr.. Atchison moved arecons"era'
ton. The debate had been commencel before
Ientered the chamber, and found Mr.. PEARcE'
of MARYLAND, on the floor, and the vast audlto-
~ enchained by his eloquence. he was reply
i1g to Hale of New-Hampshire, and depreca.
ting agitation. Hale's reply was in his best
Ss,,Ie of bold and reckless defamation
Psarces reioinder was humorous and sareastlr'
and rich in illusions, historical and poetica.--
He had in his first speech, broug ht out in strong
relief the first agitation in the garden OF Eden !;
and in his reioinder, he managed with great
art 81 TO use his adversaries points, as to rep
resent him lHale) as the devil him:elf:
The Senators were apprehensive that con
timed discussion would lead to something be-
vond mere contest of wit, and were desrous
Of checking it. They insisted upon the ques-
tion. But, at the moment, uprose SENATOR
who always reminds ME of avolcano, with
frosty head, and fiery eye--Judge Butler. he
is ma, who can stir up the passions from their
very depths but as dsbater, while ne is arm
ed at all points, and ready to attack; he mas
generally chosen 10 act on the defensive anu 70
receive the shafts of his opponents uPonhis pol
ished shield of good humor, When Butler rose
on this occasion, caught. glance OF his eye
and saw in it, not passion, but humor' he
had long ago, determined, as well he could to
keen cool. He said, addressing the Chair--l
must differ from the Senator from Maryland, as
70 the attributes of the first agitator. He was
not q yociferous rhetorician, declaiming US loud
" as if he were calling to the ferry-man across
the Styx; but he appeared in the form of SER
nent gliding into the garden, approaching mo-
ther Eve, and softly whispering in her ear, there
is "hisher law The effect was magical
Every one sprung up-laughter and applaus1e.
rang through the chamber and gallaries. If
you have heard Hale and heard Seward, you
will see the aptness Of this contrast. In IN the
whole compass of parliamentary anecdote, l
will venture 20 say that there has been nothing
equal. in point of witand humor, to this sally OF
Mr.. Buffers.
In the course of the discussion above refer,
red to, was very g 'ad to hear Mr.. khett p can
in question remark from M. Cooper, OF Penn
Until Pennsylvania shall repeal her laws Oh,
structing the execution of the fugitive act of
1893, her Senators have no right to say, as Mr..
Cooper did, that Pennsylvania will sanction the
law of 1850. This was Mr.. Rhetps point.
The House is not yet prepared to take up the
appropriation bills. Doubts are expressed
whether all of them will get through: The
Chancellor of Exchequer, Mr. Bailey, has told
the House what no one know before, that the
appropriations reported, erceed in the aggre-
gate, the large and astounding estimates.