The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-03-11

make bargain to this effect that Rail
Road Iron may be admitted duty free, pro-
vbded an additional duty Of 10 or I 8 per cent.
is imposed on every other description of Iron.
The House will hardly ratify it speak
of the House, for that is the hope of the
country-once the Senate was the conserva-
tive and dignifed branch Of the Government
but sad charge has ceme over II in few
years. Now demagoguism, if nothing worse,
stalks through every aisle of tho Chamber
Speaking of the Senate reminds mo of its
proceedings a Few days since no A
merican citizen could have Witnessed it
without sensations Of humiliation sRS nor
tification and l am sorry to say that one of
your Senators was party to the undigniied
and disreputable exhibitions. Mr.. Rhett
on Friday asked leave to reply to some per-
sonalitics indulged in by Clemens and Cass
towards him during his recent absence. 1t
was granted him and he spoke for 81 hours,
reviewing the course of Clemens, and making
charges against him, and imputing to him a
want of veracity. He was very successful
in proving Clemens inconsistency and had
he stopped there his triumph would have been
complete but when he descended to rituper-
ativc abuse he forgot the dignity of the
Senate. Clemens replied and his speech for
scurility could only have been equaled by
the " fish woman He said he had pro-
nounced Rhett traitor and knave and as
he had not thought proper to demand salts
faction, therefore he would now add that he
was withal co,cdrd-and again in Rhett's
charge that he (Clemens) had secured his
seat in the Senate bya corrupt intrigue with
the wings Of Alabama be said that the origi-
nator and retailer of the slander " ,cas liar"
He gave way to n motion to adjourn and
finish his speech the next day. 1t was tissue
of invective and denunciation, undignifed
and inexcusable, such as has never been
witnessed before in the Senate. Mr.. Rhett
made brief rejoindcr and said that he had
been member Of the church for twenty
years and that he liked the good opinion of
his fellow man but he liked the laws and
love of his God infinitely more and that he
therefore could not adopt the policy of re-
venge that had been uggested-whch was
declaration that he would not attempt to
hold Clemens responsible in the usual way
for the offensive language. The debate
will be published in n day or two. Now
that the alteration is over, and the re-
result developed, it would certainly have
been more prudent in Mr.. Rhctt, not to
have noticed the personalities of Mr.. Gle
mems, if he had his mind made up not to
hold him responsible for personal insult
Enough however of this topic.
The Committee on Public Lands have re-
ported various bills making donation of
lands to the States along the lines of Rail
Roads to aid in their construction They pro-
pose to give alternate sections of the public,
lands for six miles on both sides of the road,
and the remaining sections arc to be raised
in price fromSl,2 as to $3.50 per acre, so that
the donation vii! really not reduce the reve-
nues of the Treasury from the sale of the
Public Lands farthing, and there can be no
doubt that in the West and Southwest,
where facilities for getting to Market are
limited, tnat the government lands will more
readily sell for $3.50 per acre after the rail
roads are finished than for SI,25 per acre
without any rail road. The donation will
greatly benefit the New States in developing
their resources, and as II will not impoverish
the treasury at all, nor injurc the old States
the bills will most likely pass. Mr.. Calhoun
was a strong advocate Of the system during
his life time, and his lynx-eye would have de-
tected the wrong or injustice Of it of the old
States if it existed.
We have had winter cf unusual severi-
ty, but the weather now is beautiful, bracing
and balmy.
Mr.. Clay's health has improved but he is
yet far from being well. LANCASTER.
For the Lcdger.l
TrihnkA ~ u nsuank