The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-26

high contracting pasties,S and thsll fflends re-
spectively. Sir, every charge Of coalition, pre-.
concert, Or agreement with that SENATOR on any
public question, pronounce 10 be unquAli6edly
and absolutely false. We are understood TO
agree on the Presidential quest n. On that
| have not been DETECTED, for stand now where
| stood four years ago, ~ my colleague Dir.
b. DGER we'll knows, and will be ready to
verify on all proper occasions.
The author of the letter undertakes to assign
motives to me--the desire of high office, &c. &c.
and yet is somewhat ut fault to designate it.
The only one named is indvsible, notuithstsnd
ing two gentlemen are named for it. The terms
Of the coalition are singularly inexpcit and in
definite The calumnator is at fault--not in
his dirty trade, but TO the stipulations con-
tanned in the coalition.
Another is still more scrious-it represents
me in the light of venality, as having been
selected in n private caucus--the New York
Senator being present, and prominent person
in ito preside in Congressional caucus, to
rule certain points Of order to suit the views Of
these conspirators. This is equally false, AZ is
well known to the Senator from Kentucky,
Mr.. UNDERWOOD, who nominated me in .
caucus of The Wings of the Senate as chairman,
as he likewise did of the Congressional caucus !;
which passed on both occasions without dissent.
and was done upon his own motion, and with.
out consultation Gas | presume) with any one.
With proper respect for the Senator from
New York, and estimate OF his talents; but he
has as little influence on my opinions and my
actions as any one in this body; and think he
would verify that, MS matter of opinion upon
oath, it required. Laughter. Sir, with re-
gard to the charge Of venaty, may say that
L.,,,, Id IL 81 .,,rin for al
years, the high seat which you now 80 worthily
and ably fill; and the last net Of this body. on
my retirement, look upon as the proudest
honor ever conferred upon me-whch was the
unanimous vote of the Senate--with majority
in politics adverse to me, and when one objector
could have arrested the proceedng--to give me
the amount of salary fixed by law for Vice
President elected by the people. suppose the
gentlemen who observed my course here for
years, saw nothing like venality or conscious
Partially; otherwise such a result could not
have been realized.
These are the material allegations. believe
they have been willingly, Willingly, and wickedly
made, with full knowledge or belief OF their
falsehood, on the part of him who made them !;
and these allegations and insnuations here
pronounce to be---in the aggregate and IN de-
tail, in the whole and in every part--and do 1t
under every responsibility, moral and Other wise,
that gentleman can assume--utterly and abso
lutely false and unfounded, so far as they affect
my honor or my integrity The insidious and
skuking editorial, designed to screen the malig
nant miscreant, speaks of an occasional CORES
pendent who has been here out q part Of The
pnier!- otherwise, he might have had other
impressions. The skulking hypocrite The
base, cut throat calumniator
Sir, have in my own mind no sort OF doubt
about the authorship. | have recently heard
speech in this chamber, not from Senator, be-
tween which and portions Of the letter to the
Express there is remarkable identity of serti-
ment, identity Of language, and singular linden.
tity or coincidence in minute turns of phrase
ology 1t is incredible that both did not proceed
from the same forge which has hitherto turned
out much base, uncurrent coin, and | have
thought proper to notice and brand it with the
stigma of base unprovoked, deliberate and de-
liberated falsehood, so far as am able to do SO !;
and if the author can think Of anything Gas
doubtless he can in his vocation) that will more
strongly and pointedly express contempt and
contumely on my part, he has, by these presents
carte blauche from me to write it, and print it,
too, in the Express, always with the reservation
that he is neither to make me say or nsinuate
that, in my opinion, the author has any essenti.
element of true gentleman. A halfway
mendcant of an editor, who fishes up his dirty
and dependent bread from the filthy pools Of
Islander and calumny, may, in some sort in some
circumstances, be an object of pity, for " his
poverty and not his will consists"
But when some freak of fortune shall throw
mn editor into high official position, and he
shall affect the Hottest airs of brilliant court
and majestically roll in his splendid coach
through the broad avenues Of the capital of the
Union--his official position serving as passport
to refined and virtuous, and the highest and
most polished circles of society, it is always to
be deplored to find him devoid of the principles,
the sentiments, and the feelings of a gentleman
and when this passport enables him to find his
way to "private supper or dinner parties" and
we find him prowling about for the means of
picking up calumny and ISLANDERS or facts, as the
case may be, in the way of his vocation, to
minister TO the rabid appetites of the readers of
his press or Express, and thus abusing the hos
FATALITIES in which he unworlhily participates, he
is a fit subject to be kicked out of every decent
circle, and banished the society of honorable
men. That is my opinion.
| am alleged to have met the Senator at
"dinner and supper parties" where all the mis-
CheI mas Deen cOnCOcIeu, anu inc COalltlCn per-
fected.
Sir, | have met the honorable Senator but
once on n social occasion this session, where all
parties met, Scutherl Rights, Wings, and Dem
ocrats and where an elegant and refined hospi.
tality excluded every debatable and party
matter.
Sir, turn from this subject MS do from its
author, with loathing, contempt, and scorn,
The identity of language, Of sentiment, and
other circumstances, plainly enough indicate the
author. have little doubt he is one of the
editors Of the Cypress. And here pronounce,
under all the responsibilities that can appertan
to me, that he is malicious slanderer, menda
cious caumniator, and devoid of all the essen
tial principles, instincts, and feelings of gen.
tleman---a. man of honor, that editor of the Er
press, | take to be now Il member of the House
Of the Represent atives.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair cannot per
NIT such language. 1t is altogether out of
order.
= Mr.. MANGUM. am aware, sir, that il is
out of order and am done.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
EEIDAv Auril