Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-04-23


Wee quote the following from the debate in the
Senate yesterday, as reported in the Globe;
Mr. MASGuM. desire again to throw myself
on the indulgence of the Senate for the space OF
hye minutes. When a man begins to speak OF
himself, he generally becomes garrulous and oc-
cuples a good deal of time; but ! viii be very
short Mr. President--I will limit myself 10 five
minutes.
The President, 1t requires unanimous con-
sent.
Several Senators. Go on.
MT MANouM. a newspaper was placed in my
hands by friend yesterday paper that am
not accustomed to read-n which I find a
violent, unjustfable, and most atrociously iniu-
rious personal assault made upon me- Here |
Mr.. Mangum read letter signed An Eve on
the Capitol" in the New York Express and an
editorial in the same paper.
| do not notice these communications when
they proceed from the usual organs of communi-
cation; but when there is internal evidence that
they proceed from a higher official quarter, may
feel myself called on, as l now do to stigmatize
their falsehood, and brand their mendacity as
they deserve, and to fix the burning brand upon
the mendacious and sycophantic calumniator. In
this letter to the New York Express | am charged
with coalition with the Senator from New York,
formed at "supper parties and municipalities;
the rewards of which coalition is to bring high
Offices to the "high contracting parties" and
their friends, respectively. Sir, every charge of
coalition, preconcert, or agreement with that
Senator, on any public question, pronounce to
be unqualifedly and absolutely false. We are
understood to agree on the Presidential question
On that l have not been detected, for ! stand
now where | stood four years ago, as my col
league (Mr. Badger well knows, and will be
ready to verify on all proper occasions.
The author Of the letter undertakes to assign
- ls..l
&c.--and yet is somewhat at fault to designate
it. The only one named is indivisible, notwith-
standing two gentlemen are named for it. The
terms of the coalition are snguarly inexplicit
and indefinite. The calumniator is at fault--not
in his dirty trade, but as to the stipulatons con-
| tanned in the coalition.
| Another is still more serious it represents me
in the light of venality, rs having been selected
in 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, as is well known to the Sen
ator from Kentucky, (Mr Underwood) who
nominated me in n caucus Of the Wings of the
Senate as chairman, as he likewise did Of the
Congressional caucus which passed on both &C.
casons without dissent, and was done upon his
own motion, and without consultation las l pre-
sume) with any one
New York, and estimate of his talents, he has
as little influence on my opinions and my actions
as any one in this body; and think he would
| verify that, rs matter of opinion, upon oath,
| if required. Laughter. Sir, with regard to
the charge of venality, / may say that have had
the honor of occupying for several years the high
seat which you now so worthiy and ably fill !;
and the last act Of this body on my retirement
! look upon as the proudest honor ever conferred
| m wa he nfa IF fha
Senate-with majority in politics adverse to
| me, and when one director could have arrested
| the proceeding-to give me the amount Of salary
fixed by law for o Vice President elected by the
people. | supposed the gentleman who observed
my course here for years, saw nothing like vena
ity or conscious partially; otherwise, such
suit 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 insinuations here pro-
nounoe to be-in the aggregate and in detail in
| the whole and in every part-and do it under
every responsibility, moral and otherwise, that a
gentleman can assume-utterly and absolutely
false and unfounded, 50 far rs they affect my
honor or my integrity. The insidious and skulE-
ing editorial, designed to screen the malignant
miscreant, speaks of an occasional correspondent =!
who has been here buta part Of the acmter Other
wise he might have had other impressions The
skulking hypocrite The base, cut-throat ca
lumniator!
| Sir, | have in my own mind no sort Of doubt
about the authorship. | have recently heard n
speech in this Chamber, not from Senator be-
tween which and portions of the letter to the
Express there is remarkable identity Of senti-
ment, identity Of language, and singular identity
or coincidence in minute turns of phraseology
Ii 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,
unproyoked, deliberate and deliberated false
hood. so far as am able to do so; and IL the
author can think OF anything las doubtless he
can in his vocaton) that will more strongly and
pointedly express contempt and contumely on my
part, he has, by these presents, a carte blanche
from me to write it, and print ii, too, in the Ex-
press, always with the reservation that he is
neither to make me say or insinuate that in my
opinion the author any essential element of true
gentleman. A halfway medicant 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 object of pity
for I" his poverty and not his will consents"
| But when some freak of fortune shall throw an
| editor into high official position, and he shall
affect the lofty airs of brilliant court, and ma
jestically roll in his splendid coach through the
broad avenues of the capital Of the Union-his
official position serving rs n passport to refined
and virtuous, and the highest and most polished
circles of society, il is always to be depored TO
find him devoid of the principles, the sentiments
and the feelings Of gentlemen-and when this
passport enables him to find his way TO private
supper or dinner parties" and we find him
prowing about for the means Of picking up cal
umny, and SANDERS, or facts, as the case may he,
in the way Of his vocation, to minister TO the
rabid appettes Of his press or Express, and thus
abusing the Inequalities in which he unworthily
participates he is a fit subject to be kicked out