Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-15

House in 1920 he appointed several different conference
committees and it to be supposed that this eyervgi
liant sentinel the watchtower Of liberty was silent in
active while such sormcloud, charged with ruin, wa
impending over his country? As bold enough
say he opoay opposed the compromise OF 1920 tina
he occupied neutral position at this perilous crisis
his countys history would infer from the charac
ter spirit and temper of the man. in the absence of hi
own and other testimony to that effect that he warmly
| supported it?
Why, sir the gentleman from Kentucky boiled with in
dsnaton at the outrage done to the memory of Mr. Clay
and felt il to be his duty Rsntuckian aud act
justice to Sndicate the fame of great and martyred pa
riot Sir like that gentleman, am Kentuckian, and
am proud of the land of my nativity. Were it in my
power would only make change in this respect. II
had to be born again would be born in Illinois. fGrea
laughter Then, sir, as a Kentuckan, lnoian
American jealous of the honor aud fame of the
tor and statesman who has sgnally illustrated the
mails Of American history, have to his vindcaton
against the unenviabe position in which the gentleman
has placed him. The gentleman paid beautiful tribute
to his high fame and lustrous services have euoges
to pronouncehe needs none it is sufficient only to men
on the Of Henry Clay and leave it in deathess,
uufadpg splendor forever shining on The gentleman
construction would hold up Mr. Clay rather the oppo-
than the advocate Of that restriction which
designed to secure freedom 10 the territory north OF 30
30 in the Louisiana purchases whereas, sir, he the
great mediator who stood between the North and the
South and rallied the friends Of that to Mr.
Webster is to be ascrbed the great merit Of going to the
verge Of Northern sentiment for the sake of eonca-
ton, then to Mr. Clay to be ascbed the greater merit
of going not only to the verge but always in advance Of
Southern sentiment Rather to be right than Presi
DENT unlike most politicians he always sought the post
OF political peril and responsibility and fought with
ly Independence and untaterng courage for his whole
country and the rights OF To use his own language
there was not single pulsaton in his breast which did
not beat high and strong for civil liberty In the same
speech from which the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
EwISG) quoted he says:
~ have said that could for II myself, and
repeat that cam and WILL and earthly power
| 1t does not exist
If Ar. Clay not friend Of the Missouri compro-
mise, then have read history to little purpose then
have been dreamer all my fe history has falsi6ed,
the country has been deluded Mr. Prentice his bogra-
pher the distinguished editor OF the Louisville Journal
mistaken in ascrbng to him the glory of this great
compromise which saved the country from all the horrors
OF internal convusion, anarchy and civil war. can
well rccolect when commenced my political career, Of
holding up, with all the zeal of youthful ardor Mr. Clay
the great paccator who had twice saved the Unon
once in 1920 and again in 1882, when South Carolina
threatened secession represented him then stand
ing between the North and South waving the olive branch
OF peace and saying faction either side Peace be
still But now sir, to be told that, so far from
his being entitled to the sobrque Of the Great Pacacator
in 1920 he did ''not for that compromise, and
" that he had connexon with it, Ah sir, this is the
vindcaon Of the gentleman to pluck away the greenest
in the garland that deckd he brow of this noblest
patriot do not thank him for such gindicntion.
repudiate It, sir repud;ate it in toto. am proud, sir
that mine has been the delightful task to place back
the brow of that nobest Roman of them a the chaplet
of which these gentlemen had dsrobed it. And, sir,
his name shall 60 down to future ages kndng brighter
and brighter along the skies OF time its gores shall be
none the DINNER, it shall shinea the brighter because
of his having dedicated to freedom the broad and beaut
fnl valleys Of the Kansas and Nebraska; ana believe
sir could Mr.. Clay stand before US in all the splen
did proportions of his majestic FORM and clad in all the
panopy of his immortal eoquence he would denounce in
terms of stern and whering rebuke, this adyised Ut
tempt to repeal that sacred compact.
The NIr y
teman from Georgia. and the honorable Senator from IL
nois tell taa the Missouri compromise Of 1920
no compact The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. EwINa
says consequently there compromise, there was
concesson it could not in any fair application Of the
term, be called compromise" The gentleman from
Georgia attacks it with all the technical Of the
lawyer and argues that it lacked all the essential elements
OF compact that the South got considerations that
there were " no contracting parties - there COM
pact about it, The Senator from Illinois in his last speech
in the Senate took the ground He says 81 deny
that it was compact in any form"
Now sir growing wiser than fathers Young
America, with ruthless hand, is obhtcatng all the old
sea r Ta swans and s"
waste TIE anGquated superstructures OF our snPmdd
fathers II the act of 1890 not compromise then,
sir it has lived longer than the gentleman from Kentucky
MR. EwiNG) has lived with misnomer. How did it get
that name? We do not usually call simple low COM
promise Why did Clay; Calhoun Webster and Cass oil
call it compromise if it not such? Why, sir the
moment it passed. and before it passed. it received
that name and its birth was heraded with the ringing of
bells and the firing of and with exultan shouts
joy and gladness Mr. Miles, in his Register publish
ed at Baltimore at that time, March II, 1920 after
| speaking Of its passage, said
The circumstances Of the gave to this law moral
force equal that OF positive prohibition Of the Constitu
ton and do not hazard any thing by saying that the
Constitution exists in its observance. Both parties have
criiced much conca.ion We wish 10 the compact
kept in good faith and that kind Providence will
open the to relieve of an evil which every good citizen
cafe az thn pclrsn of he
have quoted the gentleman from Georgia saying
that this compact that it had of the char
acterstics OF compaet there were contracting par
ties consideration sc. Now. sir, he is very techn-
CAL aud will try him and Senator DOUGLAS by Mr. Clays
test, since they often appeal to Mr. Clay Mr. Clay,
in his speech of July % 1850 in defence Of the compro
| mise acts of 1850, says: ..~
"The honorable Senator from Massachusetts, tMr TIalel
:ays there parties who make compromise viii
the Senator for saying that this remark smells
much of tho techncaty of Backstone No parties Are
there not great conflicting interests conflicting opinions
vadng the whole country Who the parties in that
greatest Of all compromises the Constitution Of the United
Staes There technical parties to that instrument
but in debcrang upon what best for the country and
PerceVing that there and conflicting interests
vadng a It's parts they compromised and settled them by
ample concession and in the spirit Of true patriotic amity
they adjusted these conflicting opinions and the Constitution
under which sit at this moment the work Of their hands,
great memorable magnificent compromise which indi-
Gates to the Of duty when differences arise which
can only be settled by the spirit Of mutual concession
Is not this witherng rebuke to the argument Of these
gentlemen All that claim for the Missouri compro
mise IS that there great conflicting interests and
that there settlement in which both parties
ccded something; Snd that though in strict law it is
pealablc yet in honor good fath and in morals it is
rs much compact as though drawn parchment, un-
der the hands and seals Of the people of the North and
| thn rip htnfN