Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-11
THE SENATORIAL OFFICE.

never was, am not now and never shall be candi-
date for the Presidency. have enough Of 1t to
form decided opinion that for there is position
In this country less desirable shall be content with
the seat in the Senate Of the United States which the
kind paraty of friends in my native State has assign
ed to me- Indeed would exchange it for any other
under the Government.
The above is an extract of letter written by Mr..
CLAYTON of Delaware, in reply to Mr.. KING, Of Wash
ington who seems to have suggested that Mr. G. might
be selected candidate for the Presidency by the
American party The sentiment Of the paragraph is just
what might have been expected from gentleman Of Mr.
CLAYroSs acute and discriminating mind and large ex-
perence in civil life He entered the Senate the day
Gen. Jackson inaugurated as President twenty
years last March, and since that time he cannot have
served less than eighteen years in the body. He has
never gone out except by resignation, showing that he
might have remained in the Senate, had he elected
from the period Of his original entrance up to the pre-
sent day. n
somewhat careful observation Of the working of the
governmental machine has led the conclusion that
the Senate the great theatre for the display Of intel
ectua powers and that cultivation which enables their
possessor to WELD them with the most signal effect
Formerly it had great advantage in this respect
the House Of Representatives but since the adoption OF
the hour rule necessated by the growing propensity to
make long speeches. debate in the proper of the
term rarely takes place in the body and the style Of
tory has deteroraed to such degree that the set efforts
of the most intellectual fail to produce much impress
sion the country. In the Senate the contrary,
where the number Of members is but little more than
onefourh that in the other representative chamber and
the desire for oratorca display is reasonable and mode
rate, not only the prepared speeches of ee-
waited description but the running debates which often
spring up instead of being personal discussions,
often present the finest specimens of parliamentary eo
quence and exhibit great fertility of resource, profound
statesmanship, and thorough knowledge Of the con-
dition and wants Of the country.
The influence Of an able and experienced Senator in
directing the policy Of the Government, and thus IN
shaping the destiny of the country, must have
been very generally observed 1t will be within the
collection Of many readers that the which Mr..
BENTON might take in the Senate upon the then pending
Oregon question in 1916 subject of much greater
socitude the country than that Of President PoL
was felt that his voice in his place would have far
powerful influence the settlement Of the controversy
than the wishes or action of the Executive branch Of the
Government and the President himself hesitated and
doubted apparently afraid to act decidedly until the in
tentions of the Senate had been indicated by Mr.
The great speech of the Senator virtually settled
the question 1t removed all doubt of its amcahle ad
usment quieted the popular mind, previously much ex-
paved the way for cordial acquescence in abandon
ment Of extreme pretensons dangerously asserted
in Congress and out.-BuGalo Commercial Adurnsr