Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-07-22
"A Scene in the Senate ofthe u s

|
| bill was taken up.
Mr.. Wade called the attention of the Senate 10
the report in the Globe Of Mr. tlayton's speech
| of last week on this bill. In the speech as pub
| lshed we're words which he did not think had
been spoken The Senator was represented as
speaking in reply to certain Senators who were
not named, as having uttered speeches dispar-
aging of American citizens; and rs discrimina-
| ting in favor of foreigners.
The Senator from Iowa had asked the Senator
TO name the Senator who had spoken. The
! Senator from Delaware reported saying;
The Senators from New York and Ohio VIII
not oat their words SO soon think"
lie wished now to understand if the Senator
| from Delaware meant by the remarks as publish
ed to insinuate he (Wade) had spoken disparag
ingy of American born ctizensl II the Senator
intends 10 insinuhte that he tlNade) had said
anything in dsparagement of American citizens
If body said that he had done So he assert
ed that which silly il was false and
malaeions He would like the Senator TO say il
he was to be understood making such an as
sertion. He paused for u reply
Mr.. Clayton. | will answer when you get
through.
Mr.. Wade resumed by saying that he had said
nothing which could be tortured into n dispar
agement of American citizens. lie believed that
nobody but the Senator supposed that he had
done so. lie had said that the public lands
were the property of the American Government.
and that no American citizen could demand as
right any portion of it graiuitously, more than a
foreigner could. He said that, as matter Of
right the foreigner could demand portion oft
a. well as the native. Tint neither had any le-
gal right to it. He had further oontended that
If il was 10 be given away, he saw no reason TO
discriminate against foreigners when by laws
heretofore no discrimination was made against
them. Heretofore foreigners by paying down
the money, could take the public lands well
as natives; in changing that policy to gift land
he saw no justice in discriminating against for
eigners
Mr.. Clayton replied. The Senator had been
studying this matter over since last week; aud
had been getting himself under good Roadway
had mid in his stock of water, and TO day the
Senate had witnessed the discharge. The Sena-
tor had said In his speech of last week that ma
tive born Americans had no more right in dis
tribution of public property than the Alien
That declaration he had replied toand had re
buked the Senator for the sentiment. The Sen
ator was sore for the rebuke. lie had replied to
other sentiments equally calculated to disparago
American citizens. Among these sentiments
one That Foreigners had achieved our Ma
tional Independence"
Mr. Wade asked what Senator had said that
Mr. Clayton said he had not said that any Sc
nator had said so. but it wasa statement con
stantly repeated IN over section of the country.
While he gave full credit for all the MD rendered
by foreigners in that contest, he denied as un-
true the statement that onr Independence could
not have been achieved but by the aid of foreign
ers who fought our battles.
Mr.. Wade. | ask the Senator did he in the
Senate use these words:-"Ihe senators from
Ohio and New York will not eat their words SO
soon think
Mr.. Clayton. ! did so substantially. He a
gain said That he had not used them Extensively.
| lie replying to the open declaration of the
Senator, that Americans had no more right to the
public lands than oreigners. lie had rebuked
the Senator for that sentiment and the senator
was now sore under the rebuke.
Mr.. Wade replied warmly. He said that the
remark TO which the Senator referred had been
explained fully at the time and since then. The
senator could look at his speech through, and ne
! challenged him to find single wSrd i'm il dis
paraging to native citizens. He had spoken a
loyalty displuyedby foreigners, but had snid ma
word nany way exalting them above Americans.
The Senator had explained tho matter two or
| three times, but he did not think the explanation
very satisfactory He did not believe the words
published were spoken in the Senate. 1t was n
serious matter to charge man with having spo-
ken disparagingly of American citizens. 1t was
"A matter which he did not feel disposed TO pass
over In silence, and therefore he had drawn the
Senator's attention to il.
Mr.. Clayton said il was u matter of perfect in.
difference to HIM whether the Senator was salts
fed or not. He would say 10 the Senator that ii
he was not already satisfied, he Mr.. CLAYTON was
willing aud ready to give him plenary satisfaction
in any way outside the Senate Chamber. 1t was
said IN debate that foreigners had by their labor
constructed all our roads and canals, and all 9th
or internal improvements. This was n direct re-
Election on American citizens. 1t was dis.
paraging statement, and moreover was not true
lie was an Americaniu heart and soul He be.
longed to no faction. He sought no agrandize.
ment from any party. A few years would clos,
his political career. The last public position he
would ever occupy, was his seat in the Senate
lie regarded it as his highest ambition to oc.
cupy scat in the American Senate When he
heard Senators seeking to cheaper the character
OF American cltizons-when he heard them de,
clare IN the American Senate that in the distri
button of blessings, benefits, and property of the
American Government, the native BIO rn citizen
whose ancestors for centuries have lived on the
soil, Is entitled TO no priority the Hottento
or Turk, he could not but feel that such Il senti-
ment was wrong and required a rebuke. 1t was
unpleasant TO his feelings, and doubtless was to
every American heart to hear such sent inent
uttered. He enved not the heart of that man
who could not see in such statement discrim-
| nation in favor of foreigners.
Mr.. Wade replied He had but a few moments
previously seen the report of the Senator's
| speech. He said he did not believe the Senator
ever uttered in the Seuate the words that 1.-The
Senators from New Y ork and Ohio would not so
soon eat their words" He did not believe the
Senator had spoken the words charging him with
having uttered language dsparaging to Ameri
can citizens. The Senator had never spoken
any OF these things now printed in his speech
! But the Senator had skuked them, and in his
private room had written words in his speech