Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-08

feelings and bring forth words from the heart well
rs from the head. Aud well 1t might He wns
speaking not for life, but for eharncter and defcnd-
ing public character in the conduct which makes II,
aud on high points of policy, which belonged to bis
ory--deiendiug IL before posterty and the present
age mpcrsonntod in the American Senate, before
which he stood, and to whom he appealed rs judges
while invoking rs witnesses. lie had n high occa-
sion and he felt high tribunal to plead before and
he reloeed In II high aceuser, and he dched him
IA high stake TO contend ior--hs own reputation -
and manfully earnestly and powerfully did he defend
IL. He had high example both In his ofntory, and
the nnaogies of the occasions, before him and well
had he looked into the example. happen to know
that in this time he refreshed his memory of the Ora
ton the Crown and rs the structure OF his speech
showed not without profit In addition OF the gen
eral cast which was good mitntion there were pas
sages Of yigor md tcrscness--of power and sim
peiiy--which would recall tho recollection of that
masterpiece of tho world. There were points of nnal-
ogy in the well In the speeches each case
being that Of eminent statesman accusing nnoth-
or and before national tribunal and upon the events
of apublic life More happy than the Atbcnan ora
tor, the American statesman had no foul mputations
to repel Different from Eschines and Demosthencs,
both himself and Mr.. Clay stood above the impnta-
ton of corrupt action or motive " they Ind fhus
and what public man IL without them they were
the faults of lofty natures, not OF sordd souls and
they looked to the honors of their connlry--not It's
punder-for their fair reward
When Mr. Calhoun finished Mr. Clay instantly
arose, and rejoined-hs reoinder almost entirely di-
rected to tho personal part of the dscussion which
from its beginning had been the absorbing part
Much s,ung by Mr.. Calhoun's reply, who used the
sword as well as the buckler, and with keen edge
upon II, he moro animated aud sarcastic in the
reoinder than In the first attack MIR. Calhoun also
reoined instantly. succession of brief and rapid
reoinders took place between them, (cheily omitted
in this work. which seemed running to affinity, when
Mr. Calhoun satisfied with what he had done pleas
enty put an end to II by saying he saw the Senator
from Kentucky was determined TO have the last word
and he would yield II 10 him. Mr.. Clay In the same
spirit disclaimed that desire, and said no more. And
thus the exciting debate terminated with more court
csy than that with which II had been conducted.
In all contests of this kind there IL feeling of Vi
oated dccorum, which makes each party soicitons TO
appear the defensive and for that purpose to throw
the blame of commencing on the opposite side Even
the that palpably throws the first stone Is yet
anxious TO show il defensive throw, or nj least
provoked by previous wrong Mr. clay had this feel
ing upon linn, and anew that the onus OF making out
II defensive case fell upon him and he lost time In
cndcavorng to establish it. lie placed his defence in
the iorcpar of the attack At the very outset OF the
personal part of his speech he attended to this essen
tia preliminary and found the insfcntion M he he
leycd, in expressions OF Mr. Calhoun IN his
sub-trensury speech and in n couple of passages IN
n letter he had written public oecasion after his
return from the extra sossion-co commonly called the
Edgefcd letter
In the speech he believed he found reproaeh upon
the patriotism of himself and friends in not following
hs MIR Galhoun's) lead in support Of the admin
strntion financial aud currency measures; and in
the letter. impeachment of the integrity aud pnrl-
otsm of himself and friends IL they got into power :
and also nn nvowe that his change of sides was Tor
selfish considerations. The first rcproneh, that Of
lack of patriotism Ia not following Mr.. Calhonn's
lead hc found it hard to locate IN any definite part Ct
the speech aud had To rest it upon general express
sions.
The others those founded upon passages In the let
ter were definitely quoted, and were In these terms
g" could go back and sustain those in such opposi-
tion in whose WISDOM hrmness and patriotism had
no reason 10 conhde' alt was clear, with our joint
forces lWhigs and Nulliicrs) could utterly over
throw aud demosh them but il was not less clear
that the victory would enurc not to nsi but exclusive
" TO the benefit of allies and their cause. -
These passages much commented upon, espe-
chilly in the rcinnders and the whole letter prodnc-
ed he Mr. Calhoun, and the meaning claimed for them
fully stated by him.
In the speeches for and against the crown we see
Demosthenes answering what was not to be found IN
the speech OF Eschnes the same anomnly took place
in the earnest debate, reported between Mr. Clay
and Calhoun. The lottcr answers much which is not
found In the published speech to which he is reply
ing II gave rise to some remark between the speak
ers during the rejoinders Mr. Calhoun said he was
replyinp to the speech spoken. Mr. Clay said it
was printed under his supervison-as much MS TO say
he sanctioned the omissions. The fact is that, with
commentable feeling, he had softened some parts and
omitted others, for that which Is severe enough in
speaking becomes 50 in writing and its omls-
sion or softenng ia taeit reraction, aud honora-
BILE to the cool reflection which condemns what pas
sion or heat had prompted But Mr. Calhoun did
not accept the favor and neither party desiring quar-
ter the one answered what had been dropped, and
the other Reproduced it, with interest In his re
jonders Mr. Clay supplied all that had been omitted
and made additions to il.
This contest between two eminent men, on thea
tire so elevated in which the stake to each was SO
great and in which each did his best conscious that
the eye of the age and posterty was upon him, was
nh event in itself, and in their lives. 1t hbounded
with excmpicatons OF n the different sorts Of ora
tory of which each was master; on side, deela-
nation, impassioncd eloquence vehement invecttVe
tannting sarcasm; ON the other, close reasoning,
chaste narrative, clear statement keen rctort Two
accessories of such contests, descriptions of friend
ships) were missing aud well-the pathetic and the
yirnlent There was no crying or Safeguarding in
it--nothing like the weeping scene between FOX ana
Burke when the heart overiowcd with tenderness Mt
the recollection of formor love now gone forever !
nor like the violent one when the gall, overliowng
with bitterness warned an ancient friend never to
return as a spy to the camp which he had left us
deserter.
There were in the speeches of each remarka-
BILE passages such only actors in the scenes could
furnish and which history will claim. Thus Mr..
Clay gave some inside views Of the concocton OF the
famous Compromise act of 1893 which, so far rs
they CO. correspond with the secret history OF the
same concocton, given in one of the chapters on
that subject in the first volume Of this work. Mr.
Cays speech is also remarkable for the declaration
that the protective system which be so long advoca-
ted was never intended to be permanent that its
ly design was to give temporary encouragement to
infant manufacturers and that it had fulfilled its
mission.
Mr.. Cahoun's speech was also remarkable for adj
hitting the power and the expedicncy of incidental
protection, as it called and on this ground he
justified his support of the tariff of lSl6--so much
objected against him. lie also gave his history of
the compromise of 1888, attributing it to the eica
cy of notification and of the military attitude of
South Carolina: which broughtupon him the relent-
less sarcasm of Mr. Clay, and occasioned his expana-
tion Of his support of national bank in 1916. He
WAS chnrman of the committee which reported the