St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-08-21

ed to know that in this time he re-
freshed his reading of the Grafton on
the Crown; and, as the delivery of his
speech showed, not without profit. Be-
sides its general cast, which was a
good imitation, there were passages
of vigor and terseness-of power
and simplicity-which would recall
the recollection of that masterpiece of
the oratory of the world. There were
points Of analogy in the cases as well
as in the speeches, each case being
that of one eminent statesman acus-
ing another, and before national tri-
bunal, and upon the events of pub
lie life. More happy than the Atheni-
an orator, the American statesman
had no foul imputations to repel. DIFF
ferent from Eschines and Demosthe-
mes, both himself and Mr.. Clay stood
above the imputation of corrupt ac-
ton or motive. If they had faults
and what public man is without them !?
they were the faults of lofty ma
tures-not of sordid souls and they
looked to the honors of their country
not its plunder-for their fair re-
ward.
When Mr.. Calhoun finished, Mr..
Clay instantly arose, and rejoined-
his rejoinder almost entirely directed
to the personal part of the discussion,
which from it's beginning had been
the absorbing part. Much stung by
Mr.. Calhoun's reply, who used the
sword as well as the buckler, and
with keen edge upon it, he was
more animated and sarcastic in the
rejoinder than in the first attack
Mr.. Calhoun also rejoined instantly.
A succession of brief and rapid rejoin-
ders took place between them (chiefy
omitted in this work) }, which seemed
running to infinity, when Mr.. Calhoun,
satisfied with what he had done, pleas
antly put an end to it by saying, he
saw the Senator from Kentucky was
determined to have the last word !;
and he would yield it to him. Mr..
Clay in the same spirit disclaimed
that desire, and said no more. And
thus the exciting debate terminated
with more courtesy than that with
which it had been conducted.
In all contests of this kind there is
feeling of violated decorum, which
makes each party solicitous to appear
on the defensive, and for that purpose
to throw the blame of commencing on
the opposite side. Even the one that
palpably throws the first stone is yet
anxious to show that it was defen-
sive throw /; or at least provoked by
previous wrong. Mr. Clay had this
feeling upon him, and knew that the
onus of making out defensive case
fell upon him and he lost no time in
endeavoring to establish it. He
placed his defence in the forepart of
the attack. At the very outset of the
personal part Of his speech he attended
to this essential preliminary, and
found the justification, as he believed,
in some expressions Of Mr.. Calhoun in
his sub-treasury speech and in a
couple of passages in letter he had
written on public occasion, after his
return from the extra session-com-
monty called the Edgefield letter.
In the speech, he believed he found
a reproach upon the patriotism of him.
self and friends in not following his
(Mr. Calhoun's) "lead" in support of
the administration financial and cur
rency measures and in the letter, an
impeachment of the integrity and pat
riotism of himself and friends if they
got into power and also an avowal
that his change of sides was for sell
fish considerations. The first re-
proach, that Of lack of patriotism in
not following Mr.. Calhoun's lead, he
found it hard to locate in any definite
part of the speech, and had to rest it
upon general expressions.
The others, those founded upon pas
sages in the letter, were definitely
quoted, and were in these terms "I
could not back and sustain those in
such opposition in whose wisdom,
firmness and patriotism / had no rea-
son to confide. p" 1t was clear, with
our joint forces (Whigs and nulli6ers, J
we could utterly overthrow and de-
molish them: but it was not less clear
that the victory would enure, not to
us, but exclusively to the benefit of
our allies and their cause" These
passages were much commented upon,
especially in the rejoinders and the
whole letter produced by 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 has not been found in the speech
of Eschines the same anomaly took
place in this earnest debate, as repor-
ted between Mr.. Clay and Mr. Calhoun.
The latter answers much that is not
found in the published speech to
which he is replying. 1t gave rise to
some remark between the speakers
during the rejoinders. Mr.. Calhoun
said he was replying to the speech as
spoken. Mr.. Clay said it was printed
under his supervision-as much as to
say he sanctioned the omissions. The
fact is that, with commenda BILE
feeling, he had softened some parts
and omitted others !; for that which is
II