Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-08
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Senatorial "Reminiscences


Debate between Clay and MIR Calhoun Personal and po
lcal and loading to Expeditions and Nudcations Of ruhc
Conduct, which belongs To history.
From Volume of "rhe Thirty Years Wow" in
the press OF Mossrs. u. Appleton a Co
FoR seven ycnrs past Mr.. Calhoun while ,lisclanl-
ing connection with any party, had acted on leading
measures with the opposition, headed hy Messrs. Clay
aud Webster. Still disehinng amy such connection
he found at the extra session co cooperating with
the Administration. Ills cooperation with the op-
position had given it the victory in many cventfu
contests in that long period his cooperation with
the Van Barren Administration might turn the tide OF
victory Tho loss gain of chief who, in "A near
ly-banced state Of PARTIES could cary victory to the
side which he espousod, M event not To be view
ed without yeNaton by the party which he left. Re-
sentiment was natural side IA gratllinntion
was on the other. The Democratic party had made
no rcproach(l speak OF the debates IN Congress -
when Mr. Calhoun left themi they debated questions
with him US if there had beeu 80 cause Tor personal
complaint.
N5l so with the opposition nov, when the course
Of his transit was reversed aud the same event occur
red 10 themselves They took deeply to heart tins
Withdrawal of one Of their leaders, aud his appear
ance on the other side IT created feeling oi person
nj resentment against Mr.. Calhoun, which had mani
tested itself to several small side-blows a the extra
session and il broke out into systematic attack At the
regular one Some sharp pabsages too place hetween
himself sud Mr. Webster. but not OF kind TO lead To
anything historical He lAr. Webster)was but slight
ly inclined towards that kind OF speaking which min
giles personality with argument, and lessons the
weight OF the adversary argument by reducing the
weight of the speakers character.
Nh. Clay had turn tmt way and, certainly, a
great ability for it, nveetyc mingled with sarcasm
was one of the phases Of bis oratory He was su-
preme at phiiqpic ken in the sense of Demos
themes and Cicero) where the political attack on
public mans measure Was to be enforced aud
heightened by person4 attack on his conduct
lie owed much of his fascinating power over his
hearers 10 the exercise of this talentalways cap
tivating in popular assembly, and nthe gallarics OF
the Senate not much so in the Senate itself a1d
TO him it naturally fell to become the organ OF the
feelings of his party toward Mr.. Calhoun. And very
cordially and carefully and amply did he make prep
aration for it.
The storm had been gathering since September it
burst in February. II had been evidently waiting Tor
an occasion and found it in the first speech OF Mr..
Calhoun Of that session in favor Of Mr. Van 'urcns
recommendations for an independent treasury and n
federal hard money currency. This speech was de-
liyered the 18th OF February, aud was strictly argu-
mentatiye and parliamentary and wholly confined 10
its subject Four days thereafter Mr. Clay answered
IL: and although ready at an extemporaheous speech,
he had the merit when time permitted of considering
well both the matter and the words Of what he in
tended to aelvcr.
On this occasion le had had ample time; for the
speech of Mr. Colhoun could not be essentially differ
ent from the he delivered on the subject at the
extra session and the personal act which had exclt
ed his resentment was Of the same date. There had
been sx months for preparations and fully had prep
aration been made The whole speech bore the i'm
press of careful oaboratiou and especially the last
part for it consisted of two distinct partshe first,
argumcnlatiyc and addressed to the measure before
the Senate and was in fact as well as in name, re-
ply The second part was an attack, under the name
of n reply and addressed to the personal con-
duct of Mr. Calhoun, reproachng him with his deser-
ton las il was called) and taunting him with the
he had uO IutO--takiur to remind nun
of his own former sad account OF that company ana
then launching into wider field, he threw up To MN
all the imputed political delinquencies of his life for
near twenty ycars-skpping none from 1916 down
the extra session; although he himself had been in
close political friendship with this alleged delinquent
during the greater part Of that long time.
Mr. Calhoun saw Mt once the advantage which this
general and sweeping assault put into his hands
Had the attack been confined TO the mere circum-
stance of quitting side and joining the other, 1T
might have been treated as a mere personality, and
either left unnotced, the account settled at once
with some ready words of retort and Justihcaon.-
But in going beyond the act which gave the offence
beyond the cause of resentment which was recent
and arraipning a member on the events OF almost n
quarter of century of public life he went beyond
the limits of the occasion, and gave Mr. Calhoun the
opportunity OF explaining or justfying or excnsing
all that had ever been objected to him and that
with the sympathy to the audience with which at
tack forever invests the rights of defence He saw
his advantage, and avaed himself of it. Though
promnt at a reply, he chose to make none in a hurry
pause ensued Mr. Clay's conclusion, every one de-
ferring to Mr. Calhouns right of reply athis leisure
to the Senator from Kentucky.
He did not reply, and at his own good time which
was at the end of twenty days and in way to show
that he had ismelt the lamp" not of Demades but
of Demoshenes, during that time 1t was profound
ly nieditated and deliberately composed; the style
chaste tersc and vigorous the narrative clear the
logic close the sarcasm cutting and every word
bearing upon the object in view 1t was mastery