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

prompted. but Mr.. CalnOun dld not
accept the favor: and, neither party
desiring quarter, the one answered
what had been dropt, and the other re-
produced it with interest. In his re-
joinders, Mr.. Clay supplied all that had
been omitted-and made additions to-
it.
This contest between two eminent
men, on theater so elevated, in which
the stake to each was so great, andin
which each did his best, conscious that
the eye Of the age and of posterity
were upon him, was an event in itself,
and in their lives. It abounded with
exemplifcations of all the different
sorts of oratory Of which each was
master +; on one side-declamation,
impassioned eloquence, vehement in
vectivc, taunting sarcasm on the 9th
er-close reasoning, chaste narrative,
clear statement, keen retort. Two
accessories of such contests (disrup-
tion of friendship, were missing, and
well-the pathetic and the virulent.
There was no crying or blaekguarding
in it-nothing like the weeping scene
between Fox and Burke, when the
heart overAowed with tenderness at
the recollection of former love, now
gone forever nor like the virulent one
when the gall overfowing with bit
terness, warned an ancient friend
never to return as spy to the camp
which he had left as deserter.
There were in the speeches of each
some remarkaple passages, such only
as actors in the scenes could furnish,
and which history will claim. Thus ::
Mr.. Clay gave some inside views of
the concoction of the famous Compro--
mise act of 1888 which, so far as they
go, correspond with the secret hist6-
ry Of the same concoction, as given in
one of the chapters on that subject'in
the first volume of this work. Mr..
Clay's speech is also remarkable for
the declaration that the protective
system, which he so long advocated,
was never intended to be permanent
that it's only design was to give tenn
porary encouragement to infant man.
ufactures and that it had fulfilled it's
mission.
Mr.. Calhoun's speech was also re-
markable for admitting the power
and the expediency of incidental pro-
lection, as it was called and on this
ground he justified his support of the
tariff of lS16-so much objected
against him. He also gave his histo-
ry of the compromise of 1888, attribu-
ting it to the efficacy of notification
and of the military attitude of South
Carolina : which brought upon him
the relentless sarcasm of Mr.. Clay,
and occasioned his explanation of his
support of national bank in 1916.
He was chairman of the committee
which reported the charter for that
bank, and gave it the support which
carried it through with which he was
reproached after he became opposed
to the bank. He explained the cir
cumstances under which he gave that
support such as l have often heard
him state in conversation ; and which
always appeared to me to be sufficient
to exempt him from reproach.
At the same time, (and what is but
little known, he had the merit of op-
posing, and probably of defeating, q
far more dangerous bank-one of fifty
millions equivalent to one hundred
and twenty millions now,) and found
ed almost wholly upon United States
stocks-imposingly recommended. to
Congress by the then Secretary Of the
Treasury, Mr.. Alexander J. Dallas
The analytical mind of Mr.. Calhoun,
then one of the youngest members, i'm
mediately solved this monster propo-
sition into it's constituent elements.
and his power Of generalization and
condensation enabled him to express
it's character in two words-lending
our credit to the bank for nothing,
and borrowing it back at six per cent.
interest. ~
AS an alternative, and not as
choice, he supported the national bank
that was charted, after twice defeat
ing the monster bank of fifty millions
founded on paper for that monster
was twice presented to Congress, and
twice repulsed. The last time it came
as currency measure-as bank to
create national currency and as
such was referred to select commit
tee on national currency, Of which Mr..
Calhoun was chairman. He opposed
it, and fell into the support Of the
bank which was chartered. Strange
that in this search for national bank,
the currency Of the constitution seem.
ed to enter no ene's head. The revi-
val Of the gold; currency was never
suggested: and in that oblivion of
gold, and still hunting substitute in
paper, the men who put down the first
national bank did their work lessef-
fectually than those who put down
the second one.
The speech of each Of these senators.
so far as they constitute the personai
part Of the debate, will be given in
chapter of it's own: the reioinders,
being brief, prompt, and responsive
each to the other, will be put together
in another chapter. The speeches Of
each having been carefully prepared
and elaborated, may be considered as