The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-04-30

" huot SCSotOus III INVOT Oh MI.
Van Surens Recommendation for an indie
pendent treasury and federal hard mon.
ey currency. This speech was delivered
the 18th of February, and was strictly mr..
gumeniatire and parliamentary, aud Who'll.
" confined to its subject. Four days
thcreafter Mr.. Clay answered il; and.
although ready nj an extemporaneous
speech, be had the merit, when time per
nitie,i, Of considering well both the mat.
ter and the words Of what he Intended TO
deliver. ,.-.a t..,.... n.
On this occasion he had had annie
time; for the speech Of MI. Calhoun could
not be essentially different from the one
lie delivered on the same subject at the
extra session; and the personal act which
had excited his resentment was of the
same date. There had been six months
for preparation, and fully had pre- para,iop
been made. The whole speech bore the
impress Of careful elaboration, and espe.
cially the last pSr,-foy il consisted OF tw,
distinct parts-,he first, argumenta,:Ye.
and addressed TO the measure before the
Senate; and was in fact, as well as in
name, reply. The second part was an
attack, under the name Of a rcply, and
WAS addressed 10 the personal conduct Of
Mr. Calhoun, reproaching him with his
iesertion. (as twas called and tauu,ing
him with the company he had got into
taking care TO remind him Of his own for.
mer sad account Of that company; and
then, launching into wider field. he
threw up to him all the imputed political
delinquencies Of his liz. for near twenty
years-skirping none from 1910 down to
the extra session; although he himself
had been in close political friendship with
tins alleged delinquent during the create,
part Of that long time.
Mr.. CaltoLn saw mt once the ADVANTAGE
which this general and sweeping assault,
put into his hands. Had the attack been
confined to the II ere circumstance of quit.
ting one side and joining the other, i,
might have been treated ms a mere per
sonnlity, and either left unnoticed, or the
account settled at once with somc ready
words Of retort and justification, But
going beyond the act which gave the Of.
fenee--beyond the cause Of resentment,
which was recent, and arrsigning mem
Der on tie events nf almost quarter Of a
century Of public life, he went beyond the
limits Of tho occasion, and gave Mr.. Cal.
houn the opportunity Of explaining, or Jus
tifying, or excusing ~! hat had ever been
objected 10 him; and that with sympathy
IN the audience with which attack forever
invests the rights Of defence. lie saw his
advantage, and avai.ed himself of it,
Though prompt at reply, lie chose to
make none in hurry. A pause cnsucd
Mr.. Clay's conclusion. every one dcferring
to Mr.. Calhoun's right to reply. lie took
the floor, but it was only TO say that he
would reply, at hi. leisure, to the Senator
fiom Kentucky. ........
tie dill IeIy, and at his own good time,
which was at the end Of twenty days; and
in way TO show that he had /" smelt the
lamp" not Of Demadcs, but Of De,nos,ke-
mes. during that time. II Was profoundly
meditated, and elsboratcly composed; the
matter solid and condensed; tie style
ehas,e, terse and vigorous: the sarcasm
cutting; and every word Bearing upon
the ol ject in view. II was a mastery
oration, and, like Mr.. Clay's speech, diyii.
ed into two parts; but the second part
seemed only to occupy his feeiiSas, aud
bring forth words from the heart rs well
~ from the head. And veil il might !
He was speaking not for life, bu, for char.
acter! and defending public character, in
the conduct which makes il, and on high
points Of policy, which belonged to history,
Ssessnding Il before posteri,y and the pres
ent age, impersonaied in the American
Senate, before which he stood. and 10
whom he appealed as Judges while isyok
ing ~ witnesses. he had a hich coca.
sion. and he felt il; high tribunal 10
pIead, before, and he rejoiced in il; q high
accuser and he defed him; a high stake
to contend for; his own reputa,ion-a
paapfully, earnestly and powerfully did he
defend it. He had high example both
IN HE ora'ory, aud the analocies Of the
occasion, before him; and we'll had he
looked into the example. happened to
know that in this time he refreshed his
reading ofihs Grafton on the Crown and,
"a the delivery of his speech showed, not
Without profit. Besides its general caste,
which was good isaaation, there were
passages Of vigor and terseness--of a
power and simplicity--which would recall
the recollection Of that master piece Of
oratory Of the world. There were points
VI analogy in the cases rs well rs IN the
spesehes; sAsk csse being that Of one
eminent stsiesnaa accusing apoti.er, aud
before q national tribunal and upon the
events OF public life. More happy than
the A,henisn orator. iLs Amesican states
man bad no Sbsl impa,asioss 10 ssei.--
D'ie!eatfsom Aschioes and iemcs,Lsaes,
both himself and NJ. Clay s,ood above
the imPntstion OF cossapa as.ios Or mo.
tive. fthey had faaIts--apd wkat puh-
lie man is without th<n fhsy wess the
faults OF lofty natares. not ofscslM so,.I. :
aod they looked H. the konon u ths;s
country--not iss plunder--for their fani
reward.
nsFheu Ne. Calhoep finished. Mr.. Clay