Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-02-02

addressed to the measure before the Senate
and was in fact, as well as ia name, reply.
The second part was an attack, under the name
Of reply, and was addressed to the personal
conduct Of Mr. Calhoun, reproaching him with
the deserllou, las it was called, } and tauniing
him with the company he had got inio-iaking
care 10 remind him Of his own former sad ac-
count of that company and then, launching
into a wider field, he threw up to him all the
imputed political delinquences Of his life for
near twenty ycars-skippiug none from 1916
down to the extra session although he him
self had been in close political friendship with
this alleged delinquent duriag the greater part
of that long time.
Mr Calhoun saw at once tho advantage which
this general and sweeping assault pot into his
hands Had the attack been confined to the
mere circumstance of quitting one side and
joining the other, it might have been treated As
mere personality and, either eG unnoliced,
or the account settled at once with some ready
words Of rc,ort and Justification. But IN going
beyond the act which gave the oiIence-boyond
the cause of resentment, which was recent, and
arraigning a member on the events Of almost a
quarter Of a century of public life. he went
beyond the limits OF the occasion, aud gave Mr.
Calhoun the opportunity Of explaining, or JUS
tifying, or excusing all that had been objected
to him and that with the sympathy in the au-
dience with which attack for ever invests the
rights Of defence. lie saw his advantage, and
availed himself Of it, Though prompt at
reply, he chose to make none in a hurry. A
pause ensued Mr Clay's conclusion, every one
deferring to Mr. Calhoun's right Of reply. lie
stock the floor, but it was only to say that he
would reply at his leisure to the senator from
Kentucky.
He did reply, and at his own good time,
which was at the end Of twenty DAYS and in
way TO show thai he had ''smel the lamp"
not Of Demades, but Of Demosthenes. during
that time. 1t was profoundly medilaied and
eaboraiely composed the matter solid and con
densed the style chasie, ierso and vigorous
the narrative clear the logic close the sar-
casm cutting and every word bearing upon
the object in view. 1t was mastery grafton.
and like Mr. Clay's speech, divided into two
parts but the second part only seemed to oc-
cupy his feelings, and bring forth words from
the heart well as from the head And well
It might lie was speaking, not for life, but
for character and defending public character.
IN the conduct which makes 1t, and on high
points Of policy, which belonged To history
defending it before posieriiy and the present
ace imner,onate1 in tbo Ao,.,ic,, So,s,. ho
fore which he stood ana IN ,,lor, A., .r,a,t,l
,s ;ndees vlils invoLi,, a. ,y;,oo,... IT,
had biob occa.;,, All no c,l, La
,ribur,I IN nle,d bec,ro ood l,s rat,ioo1 j., !,
bigb accser and no d.qcd KIM. l;rh
stake IN con,,nd Cor his oyn r.,,,,,;on an,I
fend il. lie had a high examine both in ora
tory. and the analories of the occasion. before
him and well had he looked into tia, exam
ple. h,ppened to know tba, in this time he
refreshed his reading of the Grafton of the
Crown and. as the delivery of his speech
showed. not without profit. Besides its general
cast. which was good imitation. there were
passages of A yieor aud terseness-of power
and simplicity-which would recall the recol-
lection of tha, masterpiece of tho oratorv 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 accusing
another, and before a naiional tribunal, and up
on The events of public life. More happy
than the Athenian orator, the American siales-
man had no foul imputalions 10 repel. Differ
ent from Rschines and Demosihenes, both him
self and Mr. Clay stood above the imputaton of
corrupt action or motive. II they had faults
and what public man is without them -
they were the faults of lofty nalures-noi Of
sordd souls; and they looked to the honors of
their couniry-not its punder-for their fair
reward.
When Mr. Calhoun finished, Mr. Clay Instant
ly arose, and rejoined-his rejoinder almost en-
tirely directed to the personal part of the dis
cusson, which, from its beginning, had been
the absorbing part Much siung by Mr. Cal
houn's reply, who used the sword as well as
the buckler, aud with keen edge upon it, he
was more animated aud sarcastic in the rejoin-
der than in the first attack. Mr. Calhoun also
rejoined Instantly. A succession of brief and
rapid rejonders took place between them (chei-
ly omitted in the work } which seemed running
TO in6niiy when Mr. Calhoun, satisfied with