Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1857-09-26
From the Virginia Sentinel.
A RcmIneSccHcc-cIHy and CALHOUN.
DID HENRY CLAY SWEAR?

| NHTleStOn MeTCHFY, speaking OF LIdT-
per's 4Naaaziae for April, says:
II note in the Editors Drawer"
among a variety of interesting anecdotes,
one OF a passage between Mr. Clay and
Calhoun, in which little verbal inaccu-
racy occurs, which somewhat lessons the
effect Of the latter's retOrt. When Mr..
Clay said, "The gentleman has gone over
to the enemy" he continued, "and leave
it to time to discl0se his mOtire :" the an.
swer of Mr. Calhoun, as we remember it,
was-"Cnfortunately for the Senator of
kentucky, when lie went over to the en-
emy, he did not leave it to time to dis
close Ills motive"
"Thc imphlsive speech of Mr.. Clay on
receiving this rctort, has been omitted by
the editor lie said, SOtt0 rOce, but suffi-
ciently loud for those Immediately about
him, striking his bosom at the same time,
"A clear hit, by -" 1t was, indeed,
one of the most exquisite of retorts-the
most happy, as so prompt, SO clean, so
entirely within the parliamentary propri-
cties-n0thing coarse, rude vulgar-but
Il graceful thrust Of his polished rapier,
casting off the cnemy's foil, and following
up the advantage by direct thrust into
the BOSOM"
The writer of these lines, then a youth,
had the privilege Of hearing, in 1887, the
debate referred to in the above, and it
has ever since been one of his most vivid
recollections. Too ardent and incxpcri-
enccd then to realize how men could hold
opinions contrary to those he had been
taught to consider orthodox, Henry Clay
was to him the impcrsonatiOn of evil
And John [. Calhoun, just then coming
again to the Democratic party, OH the
sub-trcasury question, he had long since
seen placarded in Blair's paper, the Wash
ington Gt0be, by which all good Demo-
crafts were then expected to square their
faith-as John CatoliAe Calhoun. Such
were the prcconccived prejudiccs with
which the writer listened to that remark
able debate between these two orators.-
At it's conclusion his prejudiccs were
gone to the winds, and he felt thrill of
pride that the councils Of his country
were dignificd and guided by such bril-
liant geniuSes and magnificent men.
The struggle between the two cham.
pions was no holiday paStime. The blows
exchanged were such as only giants could
give, and such as only giants could with
stand. The contest was like that desert
bed by Milton between the supcrhuman
spirits, who pluckcd up hills for missiles,
but found even such weapons unavailing.
Mr.. Clay led off in speech that we thO't
must inevitably crush Mr.. Calhoun. lie
spoke of the contest which for years Mr..
Calhoun and himself had, side by side,
been waging against the "usurpations" OF
that extraordinary man." General Jack
son. lie told how the ''boding fancicS"
of ''my quondam friend" could in the va
rious stages Of that struggle see nothing
but gloom in the future-nothing but trc-
mcndous and faStcoming disaster to the
country. The blows which he struck
were, in consequence, given with the en-
crgy of despair, rather than the anima-
ton of hope. lie, Mr.. Clay, had prefer
red to look upon the brighter side of
things. He had even sought in their ma
ny interviews and consultations, to admin
lister comfort to his gallant comrade in
arns-but. like Rachel of old, he refused
to be comforted. Kind fortunes, howev-
cr, had smiled upon their good cause
The battle was bravely fought. The VIC
tory was already won, and was in their
grasp. The patriotic heart was beating
high; rcjoicings began to swell up all
over the land. The consummation long
labored for had been almost reachcd.-
Executive usurpation was under the frown
of an indignant pcople-and the country
was almost safe.
Where now was his gallant friend from
South Carolina? Where was he in this
moment of triumph, when few more
brave efforts would have finished the
work in which for years he had been
toiling? Was he exchanging congratu-
lations with his comrades =: Was he
cheering on his followers! Alas, no -
Instead of the proud battlc-cry which he
was wont to utter, suddenly he sounded
retreat In that auspicious, long-pray-
ed for, that critical moment, he called to
his legions, and bade them retreat from
the field Aye, more he-bade them fol-
low him to the enemy!
He, Mr.. Clay, heard the news with
deep alarm. He we'll knew the comman-
ding and the deserved influence of the
gentleman. He knew the multitudes
that followed him as faithfully as ever
clan followed chieftain, and he tremblcd
lest the weakened ranks of the Wing
army should no longer be able to cope
with the disciplined and strengthened
forces of the administration. He had
waited, therefore, with much anxiety, to
see the extent of the detection. The roll
ing of the retreat drum finally ceased =
the dust raised by the retiring squadrons
cleared away-thc company led off by
the gentleman from South Carolina be-
came visible. "Iic himself, sir, constitu-
ted horse, foot and Dragons! In the
language Of his late opponent. but now
his most distinguished ally, (Col. Benton)
'hc went over SOi-i-tdry and ALONE He
went over, sir, and left it to postcrity to
discover his motives"
Mr.. Clay then took up Mr. Calhoun's
Edge Hill letter, wherein he assigned the
reasons for his change of party relations
one of which was that none of tlfe advan-
tagcs of victory to the Wings would inurc
to the benefit Of the Statesrights wing Of
the alliance. Mr.. Clay had thought, he
said, that the Senator had been actuated
by pure patriotism, that looked only to
the averting of great evils to the country,
and not to the Spoils of O.ff.i-c-e!- the
"fruits of victory" 1t had been left to
the gentleman in the face of oil his lofty
proteStations to proclaim a motive OF
which otherwise he would never have
dared 10 suspect him.
Mr.. Clay spoke at much length and
| In-ith ornOf dnliharation fhronOhnnt HE