Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-04-24
The Debaters in the Senate.

cd thot the Senators from Vermont have hon.
-.
oiau'e '"'o
The great debate on the Iccompton Constr
tuition, which has just closed III congress, is one
on the most marked ana ape III our history.
The fate OF an Administration ana OF a great
party, anu tne peace oi inc country nave oeeh
involved III us results. NilllohS nave caSeil!
watched lts phases ana the appearance OF a SIN
glc new champion IN the cohiict mas pceh ,ush-
eu over inc wires anu everywhere receieeu WIN
eXciteu interest Inc ueDate mas oeeh iolio"eu
IN inc lower Rouse ny the luilest vote ever cast
III that BODY
Inc taient anu lcelihS ol uoth houses haNc
been brought our 10 an extraordinary uegree'
D1t II IS IN tie SENATE that We nave seen tne
iulest eNnlp.tLoh Oh power we nave PUNISH
eu seNeral VI Wv spoVo"os' eng vi 'heSe ous
iV"uetN nav ""''u, P''o'" UuSN'
lof' vi VT; 0e""'u was mS,hSu .! Sle". eiapor1
auon' uispia!lns u VEN VI ooIu moue!a.ion AN
i9.tf presciencc oi coming even.s, va. nav
enei'c' ui unusu"i ueS'ee y. '''o"'.?" non a.
SiusS' iuc rum 1u'"'I!.i II sVu'roilui s'nH
anu ~ ScN".o,"l pe"l"s VI poNeiioI nam
moiu' VI Sou'n N1rolll,a, nu,e oocn i,,iuii iess
no,ceu' ihc Sounu Srunchta'Ion anu ,chcitous
ulcVoh Oh inc .>eS'or oi 'he oenate' WI O,H-
uoiuch, "cIc noNcl iioIe u'S'nV.E "spla!uu
nloie no"rtni "PPtVoi''.u: ~ uies.
was 'i"t spun. u 10Y! P"iI'S"n nv gov VI
generous SeH'i.nc,t 70 "hlch 'ne 'V''''oi i.1m
h'Ut4cN! Is whey ana S.hc'rviE hohoreu' NJ
HouS"'s never eNcItcu lh'nsen 80 powerfully
any never eN"ioi'cu nrII VI tnu' 's3rouS ( iuSP
anu Vi"SV Iv"'hoi' VI III S"'JcVt "i"'h o""-
uc'ciiNe VI M e'oI''' y y GlsPi"!.u n'orc
IeSouIeeS "o'n III "Ns"ai' ~ uo'v"So' wa" On
,he various occasions III "nnch inc discussion
ororsh, '"' " hS icc,' me senators from
4hllllt ltNt utlulfl MUCH 10 inc IlMtI anu IUN
interest OF ,he ueoa'c inc strong regal argu-
mehlS ui VII: fesSehutn ana the warm ana
hcart! sincerity Oh hr' iami pelnS poth con-
splcuouS aiu e"ecuNe' MI feSSehden ohmore
"iii ON usl"H occaSIon, was e>peclaii! aunlf-
ape. III ms contest WIN Jeh' Davis, ana IN
WV uiSn'iicu anu determined manner IN "hlch
ne ied the opposition during the memorable
night session, he displayed the courage of Il
fearless man and the bearing of a model Sena-
tor. Mr.. benjamin, of Louisiana, illustrated
his acknowledged legal ability in a speech of
great ingennit, and research delivered in pc
RODS of harmonious language, with a manner
both gentle and feryid. and in a voice silyery
as Il woman's. The Senators from Virginia new
cr showed To more advantage. The argument
of Mason was original and strikinglv able and
compact. Mr. Hunter flowed forth in one of
his best efforts. marked by great moderation of
tone. all the strength of argument his case adj
mitted. and a great beauty of rhetoric. New
Hampshire was represented in a manner of
which that State may be proud. Mr.. Hale
made. very early in the debate. one of his most
effective speeches. The light artillery of his
wit did ali its usual service. while the solid col
umns of his logic were singularlv successful in
dcmolishing the opDosinr forces against which
he launched them. Mr. Hale may be truly
said to have torn down the argument of the
majority of the Supreme Cour, in the bred
Scott case. brick by brick. and to have scatter
cd the ruins. His colleague distinguished him
self in a maiden speech OF great length and M
usual variety. overturning the positions of Mr..
Benjamin AS to the COMMON law respecting Sla-
verl. as thoroughly MS Mr.. Hale did the dicta
ofthc Court. Vermont too threw n prea, weight
of metal into this contest. Mr.. Foot was clear
energetic, ana emphatic. Mr.. Coiiamer backed
ms mastery report by a speech equally master
~ IN "hlch the qualities OF both Judge and adj
!ocatc were eNhlbited IN a combination as strik-
ing as II is unusual. In clcarness' in cogency,
IN logical uirectheSS ana force Mr., Collamer's
EFFORTS are not eNceiieu' Massachusetts was
represented by a man OF the people, sprung di-
re,ctly from her soil. lie amply justified her
ciolce IN ms thorough knowledge and torcible
statement OF the views She sent HIM to eX,pound
ana ueiehu' Little Rhode Island could not
nave louhd Il Deter man To represent her con-
servat'e frec.Sol sentiment than Mr.. Sim
mons though not belonging especially to the
distinctive school that ioundud the Republican
party MrSeimmons Is one of its sincere mem
nerS; MS speech though less elaborate than
one nc has lately made upon the financial state
o.! the country was marked ny nl that midi
'idHaiity OF thousht ana expression, and all that
Keen mother w.t. breadth OF view, and unequiv-
ocaI-lorcc OF mlhd that characterize all he ut
tiers North Carolina has neither a Badger nor
Il .lansum on the moor OF the Senate and her
voice was unheard but IN a faint echo OF others
thunder 'onneSticut had two Young hut earn
est advocates; Delaware poke ny the mouth
OF a lawyer VINO never yet ialled to exhibit abll-
n.y. or to ma a reason Tor any course he had
determined To follow. Maryland found but one
OF her Senators ready to speak for her, and he
not her ahleSt representative.
The most powerful debater on the Admins
tration SIDE OF the question, and the man who
carried the argument most tercely into the ranks
OF the opposition was Ioombs OF Georgia. His
hrst speech was a masterpiece OF e~Ntemporane-
Gus discussion. curt IN statement, broad in prir-
ciple, distinct IN view ana powerful IN manner.
Ills last exhibited the pluck and power of a
strong man struggling under a load that was
crushing nm at every step, yet resolute to the
last. Gay OF Alabama and Brown of Mississ-
INN each urged their views with less Of naeginn