The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-01-13


meeting Greek in the arena. As the eye
falls on the familiar scene of the combat,
with its pent up walls, its high, narrow
dome, its slender, circular gallery, its Curl
ously variegated pillars, one fancies he hears
the sonorous eloquence of the great Ken
tuckian, resounding through the chamber
and reEerberating along the passages leading
to the forum while the vigorous logic and
defiant tones of the bold Missourian seem to
smite upon the ear. The field where the
opposing forces were marshalled, and the at
tack made and repulsed-the very spots
where the leaders in the struggle stood-the
seats on which they rested in the pauses of
the fight-all these remain unchanged. But
the chief combatants! Where are they?
Clay, Benton, Calhoun, Webster, Clayton,
Grundy, Wright, Woodbury., Forsyth, Clay
ton, Holmes? Gone mot from the Senate
only, but from the earth. And jackson and
Biddle, whose names were rallying cries for
hostile parties, wrangling like Shylock and
Antonio over "the rates of usance" where
are they now?
In his Annual Message of 1885, the Presi-
dent charged the Abolitionists with circu-
lating publications calculated to stimulate
the slaves to instruction, and produce all
the horrors of servile war. A bill to
arrest the passage through the mails of
newspapers, letters, and pictorials hostile to
slavery was introduced by Calhoun, and af-
ter debate ordered to third reading by the
casting vote of Van Buren,. On its final
passage Buchanan, Tallmadge and Wright
voted for it; Clay, Crittenden and Benton
against it. The attempt to legalize mail rob-
berry failed Signal retribution eventually
overlook the four Northern men who sus-
tanned it. Tallmadge was discarded by his
party within TIVE years the Slave Power
spurned Van Buren, in 1874, and decapitated
Wright in 1916; and Buchanan has been
spared to witness the Pennsylvania and Hi
nos elections of 1858.
A financial struggle, not unlike the Bank
war convulsed the first session of Congress
under Van Buren's administration. In this
contest over the Independent Treasury, the
Senate was the principal scene of conflict,
and the leading combatants were mainly
the same as in the Bank war. Sprague,
Woodbury., Clayton, Frelinghuysen, For
syth, and Ewing-all rare dabaters-had
left, and Pierce, VIM. Allen, r. II. Bayard,
and @. H Smith, had entered Calhoun
had kissed hands with his rival, and Tall
madge sat with the Opposition. In this
debate-protracted into the regular session
CLAY and Webster vigorously attacked Cal
houn, charging him with deserving his allies.
Calhoun admitted that he had ceased to act
with the Wings but repealed with keen Sc
verify the charge that he had either changed
his opinions or deserted his principles. The
Independent Treasury, borne through four
sessions on the broad shoulders of Silas
Wright, finally became a law in June, 1910.
As to the other proceedings of the Senate
during Mr.. Van Burens Administration are
they not chroncled in the "Thirty Years
View, with copious illustrations from the
speeches of the author?
General Harrison summoned an extra ses-
sion of Congress to givepeace to the country
The kindly old man had not learned that
the greatest of all disturbers of the public
peace is Congress itself. When it met Har
rison was in his grave, and Tyler sat in the
White House. Webster, Preston, Davis, anG
Grundy had retired from the Senate; Wood
bury, Mangum, and BARREN had re-entereC
it; and the most distinguished new member
were Evans Choate, Archer, and Sim
mOnds.
Clay led off with a series of old-fashioned
Wing measures, including National Bank
The Bank bill passed. The Senate gallarie
applauded. The President vetoed it. Tn,
reading of the veto was Missed by the Senat
gallaries. A scene ensued in the center o
which figured Benton, shouting for the ar
rest of the " bank ruffians." Clay was i'm
perious. Tyler was implacable. The Cabi
net dissolved. Congress adjourned. TIL
country was in a turmoil. The Wing
quarreled with the President all through hi
administration, and were only able to Goa.
out of him one genuine Wing measure-th
tariff of 1912.
Towards the close OF his term Tyler mad
Calhoun Secretary of State in order that h
might annex Texas to the Union. He con
cluded treaty of annexation in 1874. 1t
ratification was resisted in the Senate
Benton spoke three days against it, " kille
it stone dead, sir; yes, sir, stone dead, sir.
Near the heel of the next session, joint reso
lutions of anne xation were carried throug
both Houses after gallant resistance. TIL
fraudulent scheme was consummated on til
last day of Tylers administration, by q jug
Cling collision between him and Polk, wol
thy Of a couple of Sixth Ward politicians
Thus this measure, full of calamities q
Pandora's box, was opened and closed
another settlement" of the slavery que!
ton, just quarter of century after til
first.
In the earlier years of Folks Admins
tration great changes occurred in the men
bershIp of the Senate. Crittenden-secon
only to Clay in the predatory strife of e!
temporaneous debate-flled his chair. b.
chanan and Walker took seats in the Cab
net. Woodbury. ascending the Bench mad
vacant by the death of the learned Story
Choate returned to the profession he love
so well, there to scatter rhetorical jewe
with a prodigal hand. Tallmadge, Rive
Archer, Mangum, McDuflie, Berrien, Kin
and Linn also retirid from the chamb
where they had so often displayed the
stores of learning and eloquence. But t
great void thus created was filled durii
Folks term, partly by the return of We
ster, Calhoun and Clayton to the field
their greatest achievements, and partly
the entrance into the chamber of sever
new members, some of whom have sin
occupied Il large space in the public eye.
We give in this connection the names
Cass, Dickinson, Corwin, Douglas, Dix, Ha
Reverdy johnson, jeff. Davis, H. S. Foo
Hunter, Rusk, Houston, Cameron, Haml
Mason, Bell Badger, Butler, Bright a
Atchison.