Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-05-04
Clay and Calhoun.

In Ills speccn on the 10th ult., before the
Richmond Convention, Ex-Governor Wise
thus apostrophiscs Henry Clay and John c.
Calhoun:
Oh, my God, sir, I could weep! I can
not look at you without seeing near you those
two sculptured figures in contrast i wish
could speak of Henry Clay as | want to speak
OF HIM, without being misunderstood. l
knew him, and knew him we'll. He has gone,
and | would say nothing of him but what is
good: And there is one good thing can say
OF him, and when | look ut that marble am
reminded of it. Ho WAS game, he was in
domitable, he was upiftcd, and his stcppinps
were stately steppings. He, that mighty
compromise, until he won exalted fame, and
the name Of the Great Pacfcator." lien
ry Clay, invoke your shade. If YOU had
life now and were standing in this hall on
your native soil, Henry Clay, invoke your
shade to know what would be your oxclama-
tion, your apostrophc of compromise Alas
Alas +! alas the word has crumblcd into
|, ruins like tho ship of State, for which lie Ia
bored in vain.
And IN contrast with that of Henry Clay,
another image rises before my mind, distinct
and indelible as marbc-Thc image of
John z. Calhoun, of that man who was ambi-
tlons above other men, who sought the Presi-
dent as Newton sought an obscrvatory-hc
did not want it without his tclcscopc-that
man, of whom Georgian has said, that he
was like Michael Angeles dome in tho Hcay
ems, without the scaffolding of thought The
other day, when South Carolinan was plead
ing at this bar, referred to that marble image,
looked at the stern, severe, unbcnding, un-
yielding countcnancc, and my manhood gave
way and wcpt to think of him. He was
prophet, and moro than prophet. Hc fore
told the events, in the midst of which VIC are
now to live. He knew the use of words he
knew t!iat words were not shadows but Things.
The giant contest, the more than Gladintoral
struggles which took place between these two
men, between whose marble images you and
sir, sit here today, furnish in one sense
type Of the national crisis in which YOU and
| alc this day involved. And now the pen
OF the present is to record an answer to the
question, an indelible answer. Whose ef
forts have told on the side of error, and whose
efforts have told on the side of truth? From
one camo hopeful effort to save by compro:
misc; the other stcrnly told you to stand by
your rights lis the only staunch, stern, immo-
vablc position that would save YOU
THE QUESTION The correspondence be-
tween the Southern Commissioners and Mr..
Seward, published in another column, pre-
sents the real issue. The North claims the
right to govern the South. They have the
ority-conscquen the powcr-and of
course, tho right to rule us They will lis.
ten to no argument, they will hear no PROPOSE.
ton for treaty or adjustment. We must sub
init, without Il word said After submission.
they may condesccnd to hear our petitions
and entreatics! This is the extent of our
libcrties-of the liberties of the people of the
sovereign Commonwealth of Virginia of the
State that gave birth to Washington /! of tho
State, which was the first to prociaim Inde.
pendence on this continent We arc not fit to
| govern ourselvcs-wc must be governed by
Yankees Can any Nirginian hear such dc.
claration without making his blood boil?
The Commissioners animadvort in fitting
terms on the trickcry and insincerity, which
they experienced from tho shabby set lat Wash.
ington. They are not the only persons who
have been treated to the same dish by the
same parties. The conservatives in this State
know a thing or two a.out Seward now.
We suppose that there mover was Govern
mcnt on earth, in tho hands of such set of
unprincipled, mean, selfish, double. dealing
scoundrels. Not particle of confidence car
bo safely reposed in any thing thoy say
They look upon Government as an engino 70,
deception and all whom they can, overreach
as Legitimate victims. They may be brave
men; but if they arc, it will be tho first time
in history that trickstors and liars wore enti
tied to tho appcllation.
] R'cnmond (Ya.) 1ya,g.