The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-09-07
HENRY CLAY.
A Renaissance Of the Kentucky States.
man.

| faculty of imitation and personation of his
political opponents, that excited admira-
ton of all who heard him. He undertook
to paint scene that occurred the night
previous in the White House. Mr.. Tyler's
veto of the Bank bill aroused strong feel
ing of mitigation among portion of the
inhabitants of Washington, and consid-
cradle number of the malcontents collected
at the Executive Mansion to express their
feelings by opprobrious remarks and other
evidences of disapprobation and disgust.
1t so happened that on the same night of
this disorderly and insulting demonstration
number of Democratic Senators made a
complimentary visit to the President to
had rendered in arresting the bank char
ter. A resolution of inquiry into the dis
turbances at the White House was moved
in the Senate, and Mr.. Clay, ingeniously
and mischievously confouuding the riotous
proceedings of the mob with the visit of
the Democratic Senators, gave graphic
and most amusing account of the affair,
putting into the mouths of the visitors, and
several Senators who were not present,
characteristic and appropriate addresses to
the President. 1t was new role for Mr..
Clay. In harsh, scathing ridicule he was
always effective, and no man excelled him
in vehement denunciation or unsparinS
vituperation. But he had not keen sense
of the ludicrous, nor was he generally hap
DIV in humorous allusion or fanciful illus
tration. One of the harpiest hits of his
life was ON the occasion referred to. The
resolution of inquiry, offered byMr. Wood
bury, was before the Senate. Mr.. Clay
said. in substance, that if any such pro-
ceedings did occur, they were certainly
very wrong. The Chief Magistrate, who
ever he may be, should be treated with
becoming respect, if not for his personal
character, on account of the exalted office
he holds. He had read with great plea
sure the acts and resolutions of an early
meeting held by the orderly and respecta-
BILE citizens of Washington in Reproduction
of those disturbances. But if the resolu-
ton had been adopted, lie had intended to
move the appointment of select commit
tee, the Senator from New Hampshire for
chairman, to be composed of a majority of
his political friends. And for this reason:
he had heard that about eight or nine
o'clock that same night there was an irrup-
IF ho
Locofoco party in Congress. and he had
been inclined to suspect that the alleged
disorders might have grown out of that
fact, He understood that the whole party
was there, and no spectacle, he was sure,
could have been more amusing or ridicu-
lous. If he could have been in position
to witness that extraordinary reunion, he
should have had an enjoyment which no
dramatic performance could communicate.
He could almost fancy that he could then
see the principal dramatis person who fig
ured in the scene. There stood the grave
and distinguished Senator from South Car
Dina
Mr.. Calhoun instantly rose and insisted
upon explaining, saying he was not there,
but Mr.. Clay refused to yield the floor.
The Senator must excuse him. 1t was
necessary to his picture that the distin-
guished gentleman should have been pres
ent. With his permission, he was there.
Tall, care. worn, with furrowed brow, hag-
gard, intently gazing, looking as if he were
Analysing the last abstraction that sprung
from metaphysican's brain, he muttered
to himself, ''This is indeed is crisis
Then there was the Senator from Ala
bama (Mr. King.
81 was there, Mr.. President" interject-
ed Mr.. King.
No doubt of it, said Mr.. Clay. The Sen
ator was standing upright. and gracefully
regarding the scene as if he were prepared
to settle the latest disputed question of
ORDER Not far off stood the honorable
Senators from Arkansas and Missouri
The latter, throwing scornful glance at
the Senator from South Carolina, exclaim-
ed, He statesman! why, he never in
vented humbug"
Mr.. Benton said, 81 was not there"
Mr.. Clay, accepting the denial of MIR.
Benton, proceeded:-He stood corrected.
He was only imagining what the Senator
from Missouri would have said If he had
been there Then there stood the Senator
from Georgia Mr.. Cuthbert]. debating in
his mind how he should make his next
attack upon the Senator from Kentucky.
The honorable Senator from Pennsylvania
[Mr. Buchanan was undoubtedly the
spokesman of his whole party. Mr.. Clay
said he could not pretend to initiate the
gentleman's well-known eloquence, but he
must make humble essay towards the
kind of speech which he might have been
expected to deliver:-
May it please your Excellency:-A
number of your present political friends,
late your political opponents, in company
with myself, have come to deposit at your
Excellency's feet the evidences of our 10y
atty and devotion, and they have done me
the honor to make me the organ of their
sentiments and feelings. We are here
more particularly to present to your Excel
lency our grateful and most cordial con-
CALCULATIONS on your rescne of the country
from fragrant and alarming violation of
the Constitution by the creation of Bank
of the United States, and also our pro-
found Acknowledgements Tor the veto by
which you have illustrated the wisdom of
your administration, and so greatly hon
ored yourself. And we would dwell partic
ularly on the unanswerable reasons and
cocert arguments with which the nOtitica-
ton of the act to the Legislature had been
accompanied. We had been ourselves
struggling for days and weeks to arrest the
passage of the bill, and to prevent the crea-
ton of the monster to which it gives birth.
We had expended all our logic, exerted all
our ability, employed all our eloquence;
but in spite of our utmost efforts, the
friends of your Excellency in the Senate
and House of Representatives proved too
strong for US. And we have now come to
thank you for beating your own friends