The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-05-21
CLAY'S REPLY TO CALHOUN.
AGreat Scene in the Senate.
ON Matthews. "Orators and Qratory,,

o.
From Matthews. Orators and Oratory"
Y Proceeding to the Senate, my attention
was at once arrested by voice that seem
ed like the music of the spheres. It came
from the lips of a tall, well-formed man
with wide mouth, a flashing eye, aud
countenance that revealed every thought
within. His voice was one OF extraordi-.
nary compass, melody and power. There
was not one word of rant, not one tone of
vociferation in the very climax of his pas
sion. He spoke deliberately, and his
outpouring of denunciation was as slow
and steady as the tread Of Nemesis. He
gesticulated all over AS he spoke he
stepped backward and forward with effect
and the nodding of his head, hung on a
long neck-his arms, hands, fingers, feet
and even his spectacles and blue handker-.
chief aided him in debate. It was Henry
Clay, engaged in al hand to-hand struggle
with another giant Of the. Senate, John
G.. Calhoun. W .ss.
Clay had Just tainted him with a ru-
NOR that he had left the opposition
ranks, and struck hands with the admin
istrahon. He, Mr.. Clay, '''would like to
know what compromises had been made
between the honorable Senator from
South Carolina and the Undertook fox"
meaning Van Buren,. .sial q Il. ssrs,-4
Calhoun replied emo man ought to
be more tender on the subject Of com
promise than the honorable Senator from
Kentucky" Then abiding to the COM
promise effected by Clay in the nulitica.
ton crisis of 1880, he added "The Sena-,
tor from Kentucky was fiat on his back.
repeat it, sir, the Senator was fiat on his
back and couldn't move. / wrote home
to my friends in South Carolina half
dozen letters, saying that the Senator from
Kentucky 8 was fiat on his back and
couldn't move. ! was his master on that
OCCASION He went to- my school, He
learned of me.''
The two antagonists sat at the extreme
ends Of the semi circular rows, of seats
Calhoun sitting in the front row, on the
Presidents right, clay in the rear row, on
his left. 1.-THE honorable Senator from
South Carolina" said Clay, Essays that
was fat on my back and couldn't move {!
Admirable evidence this in court of
law! First make an assertion, then quote
your own letters to prove it! But the hon
orable Senator says that he was my mas
ter on that occasion!'' As he said this the
speaker advanced down the aisle, directly
in front of Calhoun, and pointing to him
with his quivering fingers, SAID, in tones
in which were concentrated the utmost
scorn and defiance, "He my master! He
my master!'' he continued in louder
tones, with his finger still pointed, and
retreating backward, while his manner
indicated the intensest adherence. Gle
my master!" he third time cried, rails
ing his voice to still higher key, while
retreating backward to the very lobby I;
then suddenly changing his voice from a
trumpet peal to almost a whisper, which
yet was distinctly audible in every nook
and corner of the Senate chamber, he add
ed: "Sir, I would not own him for my
slave" A hush of breathless silence;
then followed a tempest eff applause
which for a while checked all further de-
bate, and came near causing an expulsion
of the spectators from the gallery.