New-York tribune., 1879-05-20
MIR. BLAINE AGGRESSIVE.

WASHINGTON Nav 19.-The announcement that
Senator Blaine would make a speech in the Senate
to-day was as usual sufficient to till the galleries
and the floor of the Senate with most intelligent
and attentive audience.
Mr. Blaine seemed to have set for himself the task
of correcting numerous historic errors which have
been developed during the debate In the Senate, and
upon which the Democrats have been building their
claims tor the confidence of the public. In this
Effort his marvellous acquaintance with the details
of American political history. or the faculty which
makes II possible for him to refer at just the right
moment to any fact which opponent may attempt
TO misapply, was given full opportunity for exer-
else.
The Senator first turned his attention to Senator
Eaton. and vindicated the memory of Daniel Web
ster from the charge made by Senator Eaton that
he had been at heart believer in the doctrine OF
the sovereignty of the States. Mr.. Eaton, 1t will
be remembered, was forced to admit in his speech
of last week that Mr.. Webster had never termed
the Union confederacy of States; but he at the
same time and at great length made an argu-
ment intended to prove that while the words had
not been used, there was In Mr.. WebsteT's public
utterances and writings ample evidence that MIR.
Webster was in his latest years States Rights man.
Mr. Blaine spent nearly an hour In reading short ex-
tracts from the authentic writings and speeches of
Daniel Webster, and commenting upon them in
fons and inferences of Mr.. Eaton, were found to
form as complete refutation from the pen and lips
Of Mr.. Webster himself as If he had framed the
words In reply to those OF the Senator from Connec-
ticut Mr.. Blaine also showed that the source from
which Mr. Eaton had obtained his information,
namely. q book written by Alexander II. Stephens,
entitled 1.-THE War Between the States" was as
untrustworthy as 1t was mischievous. Referring TO
the same book Mr.. Blaine showed where Mr..
Stephens had mado garbled quotations from the
writings Of Mr.. Webster in order to prove that the
latter had become q convert to States Rights
theories whereas IN every case there was IN direct
connection With the passages quoted by Mr..
Stephens, full evidence that Mr.. Webster's views
were the exact reverse Of those attributed to HIM.
There was probably not q person in the large au-
dence who listened to Mr.. Blaine who remained
unconvinced that both Mr.. Stephens and Mr.
Eaton had, for purposes of their own, knowingly
Inisinterpreted the words of the great Massachu-
Betts statesman.
Mr.. Blaines attack upon the States Rights doc
trine advocated so earnestly by Senator Eaton,
was equally successful. He quoted from the
opinions of the trainers and earlier expounders ofthe
Constitution the most convincing proof that they
acted not for the States but for the people The Sem
ator laid much stress upon this point, and brought
out with great dlstnctness the fact that the Const-
tuition of the United States is, like those Of the
several States, an instrument made for all time, and
not dependent in any respect upon the will or caprice
of the States Of the Union. This was perhaps the
most important feature Of bis speech. He showed
that while there were delegates in the Constitu-
tional Convention which met IN Philadelphia in
1857 who believed in the perpetuatiOn of the
sovereignty of the States it had existed previous
TO that time yet the majority of the delegates were
inspired by a spirit which was directly the reverse;
and the very first action taken by the convention
was the adoption of q resolution expressly
renouncing the compact or confederation
under which the Government had previously
been conducted, and declaring that they were as
sembled to establish National form of govern
ment. This resolution, although afterward ver-
bally amended remained in force in all ITS essential
features during the convention.
Mr.. Eaton made an attempt to deny the correct
ness of this assertion but he fully met by the
proofs produced by Mr.. Blaine. In dealing with the
question of the Presidents proportion of the legis
lative powers of the Government, Mir. Eaton was
able to make one or two pointed and apt Tejoinders
10 the arguments adduccd to him by Mr.. Blaine
and upon this point the battle must be considered as
somewhat ndecsive. There no question as TO the
Presidents power to veto, but whether this power
constituted any portion OF the legislative
power of the Government or not, there Is judging
from this debate alone, room for a difference OF
opinion.
Mr.. Blaine then turned his attention to the
speech made last week by Senator Hill and pro-
duced the records of the convention of Georgia
which passed the ordinance of secession, showing
that Mr. HILL himself voted for that ordinance,
This awkward record of the Georgia Senator was
fully brought out in a Washington letter published
in The TRIBUNE Of this morning Senator Hlli Is
absent in Georgia, having departed Che same even
ing on which his speech was delivered. Mr. Blaine
thoroughly exposed the hypocrisy of the honorable
Senator from Georgia. He read from Mr.. HIPS
speech letters quoted in it aud written by MI Hill
himself. one just before the Georgia Convention,
wherein he declared that he would consent to the
dissolution of the Union as he would TO the death
Of his father, and another written Just after the
convention in which Mr. Hill described the deep
gloom in which his spirits plunged by reason
Of the result of that convention. 1t was at this
point that Nj. Blaine brought in the record OF
The vote upon the ordinance Of secession.
The next attack was upon the record of the De-
mOcracy of Delaware about the loyalty of whom
the country has heard so much within the last few
weeks. The effort was directed to yindcatiOn both
OF Nr. Lincoln and of General Schenck, who acted
IN accordance with the Presidents orders, in the
course adopted with regard 10 elections in Deia-
ware. In doing this Mr.. Blaine brought out the
TACT that Delaware was In the carly part OF the war
twaTmlng with secessiOnsts.
This brought Mr. Bayard 10 his feet and in a
short but impassioned speech he defended the honor
ana dloyalty of hls state Ihe senator manifested
qeep feeling. aud seemed determined to believe as
uld Dir. Salisbury Saturday last. that some IN
suit was intended toward the good people OF Della
ware.
sensitive, but that he Mr. Blaine) was deal |
.ng with facts aud did not intend to be turned
aside by any sentimentalIty which might be enter
talned by the Senator. He then quoted measure |
Introduced into the Legislature OF Delaware by |
Seha'0r bayarPs father and which was passed. |