Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-23
EvERETTs CONTRIBUTION.
Ben: Perley Poore's "Reminiscences o
the Contest

Ben: Perley Po0re's "Reminiscences OF
the Contest
Edward Everett's confirmation by the
Senate in lS4l was an example OF the bit
ter sectional feeling that had then begun
to exist. Harrison had been elected Pres
tdent, receiving 234 electoral votes against
60 for Van Buren,, aud he was inaugu-
rated on the 4th of March. But he died
on the 4th Of April following, and John
Tyler became President, retaining Daniel
Webster as Secretary OF State. and nomi-
mating, when Congress met in extra ses-
sion, Mr.. Everett as Minister 20 England.
as had been agreed upon before the death
CT Gen. Harrison. MIR. Everett had al
ways been very conservative" but he
had, when candidate for the guhernatO-
rial chair of Massachusetts. expressed the
opinion. IN answer to letter. that Con-
gress had the power TO abolish slavery in
the District of Columbia. This was
made the pretext by the Democrats 10 de-
feat the nomination and thus retain An
drew Stevenson father OF the late Sena-
tor from Kentucky NJ the court of St.
James. The Wing party mad majority.
hut the Democrats Thought that if they
could brand Mr. Everett as an abolition
ist no Southern Wing would dare TO vote
for him.
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
tionS, majority Of which We're Wings
reported in favor of Mr.. Everett confirm
alton, but Senator William il. King, who
was a member Of the committee, made q
minority report, IN which ne took the
ground that it would be dangerous to the
peculiar institution" to have the coun-
try represented by an abOlitionist, when
there was already strong anti-slavery
feeling in England. The nomination was
placed on the calendar with the adverse
minority report.
That night Senator Morehead, of Ken
lucky, conhdentially informed Thurlow
Weed, OF the Albany EUeRiUd journal.
then at Washington as correspondent
tor his paper, what was going on in exc
cutive session, and said that even Mr..
Clay, while he advocated the confrma-
ton, would only give a silent vote tor it,.
Mr.. Weed declared that this would never
do, and at once set about checkmating
the opposition 10 Mr.. Everett by commu-
nicatiOns in the Baltimore Patriot. which
came back to Washington in season, and
by personal appeals TO Mr.. CLAW. Rufus
Choate, then Senator from Massachu-
sets, was also very active among the
Wing Senators, and before the nomination
was reached for action the Southern
Wings saw it would be suicidal for them
to be made tools of by the Democrats.
Archer, Of Virginia, and Preston, OF
South Carolina, alone persisted in their
opposition.
When the nomination came up in the
Senate, James Buchanan took the lead in
opposing Mr.. Everett, and was followed
by AlT. King, who repeated the arguments
used in his minority report, and cOncud-
ed his bitter remarks by saying that if a
q n no In xriav 20
the interests Of the South. and so destruc-
tive TO its institutions, was confirmed for
this important position, the Union must
and would be dissolved.
Henry Clay, who had walked up and
down the space behind the chair of the
presiding officer. listened attentiYely to
Mr.. Kings philippe, sprang to his desk
at its conclusion, and added, pointing his
index finger at Mr.. King:
''And l tell you, Mr.. President, that If
a gentleman so prominently qualified
for the post of Minister should be rejected
by this Senate, and for the reasons given
by the Senator from Alabama, that this
Union is dissolved already"
A somewhat heated debate ensued,
which was closed by Mr.. lay, who, after
having reviewed the arguments against
Mr.. Everett. said, in his imperial way:
''These arguments, Mr.. President, all
verge to one centre, which is that MIR. Ev-
erett is opposed to the system of negro
slavery on principle. So are all the best
men of New England. So are many of
the best men of the South. So am l, Mr..
President, although [ am an owner of
slaves!1
When vote was reached, the nomina-
ton OF Mir. Everett was confirmed by a
vote Of % yeas against 10 nays. Messrs.
Clayton OF Delaware and Merrick Of
Maryland, Rives of Virginia, Mangum
and Graham of North Carolina, Berrien
of Georgia, and Clay and Morehead OF
Kentucky, all Southern Wings. voted
nav, while Bayard of Delaware, Kerr OF
Maryland, Barrow of Louisiana and Hen
derson of Mississippi, also Southern
Wings, lodged in Difference to Southern
opinion. Not Democratic vote was cast
for Mr.. Everett, and there we're six Dem
Ocratic absentees, one Of them Franklin
Pierce, of New Hampshire, and another
Judge NicolsOn OF Tennessee.