The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-02
MANNERS IN THE U. s. SENATE
Early Day Debate and Personalities. Benton, Foote Clay and Hale.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
 The unfortunate affair in the Senate chamber on Saturday led one of the statesmen present to speak of the some what similar encounter, half a century ago. between Thomas H. Benton of Mis- souri and Henry s. Foote of Mississippi. This incident occurred almost at the close of Benton's thirty years service in the Senate. Neither participant had been specially distinguished for serenity of temper or moderation of language under provocation. For example:
 In the Twenty-second Congress, during debate on General Jackson's veto of the bill rechartering the Bank of the United States. Mir. Benton accused Henry Clay of using indecorous language about the President. This interesting colloquy | ensued:
 MT Clay-There are some peculiar req sons why l should not go to that Senator for my views of decorum. in regard to my bearing toward the Chief Magistrate, and why he is not fit instructor. never had any personal encounter with | the President of the United States. (Ben- ton had been involved in street fight with General Jackson in Nashville in 1Sl3) l never complained of any outrages | on my person committed by him. (Jack- son had struck Benton with horse- whip) l never published any bulletins respecting his private brawls. l lief that if he were elected we should be obliged to legislate with pistols and dirks by our side.
 "Br. Benton-It Is true. sir.' that had | an anray with General Jackson, and that did complain of his conduct. We j fought. sir. and we fought, hope, like men. When the explosion was over there remained no il-will on either side. There is no adjourned question of ve- racity' between me and General Jack son. If there had been, a. gulf would have separated us. as deep as hell.
 MT. Clay-General Jackson made a | ntx NA4 I@a h x.N and he referred to witnesses to prove 1t denied the truth of the charge. He
 called upon his witness to prove it. leave to the country whether that wit. allegation. The witness CMr. Buchanan) Is now on his passage to St. Petersburg
 with a commission in his pocket. (Mr Clay reverted to the dirk-and- pistol re- mark attributed to MT. Benton) Can
 you look me in the face and say you never used that language?
 MT. Benton-I look. sir and repeal l that 1t is an atrocious calumny; and l will pin 1t to him who repeats 1t here.
 MT. Clav-Then declare before the Senate that you said to me the very | words.
 MT. Benton-False! False! False!
 MT. Clay-I fling back the charge of atrocious calumny upon the Senator from | Missouri"
 Sentators interposed between the two | inturiated statesmen and the chair final- | lY secured order In the chamber. The subsequent proceedings were these:
 Mr. Benton-I apologize to the Senate | for the manner in which I have spoken: | but not to the Senator from Kentucky.
 MT. Clay-To the Senate l also offer m apology. To the Senator from Mis- l souri, none"
 As for MT. Foote.. the fire-eater with 1 whom MT. Benton came into physical collision on the floor of the Senate about twenty years after the foregoing incident. his habits of speech were more than 1illmanic. A single instance will suffice. | The Mississippi statesman had been ac- cusing Senator Hale of New Hampshire of being "as guilty as if he had commit- ted highway robbery" in promoting a certain bill which Foote conceived was an attack on the institution of slavery | Turning to Senator Hale he said: | MT FoOte-I invite him to visit Mis- sissippi and l will tell him beforehand, In all honesty that he could not go ten miles Into the interior before he would grace one of the tallest trees of the for est. with a rUpe around his neck. with l the appreciation of every honest and pat riotic citizen; and that, If necessary. ] should myself assist in the operation" l If anybody thinks that the scene of Sat urday so exceptional nowadays indicates a deterioration of manners then let him 1 turn to the earlier records of what has | become the most dignified and courteous | legislative body in the world.