The Hillsborough Recorder

EXTRACTS

From a Speech delivered in the Whig Convention, held at Clayton, Alabama, by Rev. Mr. Carzns, and published at the request of the Convention.

"Having insinuated, sir, that the Temple of Liberty has been shaken to its very base, by the goblin of this thing called Democracy. And who doubts it! Who has forgotten the scenes of 1831-2, when the sound of the bugle drum was heard in Carolina, her plains covered with the armies of Andrew the Great, and her coast lined with his frigates of war. What patriot heart did not beat with painful anxiety, when the issue was suspended on an appeal to Congress? The appeal was made - it was rejected - the genius of democracy reigned within the temple of liberty; and instead of an armistice, the bloody Force Bill was passed. The tocsin of war resounded throughout the capitol, and the armies of the government were commanded to bow 'the traitors' or exterminate them from the home of their fathers. Sir, it was an eventful hour, the old Lion of Democracy howling for the blood of freedom's sons, and the Goddess of Liberty weeping o'er the scene! It was indeed an eventful hour - one full blow, and a conflict ensues which dissolves the Union and spreads revolution through the land. In that eventful moment, the visage of a care-worn majestic being appeared, on whose heart seemed to be suspended the proudest wreath of Liberty and the Union. When to him! a voice as from the ghost of Washington, exclaimed - 'save the Union! 'twas purchased with the tears and blood of your fathers'!!-'Twas CLAY, sir! that matchless statesman, Clay! Bearing in one hand the olive branch of peace, and in the other the sword of truth and of liberty, he approached the altar consecrated to liberty there he laid his offering, and there, with that burning, impassioned eloquence, congruent with his exalted nature - in the name of Heaven, and in the name of the blood-stained spirits who purchased it, he bade the daring sons of democracy sheath their swords and not wreak them in the blood of their brothers. His mandate was obeyed - The old Lion of Democracy crouched in his lair - peace was restored and the Union saved.

Mr. President, my heart returns to the scenes of that eventful hour with emotions unutterable, and when it shall cease to beat with the warmest pulsations of moral approbation for the matchless art in that great drama of my country's liberty, let me receive the execrations of my country, and the curse of my country's God. I said it then, sir, and I say it now, fearless of contradiction, that such an instance of the power of mind over the dark passions of despotism, was never before exhibited to the world. The edict was passed - the blood warrant signed - the old Lion of Democracy grasped it in his paw - but one stroke of that overpowering eloquence, before which, Kings tremble and Despots bow, made the Lion of New Orleans quake on his throne, and restore to the polluted altar of liberty the blood-stained edicts which he had seized with delight. I repeat it sir - such an instance of the power of mind over the daring passions of despotism had never before been exhibited to the world. There was a wreath of civic renown - a halo of immortal glory around the brow of Henry Clay - in that hour, which presented him in bold relief, as the greatest orator, the purest patriot, and the most magnanimous statesman in the universe. Talk of Calhoun, sir, as 'the great Hercules of mind and spirit' - great indeed are the powers of Hercules, but great as Hercules is, the old Lion of Democracy had him bound in cords of hemp - and whetting his bloody fangs, he was ready to tear the terrestrial giant into a thousand atoms. Talk of Webster, ay 'the great master spirit of the age' - great indeed is Webster, but Webster was there sir, and great as Webster is, he had not the heart to approach the open jaws and bloody fangs of the dungeon lion, and bid him stay his wrath. 'Twas reserved for the noble soul of Clay to do the deed, and it was done.

- Mr. President, of no other deed Van Buren that which has excited the admiration of an admiring world, had marked the political career of that illustrious statesman, it is enough to place his name first in the hearts and first in the affections of the Whigs - but sir, his deeds of magnanimity in the council hall of his country - in the cabinet at home - and abroad as an ambassador of liberty, are engraved in the hearts of his countrymen, - and in the bosom of his country -

Mr. President, it is a lamentable fact, that our government for the past ten years has been approaching a despotic monarchy. Our rulers have dared, under the hallowed garb of democracy, to perpetrate deeds in defiance of law, and contrary to the expressed will of the people, which no crowned head in Europe could have done, but at the risk of life. It is time for the people to rise in the majesty of their rights and arrest a spirit which threatens to jeopardize all that is dear to the genius of liberty. I have said sir, that the genius of despotism high under the hallowed name of democracy, pervades our country, originated at the seat of government; and in the incident to which I have referred, do not prove it. There is no despotism on earth, in ton late to recall the past and mourn over the folly of placing in the highest office within the gift of freemen, men of the most despotic principles and notorious revolution. It only remains for us to profit by the past, and adhere more closely to the spirit and precepts of our illustrious ancestors, in the selection of our chief officers. It was said by Washington 'there never was a bad man who had ability or great and good service.' Let this sentiment be engraven in the hearts of Whigs as the criterion by which they are to be governed in the election of their rulers; let it be recorded for posterity, let it be proclaimed to the world, that in the love of this sentiment they hold Mr. Calhoun responsible for his biography of Mr. Van Buren - and in the face of this sentiment they place Mr. Clay as far above those great political assassins, as honesty and consistency are above prevarication and chicanery. Mr. Calhoun told the Whigs, sir, when they were his only friends and when they were determined to see him triumph or be suspended by the same halter with which his neck was threatened. He told us then, sir, that Mr. Van Buren was a bad man; just as bad a Washington assured us was incapable of great and good services. He told us that he was 'the chief adviser of the act which pointed the guns of the Navy at the wharves of Charleston' - that 'he was destitute of honesty as a man, without principle, without patriotism, a man in whose soul a noble manly principle could not exist.' He told us all this, and we believed it; the whole world either believed or could not deny the charge, for his whole life exhibited him as a political weather-cock, turning to every point of the popular breeze, and vacillating for and against every principle of political economy, from the commencement of his political career. That bad man, sir, with all the evidences of his want of honesty and of patriotism, was taken in the arms of Mr. Calhoun as his bosom friend, worthy of his confidence and worthy of the suffrages of the Whigs for the highest office within their gift. Here, sir, was the separation of Mr. Calhoun and the Whigs, except those of South Carolina, who, at the bidding of their illustrious leader, became as suddenly converted as St. Paul on his journey to Damascus; not, however, like the Apostle, from the principles of a false to a righteous faith, but to the faith of Van Buren Democracy, and the science of Van Buren 'TWISTIFICATION,' ay, as my old friend Peter Porcupine calls it. Here sir, I hold the integrity of Mr. Calhoun - here I hold the integrity of the Whigs - let the world decide between us.

But Mr. President, I beg leave to place Mr. Calhoun in the face of another precept of Washington, for Whigs place a high value on all the precepts of that master spirit of liberty. 'No man,' said he, 'ever knowingly employed a bad man but to accomplish some selfish or evil purpose.' Sir, I will cherish this sentiment with my last breath, and I affirm that it has been literally verified by the amalgamation of John C. Calhoun and Martin Van Buren. Such an amalgamation of good and spirit was never before exhibited to the world, nor did it ever enter the mind of the physiologist to conceive a union of converse spirits possible. I grant, sir, there may be circumstances in which a bad man may be employed in a subordinate capacity, but to confide the destiny of such a country as ours, in the hands of such a 'vacillating, designing, cunning fox' as we were assured was the character of Mr. Van Buren, is more than can be attributed to a disinterested purpose. Here, I repeat, I hold Mr. Calhoun; and in presenting his claims in this point of view, I will not detract one item from his merits. I will cheerfully award him all the honor of past deeds; his arduous and meritorious services in the councils of the country; his Herculean powers of mind; his depth of thought; his vast boundless researches; his extensive and accomplished erudition, to which I will add that which constitutes the chief glory and dignity of man - a moral character of the highest order. I will cheerfully award him all this, and ask, why the amalgamation of such a man as his with the 'grovelling weasel' whose soul he assured us was not large enough to contain one noble manly principle? In the name of consistency and moral honesty, I ask, why should a statesman of Mr. Calhoun's exalted character, select such a man to preside over the destiny of his country? Sir, the answer is at hand - Washington was right, it was to accomplish a selfish purpose - Mr. Calhoun had discovered that Mr. Clay was the favorite of the Whigs, that he had either to cease aspiring to the Presidency or seek new friends - and the friends of his 'grovelling weasel' were to become his friends - his friends they have been - and his friends they may continue to be, until Like Van, Van, He becomes a used up man.

So much for his selfish purpose, Mr. President, but what shall we say on the evil purpose which Washington assures us a bad man is ever employed to accomplish. Why sir, that 'bad man Van' was to wage an eternal war against the currency of the United States Bank which Mr. Calhoun assured us but a short time before, was the very best currency in the world,' and which I am happy to say the people now believe to be one of the most sovereign truths he ever uttered. This bad man was to push his conquest against an institution which for forty years had sustained the credit and honor of the nation throughout the commercial world; affording at the same time a currency equal to gold and silver, both for the government and the people, and which currency Mr. Calhoun assured us was torn from the arms of liberty, by 'the daring hand of despotism.' That bad man was to extend his opposition against the currency which Mr. Calhoun assured us had brought the comforts of agriculture, commerce and trade to the door of the poor man's cabin, until that very poor man should be compelled to pay from 20 to 50 per cent more for 'the beam currency' promised him ten years ago, and which has bettered the condition of no other being on earth but the brokers and shavers of this calamitous age. These are some of the real purposes which were commenced and were to be continued by that 'bad man Van,' which have been accomplished by the rotten hearted traitor now in office - which are to be more perfectly accomplished by the election of Mr. Calhoun, and which can be only counteracted by the election of that high souled, illustrious statesman, Henry Clay.

Mr. President, I have inadvertently touched the name of a man who has been the pitiful tool in the hands of Democracy, of accomplishing what Democracy itself could not accomplish. Shameless Traitor! to dare in the name of a Whig, to place his own mighty will, against the will of millions - to dare in the face of his own voluntary pledges to support the measures of the Whigs who elected him, and then to excuse himself for not doing so, because his extremely tender conscience would not permit him to follow the examples of his illustrious predecessors, Washington and Madison. His extremely tender conscience! Sir, he who places his conscience and his patriotism above the conscience and patriotism of Washington, deserves the execrations of his country, and the execrations of his country he will receive. The scenes of distress which his tender conscience has permitted him to produce, are beginning to act upon the people. The thousands and tens of thousands of honest debtors who have been reduced to poverty and wretchedness for the want of a better currency indeed, which his tender conscience would not permit him to sustain, are beginning to tell their tales of woe in peals of vengeful thunder. Ah! how the welkin rung with thrilling plaudits when he commenced the career which has produced so much distress in the land. 'Veto Tyler - Veto Tyler' echoed through the ranks of Democracy from the mountains to the sea, but having now discovered that the measures of Veto Tyler which they so highly applauded are about to rebound on their own heads as the measures of Democracy itself, all is hushed - a death-like silence pervades their ranks, and poor Veto Tyler is doomed to occupy the humble position of the Dutchman's wife - 'Oay Cot, my Ca' - and the Dutchman, I tsb bad tree vives. Dr good one above give me two; but who de dackens give me de tree, I caun-t t-hi; forneidar Cot norde Tevd will bave her.' Now Sir, this is just the position of Veto Tyler - neither Whigs nor Democrats will have him.

But to return to Mr. Calhoun - I should consume too much of the time allotted to this meeting, Mr. President, to pursue the patriot in all his inconsistencies. But hold! what am I talking about? the inconsistencies of Mr. Calhoun! the inconsistencies of the patriot who assures us he never was temporizing - he has uniformly supported the same measures and the same principles; the inconsistency of the patriot who is now associated with Benton, Tappan, Duncan, Van der Poel, Amos, Slos, Levy, Blair, et omne hoc genus, whom he once assured us were 'the most corrupt and unprincipled politicians of the age' - bless the man! consistency is no part of his political creed. Well it may be so, Mr. President, and it may be said by some of the political sceptics of Democracy, that Solomon was wrong to say in the face of Mr. Calhoun's consistency, he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith: and he that upholdeth an evil doer shall be like unto him. It may be possible, sir, that the fingers of Mr. Calhoun had not been the least defiled by the 'pitch and slime of corruption' of which we have been assured the pure soul of his little weasel evil doer was composed; it may be possible that he has imbibed none of the evil notions of that little weasel evil doer of his, since he determined to uphold him in all his evil notions, which he once assured us, were truly evil indeed - it may be possible that the proverb of the wise man has not been verified by Mr. Calhoun's consistency; but, sir, I hold myself responsible to place but one scrip of prophetic truth in contrast with the past and present position of Mr. Calhoun, as one of the many incontrovertible proofs of the truth of the Bible - in the meanwhile, however, I will award the patriot one great honor - the honor of being the greatest prophet of the age, Miller not excepted.

Yes, Mr. President - a great prophet he is; for when the old lion of Democracy seized the treasures of the nation and distributed them to party pets for the special purpose of electing his little weasel evil doer, Mr. Calhoun rose in the Senate Hall of his country and exclaimed with the prescience and moral intrepidity of a prophet of Israel, 'there is a STORM ahead' and I advise the advocates of this despotic measure to look out. The outrageous measures of the administration 'against the bank of the United States will produce the consequence. The people will rise in the majesty of their rights and contend for the currency with which they have prospered beyond parallel as a nation Lion, and without which agriculture, commerce and trade cannot be sustained. Here is his prophecy - these he warned - and however these words will accord with the consistency and patriotism of Mr. Calhoun in now denouncing as a curse to the people the very currency on which the prosperity of agriculture, commerce and trade are suspended. I will not say, but surely place him above all the prophets of the age. That agriculture, commerce and trade have been literally blighted since the destruction of that currency, the world knows - and what mean those dismal murky clouds which are gathering over the head of the great prophet? and those rumbling peals of distant thunder which are filling on the ear of Democrats like the doleful knell of Democracy? Ah! sir, they are the forebodings of that mighty storm of public indignation which John C., the prophet, foretold, in the days of his high-souled integrity, and which alas! alas! is about to burst in all its vengeful fury on the head of the great prophet himself. Every word of his prophecy is about to be fulfilled; the people are about to rise in the majesty of their rights, as he told us, to contend for the currency which spread the comforts of agriculture, commerce and trade through the land. They are only waiting till we unfurl our Banner of 'Clay and the good old currency of Washington and Madison' to the breeze - when we nail that Banner to the mast head of our old ship State Rights, with Clay at the helm and Preston at the bow, I shall have but one fear, Mr. President - not that Mr. Calhoun will then be proved a false prophet - no - or that he will not break as his little weasel evil doer did when he saw the banner of old Tip waving on the pole of liberty - my only fear is, when we announce to the world that our old Ship is about to weigh anchor, and embark for her old Port of Prosperity and Independence with a rich cargo of Old-Nick's Bills for the wants of the Government and the wants of the people, there will be such a rush of the noble fellows who intend to see her safely moored or sunk by the hull, there will not be room enough on the quarter deck to hold them - but Sir, we'll stick the brave fellows on the boom and bowsprit, and yard-arms, and shrouds, and barrier - we'll string them from stem to stern, and then clear away the hatches, and stow them ten deep at the port holes, that all may see how majestically she will mount over the breakers of hard times and Tylerism and come to anchor in her destined port.

And now, Mr. President, if the Democrats are for battle let them spread their Banner to the breeze: let them man up their Sub-Treasury brig, with the Brokers and Shavers of Van Buren Democracy - let them stick Capt. John C. at the helm with Benton, or Amos, or Levi, or some other one of his weasel tribe at the bow on the look out for Specie Shoals: let them bear away from their old hickory shoals of 'experiment and responsibility' - let them square their main sail of better currency to the Cape of Van Buren prosperity (hail blessed Cap!) let them luff their jib sheets of rag money and shin plasters to the breeze of 'Good times a-hoy!' and if we don't strand their specie bottom on the breakers of hard times and Tylerism, we have no millions to pay for Van Buren Democracy.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention - with my cordial thanks for your courtesy, I will trespass on your patience but a moment longer. I have responded to your call, Gentlemen, not to render myself conspicuous, but to evince the sincerity of a subaltern in your ranks. I aspire to no office, gentlemen. I am too old and too poor to be personally benefited by the success of your cause, and to be torn from the peaceful retirement of my humble home by feelings of ambition, fame or honor, is a thought which has never entered my heart But Gentlemen, though I have more to induce me to prepare for my exit from the world than to seek its honors, I cannot forget my duty to my country. Your cause is dear to my heart; and though I cannot be elevated above the humble rostrum of the stump, there will I contend for the Liberty of freemen: for weal or woe; prosperity or adversity; while I live I must be a patriot; while I breathe I must be a Whig."