Southern Planter

Mr. Clay in a Quandary.—Mr. Clay must have cut a very sorry figure for a candidate for the Presidency, under the scorching rebuke of Mr. Tazewell, in the debate on the Bank Bill a few days since. He ventured a little too far from shore, in volunteering an attack upon the opinion expressed by Mr. T. of the inefficiency of paper guarantees, as a security against the encroachments of power. Of which the frequent violation of the constitution by a majority were given as an illustration. The charge that the constitution had been so violated. Mr. Clay treated as a "grave" one, "not to be lightly made;" and repudiated the idea that there was any such evidence that paper guarantees were not valid.

Mr. Tazewell retorted triumphantly, and put the rash candidate to silence and confusion. He asked whether the sedition law was not unconstitutional, and therefore good proof that majorities had violated the paper guarantee, and he inquired whether he had not published authority of Mr. Clay himself, given not many years since, of saying that the passage of a Bank Charter, such as Mr. C. is now advocating is "a plain and palpable violation of the constitution; and consequently a violation of the highest paper guarantee."

The champion of monopolies of all sorts convicted out of his own mouth sat dumb, incapable of speech or reply, while Mr. Webster made a diversion in his favor, to turn away the attention of the Senate from his embarrassment.