Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1884 — TAX BURES IN THE CHAIR. [ARTICLE]

TAX BURES IN THE CHAIR.

1 Seme la the Crlted States Senate Sixty Tears Ago. One day Mr. Calhoun made on inter* eeting speech on executive patronage, and spoke with great animation, earnestness and effect In the oourse of his remarks he quoted Benton in 1825 and Benton in 1835, and showed the inconsistency of that individual in opposing a report .the basis of which was almost precisely similar to his own. After Mr. Calhoun had spoken, Benton rose, and with his accustomed vehemence of gasconade endeavored to repel the irresistible and convincing argument and assertions of the Senator from South Carolina. It was a mere repetition of his rhodomontade upon the same subject, assailing the motives of Mr. Calhoun, and accusing him of preparing his report for party effect. Mr. Calhoun made a rejoinder which was withering in its force upon his antagonist; for scorching sarcasm, annihilating rebuke and unanswerable logic it was unsurpassed. Benton replied, and roared like a chafed bulL “Sir,” said he, “the gentleman has attempted to identify me with our corrupt sycophants and time-servers bending at the footstool of power; sir, the gentleman in giving utterance to such an insinuation has made an attack upon me and upon truth!” “I call the Senator to order,” said Mr. Poindexter. “The gentleman from Missouri will take his seat, and the gentleman from Mississippi will write down the obnoxious words,” said the Vice President.

Mr. Poindexter accordingly wrote down the words as they had oeen uttered, and then handed them to the Vice President. Van Bnren, after mystifying his hearers for some time and expressing his conviction that the motives of his friend from Missouri were not wrong, and that we ought to look rather at motives than effects, oonoluded by pronouncing it as his decision that the words of Mr. Benton were in order. Mr. Webster rose to question the propriety of the decision, and was proceeding in his remarks, when tho Vico President, in a pet, told him to take his seat. Mr. Webster expressed his astonishment at the direction of the Chair. It was the first time that a Senator, on rising to make a motion, had been denied the privilege. He felt compelled to appeal from the decision of the Chair as to the question of order. The question was further debated by Messrs. Leigh, Frelinghuysen and Golds* borough, all of whom .considered the language of Mr. Benton as an outrage upon parliamentary decency. After an interesting discussion the decision of the Chair was repealed, and the .words of Mr. Benton were pronounced by a majority of the Senate as out of order. At the request of Mr. Calhoun, tho Senator from Missouri was permitted to go on. “There is nothing which he can say at which I can take offense,” said Mr. Calhoun. Benton accordingly again took the floor, and wont forward, to use his favorite image, with the precipitancy of a steam engine. Some of his friends, among whom were Linn and Cutlibert, laid thoir hands upon his shoulders and tried to pacify him, but he shook them off, and, beating his breast with a melodramatic air, exclaimed : “I am the keeper of mv own honor. Stand off, and let me alone.” Turning to Calhoun, he renewed his belligerent tone and air, at one time appealing to the sympathies of bis friends, and then defying the worst of bis enemies. He thought it too late in the day for Mr. Calhoun to take offense at wha‘t •he said, and ho appeared to congratulate himself upon having been recognized, under the endurance of the Senate, as a gentleman, since Mr. Barton had quitted that body. Then turning to Mr.* Webster he undertook to use 'some bullying expressions which Mr. Webster replied to only by contemptuous silence. Baffled in this quarter, Benton, like a bull in a china shop, turned upon Mr. Goldsborongh and demanded an explanation of certain words which had fallen from that gentleman. Mr. Goldsborough reiterated his words, and Benton, like a nonplused braggart, acknowledged himself satisfied.— Ben: Ferley Foore.