Calhoun took the ground that he had no right to call a member to order for words spoken in debate. I believe it has been pretty generally admitted that he was right at the time, though the rules have since been amended so that the president of the Senate can call a member to order when he abuses the privileges of the floor. But I must hasten on. The perspective of this article is not intended to embrace all the ramifications of Mr. Calhoun's long po litical career. I can only touch upon the more salient points. It was in the Senate of the United States that he was in his proper place and won his greatest renown. And in the history of the world where will we find a more august body! The Roman Senate with all of its pristine splendor even in its palmiest days did not surpass it. The Assembly of France with its Senate and its Chamber of Deputies cannot match it. The Parliament of England with its long list of titled nobility and illustrious commoners can only rival it for brilliant oratory, high charac ter, and profound statesmanship. It was in the Senate that Henry Clay led his hearers captive by his magnetic style and brilliant oratory. It was here that he won for himself the double title of "The great Pacificator" and "Father of the American System," and shared with Pitt the sobriquet, "The great Commoner." It was in the Senate that Daniel Webster, the great expounder of the Constitution, with his great heart and splen did intellect, delivered those magnificent orations that have never yet been surpassed for beauty of style, charms of rhetoric, depth of thought, and eloquence of delivery. It was in the Senate that Calhoun, South Caro lina's chosen son, lifted aloft the banner of his country, boldly took his stand as the leading champion of the South, eloquently maintained its rights, and achieved for him self a reputation as a logician, which justly entitles him to be classed with Sir William Hamilton. It was in the Senate that John Randolph of Roanoke delivered those philip
pics that for keen irony, cutting sarcasm, bitter invective, scorn of manner, flashes of genius, and peculiar eloquence of style stand without a parallel. It was in the Senate that George McDuffie, the Demosthenes of Ameri can oratory, poured forth a torrent of elo quence that well-nigh swept every thing before it. It was in the Senate that the sil ver-tongued Preston with his Ciceronian culture delighted the ear and captivated the fancy of his hearers. It was in the Senate that " glorious Bob Toombs," ofGeorgia, man fully vindicated the rights of the South and hurled defiance in the face of its enemies. It was in the Senate later on that Voorhees of Indiana," the tall sycamoreofthe Wabash," won his reputation for beauty of diction and charm of rhetoric. It was here too that Benjamin H. Hill, the great Georgian, crossed blades with Blaine, " the plumed knight of Maine," pierced the armor of Mahone, and uncovered his position. It is here too, in these latter days, that John W. Daniel, with his golden tongue and persuasive lips, maintains the high reputation which Vir ginia has always had as the mother of states men and the home of great men. And it was here that only the other day Mr. Hoar, the venerable senator from Massachusetts, in discussing the Philippine question, reached the height of his great argument and raised a clarion note that on electric wing swept across a continent, crossed the seas, and gir dled the globe in behalf of light and liberty, freedom and independence. In the days of Calhoun the Senate had reached the zenith of its fame. At no time before or since has it been surpassed for ar gumentative skill, brilliancy of oratorical talent, profound statesmanship, and scholarly attainments. The great debate of 1833 was perhaps the most important of all the dis cussions in which Mr. Calhoun was ever en gaged. Mr. Hayne had resigned his place in the Senate some time before and had been elected governor of South Carolina. Mr. Calhoun too had resigned the vice-presi
