Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/192

 independent judgment in young minds. In these debates Mr. Webster made that celebrated speech, rich with old Grecian and Roman principles of international and inter-State alliance, which, though it failed to accomplish the advocate's special end, revived the like sentiment of Henry of Virginia and Otis of Massachusetts, brought out at the Revolutionary era. Mr. Clay, again, uttered the general spirit of the Monroe Doctrine, and of the following administration, that of the second Adams, in which he was to be, as Secretary of State, the shaper of foreign policy. The veteran Randolph, in whom the ambition of foreign crusade was tempered, though the fire of chivalry was not quenched, opposed both Mr. Webster and Clay; while to a lady friend who remonstrated he exclaimed, in view of the needy at home, "Madam, the Greeks are at your door."

The disposition to reach ends suggested as mere questions of the day, by new constitutional provisions, appeared in a suggestion of Mr. Van Buren on the 226. January, that the Constitution provide an equitable scale of appropriations for internal improvements in the different States. This action arose because the State of New York had already, at her own expense, built her canal through the State to the lakes. In the House the main question arose on a proposition to employ engineers to make surveys for canals from the Delaware to the Chesapeake, from the Chesapeake to the Ohio, and again for the removal of obstructions in the Mississippi; a series of measures involving inter-State action, and interesting many of the Atlantic, as well as all the valley States. Mr. Webster, from the least interested, and Mr. Clay, from the most interested section, advocated the measure; Randolph threw all his decaying energy into the opposition; while Houston went with the majority, both from interest and principle. Among other issues debated during the session of 1823-4 were the following: In view of the fact that colored sailors from British, as well as northern ports, came into southern ports, Mr. Abbot, of Georgia, introduced a resolution to the effect that the United States Constitution was not to be construed as authorizing the importation or ingress of persons of color in contravention of State laws — a subject which, under the administration of Adams, led to a remonstrance of Sir Stratford Canning on the part of the British Government. The bill for the purchase of lands at West Point brought out sectional views as to State rights. Randolph proposed that the State of New York be first consulted. Macon opposed it because a large sum was to be given for a farm of moderate value, close to which was a grog-shop as a lure to cadets, and because no limit could be fixed to future outlay arising from the purchase.