Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/290

278 The last session of the Nineteenth Congress, which opened in December, 1826, passed over without any event of importance, but not without many demonstrations of “the bitter and rancorous spirit of the opposition,” which, as Adams recorded, “produced during the late session of Congress four or five challenges to duels, all of which, however, happily ended in smoke;” and, he added, “at a public dinner given last week to John Randolph of Roanoke, a toast was given directly instigating assassination.” No opportunity was lost for defaming the administration. A fierce attack was made on Clay for having, in the exercise of his power as Secretary of State, made some changes in the selection of newspapers for the publication of the laws.

The clamor of the opposition grew, indeed, so loud that people not specially engaged in politics wondered in amazement whether the Republic really was on the brink of destruction. The sedate Niles, immediately after the adjournment of Congress, expressed in the “Register” his fear that the coming presidential election, which was still a year and a half ahead, would “cause as much heat, if not violence, as any other event that ever happened in this country; that father would be arrayed against son, and son against father, old friends become enemies, and social intercourse be cruelly interrupted;” and all this because “the resolution to put up or put down individuals swallowed up every consideration of right and of wrong.”