Thou spake, and on the opppressor flung
The burden of thy strong rebuke,
Who quite alarmed and conscience stung,
With rage and consternation shook;
And haughty Southrons, awe-struck hung
Upon the thunders of thy tongue.

Firm and erect thou stood'st alone,
And slavery's haughty champions met;
Not the stern brow of fierce Calhoun,
Nor Patton's gag, nor Preston's threat,
Thy dauntless spirit could dismay-
Thou fear'dest not the face of Clay.

Let fiery Rhett and Campbell roar,
And woman's weak petition spurn
Let Waddy Thompson-slavery's slave
With fury rage and anger burn
Let Pinkney, Wise, and Atherton
Reap all the fame their deeds have won.

But thou shalt gain immortal praise,

Thy country's blessing rests on thee; The bondman freed his voice shall raise, And link thy name with Liberty:For lo! thy monuments shall be

Raised in the hearts of slaves made free.

CHAPTER XXV.

MISCELLANEOUs reflections during his Senatorial term-Calls on the President The President's Levee-Bank Excitement-Removal of Deposits-Violence of Party Spirit-McDuffie's Oratory-Funerals of Members of Congress-Their pageantry and expense-Departure of the Government from Republican simplicity-Letter Writers at Washington, etc.

In this chapter the reader will find various extracts from letters written by Mr. Morris, to his eldest son, in a free and familiar manner. They are interesting as reflections on the political condition and parties of the country; and as the opinions of an observing man, himself a veteran politician of the times in which he lived.

WASHINGTON, November 30, 1833. YESTERDAY spent most of the time in visiting the President and Heads of Departments, according to the etiquette of this city. I found the President (Gen. Jackson), a man less in stature than I expected. The constant crowd around him would not permit any one to stay but a few minutes. A tedious and stormy session is expected, and party lines are to be more distinctly drawn here, if I am not mistaken, than in Ohio. It is said that more members have brought with them their ladies, than was ever known before. This, to my mind, shows they expect a long session.

The Capitol is, I presume, one of the most extravagant buildings for the same purpose in the world, though both the House and Senate Chamber are small, and to my mind, not very convenient. I have taken a seat next to Mr. Calhoun, between him and Mr. Mangum. You see I am in the midst of the Nullifiers. Col. Benton is upon the same tier; as is Mr. Clay, on the opposite side of the chamber; but though surrounded by these great men, I trust I shall be able to think and act for myself. I shall, I trust, not give a single vote, or do a single act, I thought was not right, before I left Ohio.

DECEMBER 2, 1833.

Both Houses this day, at 12 o'clock, formed a quorum. In the Senate a question arose on the Rhode Island case, which caused considerable debate, and what I suppose is very unusual on the first day, the yeas and nays were taken.

When the certificates of the new members were presented, Judge White, the President pro tempore, called on them to take their oath; as we were walking from our seats to the chair, Mr. Clay rose and remarked, that there was another member, whose name had not been called. Judge White remarked he was aware of that fact, but he thought as the two members from Rhode Island were both present, the action of the Senate was necessary to give either a seat. So soon as we had retired from the chair, Mr. Poindexter moved, that Mr. Robbins, who was the first elected, be permitted to take the oath. This motion brought on considerable debate, in which Mr. Poindexter, King, of Alabama, Clay, Kane, Wright, Benton, Chambers, Ewing, and Mangum, took part. It appeared that Mr. Robbins had been elected by the Legislature of Rhode Island, in January last, and had obtained the usual certificate. In October the Legislature passed an act declaring the election of Robbins void, and proceeded to elect Mr. Potter. Under these circumstances the question was whether either should be admitted to a seat, until the subject was examined by a committee, and we had all the facts officially before us.

I was much disappointed at the debate I heard. It was certainly much less dignified and orderly than I expected, and if I should say far less wise and forcible, I should say the truth. There was too much of the small arts of the County Court Lawyer in it. I know I have heard stronger and more orderly debates in the Ohio Senate than I heard to-day. The disorder of the Senate during the debate was surprising; Mr. Benton remarked, unusual.

DECEMBER 17th, 1833.

Yesterday, the Vice-President (Mr. Van Buren) took his seat in the Senate. You will see his Address delivered on the occasion, in the papers; it was handsomely done. He is rather rapid in the dispatch of business, but will, I think, preside with dignity. He is a fine, erect man in his gait, and is, I should think, about fifty-five years old. With all the hue and cry against him, I have no doubt he will be the next President. A majority of the Senate are decidedly oppositionists, and they have appointed all the Committees, bearing the same complexion. There has been some speculation here, that Mr. Webster is about to leave Mr. Clay, and join the Administration. I am half inclined to think so myself; but it will be done by degrees, and this session, I think, you may look for him between the parties. It is idle to talk of party spirit, in the Ohio Legislature, when compared with the feeling of the opposition here; but they are entirely overpowered in the House.

I am a good deal disappointed in the appearance and management of the great men. McDuffie is far from the man I expected to find him; he is violent in his gestures, and dogmatical in his statements. The Senate may well be termed, the aristocratic branch of the Government, for it is truly so at present. It is even whispered here, that Mr. Taney, as Secretary of the Treasury, is to be rejected. I hope not, for the honor and dignity of the Senate.

Is the rejection of Mr. Van Buren already forgotten, and will the Senate destroy their usefulness by their capriciousness?

A number of bills have been reported to the Senate, all asking for money to some individual purpose. In looking over the appropriations of last year, when applied to their individual objects, I did not believe it possible that human ingenuity was capable of inventing as many schemes for the laying out of money. This city lives upon the bounty of Congress, and wishes to claim it as a right.

The Senate continues in session rather less than three hours each day; the House somewhat longer.

DECEMBER 22d, 1833.

I expressed to you, in some of my letters, that the North and East were coming round to correct principles, while the South was receding. I am still more and more, of that opinion, from what I see and hear daily. I sent you the first part of Mr. McDuffie's speech; you see the tone which it displays; yet it speaks the language of the Southern majority. We have here a great deal of combustible matter and discordant materials. I have far less hopes of a lasting Union between the States than when I left home. I hope that I may, before the Session adjourns, find I am in error; but of this every day lessens my hope. If this Government will confine its action within the strict letter of the Constitution, and exercise even then, as little power as possible, so as to fulfill the design of the Constitution, all will yet be well.

My fears of consolidation are subsiding, as to the exercise of the civil powers of this Government. Congress