Clay, and those whose views were coincident with his, desired to concentrate the nation’s energies in prosecuting the war to a glorious completion; to do which, fresh and gratifying evidence had been given. To secure this, it was proposed to augment the army by a recruit of twenty thousand men. The committee on military affairs in the house reported a bill for the purpose, which was considered in committee of the whole, and debated at length. From the opposition, this proposition met the most violent assault, and also those who supported it. The warmest opposers were found in the persons of Messrs. Randolph, Pitkin and Quincy. The speech of the latter gentleman is said to have ‘produced disgust on all sides of the house,’ and for violence and abuse stands unrivalled. Its most scurrilous expressions have been expunged; enough, however, remains to determine its original character. Speaking of the war, he observed, ‘there is nothing in history like this war since the invasion of the bucaneers. The disgrace of our armies is celestial glory compared to the disgrace reflected on our country by this invasion;’ (the proposed invasion of Canada;) ‘yet it is called a war for glory! Glory? Yes, such glory as that of the tiger when he tears the bowels from the lamb, filling the wilderness with its savage roars; the glory of Zenghis Khan, without his greatness; the glory of Bonaparte. Far from me and mine, and far from my country be such glory!’ He stigmatized those in favor of the war as ‘household troops, who lounge for what they can pick up about the government house; who come here, and with their families live and suck upon the breast of the treasury; toad-eaters, who live on eleemosynary, ill-purchased courtesy, upon the palace, swallow great men’s spittle, and get judgeships, and wonder at the fine sights, and fine rooms, and fine company, and most of all, wonder how they themselves got there.’ The state of public feeling in Massachusetts respecting the invasion, he stated by saying, that ‘he had conversed upon the question with men of all ranks and conditions in Massachusetts, with men hanging over the plough and on the spade, judicious, honest, patriotic, sober men, who, if it were requisite, and their sense of moral duty went along with the war, would fly to the standard of their country at the winding of a horn, but who now hear yours with the same indifference they would have heard a jews-harp or a banjo.’ He was particularly severe on those in the house who advised the rigid prosecution of the war, by calling them ‘young politicians, with the pin-feathers yet unshed, the shell still sticking upon them; perfectly unfledged, though they fluttered and cackled on the floor; who favored such extravagant and ignorant opinions of a very proud nation.’ He said, ‘it would ill become a man whose family had been two centuries settled in the state, and whose interests, connections and affections were