Congress was now come down upon us like a high wind. The town began to rub its eyes free of those cobwebs of vacation slumbers; the taverns took on a buzzing life, while the streets, lately so still and lonesome, showed thickly sown of folk going here and there, for this reason of legislation or that hunger of office, and with faces gay or sombre as success was given or denied. Noah was one to be denied. He had come to town somewhat in advance of Congress. The General brought him quickly to the White House and made him unpack his budget of gossip. How was Burr? How was Swartout? How fared Hoyt? Thus ran off the General's curiosity. “All well, all prosperous,” responded Noah, “and the town itself growing up to weeds of riches. The New York cry is, Money! They revise your friend Crockett, and, for an aphorism, say, 'Be sure you're rich, then go ahead.'” The General would have it that Noah must take an office--a collectorship or some such gear. “The Senate would defeat my confirmation,” said Noah; “first for that I'm a Jew; and next because of Catron.” “And even so,” returned the General; “it is still worth while to discover who would do that.” Noah was right, and his name came up to be refused by one vote. Calhoun from his place as president of the Senate proved as flint against Noah, while his mouthpiece, Hayne, led the war on the floor. I have yet to look on more anger than was the General's when the news arrived. “Heed it not,” said Noah, snapping his fingers. “I have still my laughter, my newspaper, and my Spanish swords.” “But the insult of it!” cried the General. “To the cynic,” said Noah, lightly, “there can come no insult. Your philosopher who laughs is safe against such whimsies. I shall long remain both fat of pride and fat of purse for all a Senate may do. You do not know me; I should have been a Diogenes and insulted Alexanders from my tub.” Calhoun and his coterie brought with them to town their great question of Nullification. They worked on it incessantly and made a deal of hubbub. Calhoun set forward his man, Hayne, to the exposition of this policy of national disintegration. Hayne was met in that debate and overthrown by the mighty Webster. The country echoed with the strife of these Titans. For himself, the General followed the argument, North against South, word by word and step by step. He had the debate of each day written off, and Peg would come over and read it to him while he smoked and pondered and resolved.