americans came from all over the country to attend when great titans like henry clay and daniel webb nathaniel webster and john c. calhoun worked debating but imagine a much smaller senate chamber crowded with men who might have hated each other and were elbow to elbow with their small vests, reeking of cigar smoke, smelling of gas from gas lamps, carpet, which the tunes scattered here and there meant spitting in one direction or the other, often missing and intense, congested atmosphere with political men going monomonoe. monowith the editorial arena and indentured america. >> two of those men, henry clay and steven douglas, what was their the role of the compromise? >> henry clay was called out of retirement in kentucky to take charge of an attempt to create some kind of a compromise. he was known as the great compromise or for husbanding the compromised in the 1820s, the missouri compromise and also the 1833 compromise that brought the country back again from crisis over south carolina's nala vacation of the federal law. henry clay was a grand, remarkable man and he never once sai

rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable jim webb, a senator from the state of virginia, to perform the duties of the chair. signed: daniel k. inouye, president pro tempore. mr. reid: mr. president. the presiding officer: the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: after our election i welcome everyone back of. for some it was a nice break, for others it was a lot of hard work. we welcome everyone back. and look forward to aa very productive next six weeks. mr. president, the senate is considering the motion to proceed to s. 3525, the sportsman action post-church. at 5:30 there will be a motion to proceed to this legislation on on behalf of senator leahy scoins that michelle lac co, a fellow on the senate judiciary committee are granted privileges of the floor. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: for the last year the country has been focused on the difference between republicans and democrats. for the last two years, this congress hasn't accomplished nearly enough. but as we close the 112th congress, it's time to focus on our shared goals and our common purpose. we all agree, i hope,