The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-05
ENQfJ ER
RICHMOND, FEBRyARr- 5, 1905.
LETTER 2Gd. FRCM ~ MEMBER OF THE as
sEiE,Y 10 Els FRIEND IL @kAAA.
R;ebmovd, January


Drlv before vou, my dear friend, a feeble
and dchcate form, ecu lily diseh ed of the harih
robunuris Of rui(ic and the Affected graces of
the couriicr, YET Gmple and Ingenious in its gef-
lures and appearance :: pale and wrinkied VI
face, IN which the irir1table bloom OF youth
Ia. faded under tive encroachments of diitaie
and the la5our of Thought 4 few treaes of hair
thin,N iDfnhed upon is forehead and an au-
burn eve full OF FIRE, animated by the geniuS
which bea'r upon It aud reflects its luare all
tnat behold ( and you will have Is juh por-
trat. as my memory or l1ngUagc can detrribe,
o. the mott diitinguitlied member Of he Eirg-
rid Legislature. 4 few years only have tranf.
rired, iiuce Mr.. %%&fAF+ exhibited i'll his coun-
teaance, the po!i;hci iMoothpeis and the rea.iv
hiuih OF youth wh>n hcaith and elaiticity
marked every footleD spd each petty ceflnre of
his frame bat IN ,hnfe few years, how many
CUFFS may not nave operated Hpon his frame
to unicyve and oarai'ze his poweri Yet il
Is not IN changing the ineaments of his frame
alone, .l,at time has exhibited the triumphs Of
her power. II il,e has vi6ted his body with
vveal, 1eis and dilsaie, dfptried the b!uihng
boom of youth, and di;nn,ed the luare Of his
Eve, I've has alto enriched his mind with the in
efiTndOle treainres OF experience. If ihe has
ttruwi ! more antique appearance upon che
exterior Of The ediGce, llie has added new deco
rlrOrs TO the ianGuaGy within its ceilings
have received frefher eo;ouring from her pen
Gil, and every column which fuppoits Its great
nelS, may hGafi the scquiiision OF more iplen-
did ornaments MIR. **S*s'* has indeed no
Jar reafon to blame the progrefs of time She
oas amply repaired nil the injuries which he
has futtained from her power, by referring AZ
tae v,gour and attraction which il!e has itolen
from mis- frame, TO the more valuable enliow-
raents cf Ms mind.
e .s7,th, ny friend, have met with bu,
fs@ ;ue7, who d'ipi3yss! finer faculties or o1crc
admirable attdinmeltS, than Mr.. %f*#*t&
Ills method NJ thinking, Ike that OF his freak
ing, is cool, uoin,pa!ioned, aud ftrGty didaGtc.
H po0eics in almof an equa! degree, the two
ey!sG1i2, and admirable attributes. OF collecting
toe t,'sttsrtd RAYS OF nnumerable facts, into one
lu'linous prjac:pie- and Of pouring thisconcen-
TRACED iig'lt upon every new event, which Toll.
CHS his nyeitisation. His inquiGtive and phi
lofopcic snif., eagerly fsizes upon every new
incident, wricr rlie3 Hefcre him Z: i rctcn.iyc
memory ca,eiuiiy pNetervcs the valuable dcpo-
$, & the ioaIipf IDEAS is sfSiiy and hourly aug.
rented. 1t is !h-n that the admirable habit
of lH7iy;s is sxcrtri il &c then that he iur-
WIS th-c INITIATED tve2iurcs, brings them
near" 20 each other, detects fome common pro.
pcTty by an t-cnrate comparit,n; and gathers
from thc rude heap, iumc abtraGt and lumi-
No,s principle. From this indigeeed chaos @.
materials, he tora.s for hmief 4 beaHt.fu! and
harroaiaus iyacm. Animated and prepared
~ r.c ilcCe,s O theit efforts, he goes in fcarcl
81 new encounters sad new victories. When
iorne analogous ta@ ri'cs before him and folicits
DIS explanation, thcfe old principles become
in his hand rs the fDears oil ithurie No foon.
er does I've bring them within the touch, than
tie nyte1y which covered them Is Gifp,rf.d &,
they frt up in their genuine appearance and
liatIre.
II is thus, NV dear friend. that every nte!li-
gent mind muif be gradually formed and pre-
pared for tine diicoverv oftruth and it is thus
II nihake NOT, that MIR. *&A&*** has Iearned
70 chsften ard direct his powers. A fprit OF
iHccfant cuholity, trone memory, 4 power
o. Ready ana'yfS, and ready application of
pre-eaahhed principles theit- are the facul-
tres, which 70 1itiuGtiy characterize the thinking
AND fPeakirg IF MIR #t&s*%*, and entitie him
= 'fis,tat et,5ifpittiotss niche in rhe hail of gu.
ireiHa'ure. Few members think maturely be.
tore they ipeak. They pour forth the few
i;et'-red facts or Gndgrfed reflections, which
they lad collected hn' a few moments before.
But Yhen Mr.. s~f1*ss lpeals, he manifeHs eve
r. advantage which enquiry and meditation can
rcdfer. No qocGion can be fiii TO ~ abro-
iutely new 10 him; for on mott auctions he
i1ls Hrcady lai by him fane wrll-dipeG 4 and
concluhve principles, o. he has ALREADY collect
g hoard offaiiar incidents, which may az
'ii him IN the invefig.tion of principles.
II IS A preparation Of t..i5 fort, which mikes
the {Peeches Of this penf!etnan alnavs irnruEl-
i've and siwaJs lntercdipg. Every iDecch which
BE- delivers, is iittle fyGeni Of Thought. with
al rs parts admirably f.ie6ed and difin0iy
pu' og"'her. Some fpcak,rs as thsv advance
." 'Ae iuh'ec', are feen lpunderinc and tofinr
among multitude of facts, without the power
or tracing their connection 9TH each other or
with The principal fubirGt itflf There are
others, vino falling into the contrary extreme.
come for'hia all theDar.d- ofnrnsiplc ;.lnarcrC
'o'ned E" aIiiit thgir abGraSt refsarches by actin
a experience, they appear with al ,he ho,nbaf
Of reaiooing.uPou their lips pour forth the
mob abitrnia arguments On the mott trifinc to-
pics and think they have fl,d The proper CO.
io@r upon m Object, when they have borrow
ed'heir rays from one If different hue. MIR.
''''s< carefully avoids th-ie contrary errors.
lie IS neither mltd BY Chs multiplicity of his
facts, nor by the Observation-Disclosures OF Drinci.
pies. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS his fibie9, sfmDle
aud iatisfactory. IL either begins With laying
down ioiTc principle, which mot men arc re;'-
dy 20 admit. and from which I've reaf,ns in the
tn)h regular manner, or he fa,cs ferries Of
facts, traces their bearings to clch other, and
approaches, ~ the eafeR gradaGons, to the
main principle, which he wlncs 10 enabGn,.
THIS gentleman is a ditinguiihcd LAWYER but
Tbs method of Scanning his fubje6ls, orvreryes
bin rom that coulirant and form, and limited
views, which are incident TO nof men of this
u. "