Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-11-17
FROM THE STAR.
Character Of Luther Hfor.in,
BY William Thnmnsnn.

.4nthof' o. q hGmhhiet entitled a Comhen-
dioua Pe7y ofMe Trial of .9aron Bur-.
The circumstance of this gentieman's
Nuther Martin) beng calltd from "A d frr-
ent state, - appear in case, where the
bar has been cpmplimented with the cha
ractcr VI pre-em,nencc-Gr has been sad
the judges of the Supreme Court have U.s.
ed language to this efftct) his being
selected from aiar, when the bar of Vir-
giria Could still furnish rivals to these al
ready engaged o. his appearing on the
defence of q criminal, in country, where
the nervous ei04uence of James inTcs had
been chasiened by the harmonious periods
OF Alexander Gampbe ll--whcre the full
prlde of pubic eHeCratlcn mad been soolh-
ed into the gentle howuGs of the human
hcart--where the torrent Of Indignation at
the offender, had bcea softemed into pity
FOR the man, and The vengeance Of Justice
paused to listen TO the appeals of mercy,
requires that we Should DC ieve him en-.
do~ed with some rare qualities, winch Gu
r,osity IS eager 10 discover. l will not pre-
tend to say that the selection ct this man
was uB Ortun4te for the prisoner but |
viii SAY that none could have been chosen
| whose manners, whose habits or whose
primo pies, are less CONS naht 10 Virgin
IAN gentleman Or common statute the
countenanCe or address Of Luther Martin,
by no means cou3terbalance the dlsadSan-
rage of bad figure. Ii wouid seem from
his appearance, that nature had detcrmI-
ned not to deceive us--,hat in thi, instance
she should not give currency 20 a work
which could not bear inspection. The
rudenesS of his manners correspond with
, the elegance OF his figure, and the brutal
! ity of has habits, form 4 correct Indication
| OF the depravity of his character The
debaucheTiCs OF lie man are OF the lowest
Csst they are never checked by "A regard
! 10 the opinions Of the worlu-they are nc
yer chastened by attention to !..e laws OF
decorum-ln his pleasures Gt pleasures
/ nc not too mid nhme) hls mind bears no
! psrtic pation--tils cxctsse are uot palha-
Ted by the participation of others; they are
unS0cial aud disgusting. Il, hn, ne NJ and
manners in such Character are not to be
expected; the mlEd sympathlzcs with the
body, and the manners are sensibiy IN, c.
ted by its habits. L ne manners oi Luther
| Martin are rude and unpublished. 10 those
little attentions which swccten the inter-
course OF human lite, he IS estrangca-
IhoSe lit;ie homascs of respect which
most men do, and all men GU yhi, to oder
OH the altar Of social harmony, are never
! paid TO him. His manners and not his ta-
tents make him formidable adversary !;
! most men shrink from Controversy,
with rudeness and yngarity; they would
rather crafty his vanity, with victory,
| than contend against such weapons. AZ
! the bar his success has been great what
ever may be his clam to the .f0rtifer in
re. he has certainly 10 prctensunstO the
eudUifer in mOd0--in argument, however,
/ he Is not content with resting ON the strong
| point, he eXausts the subject-it may be
| literally said Of him, when he closes the
argument, he leaves nothing TO be said.
/ Ills mind IS energetic, It is capable ofhear-
/ ing a great deal, but 1t is not dIscrImina-
] tive. lie eau embrace the whole, but ne
cannot distinguish the parts-He is too
/ difuse TO be perspicuOus--He reasons too
much to reason cOnclusively. lie has no
! traits of the orator about him; mis- voice
is harsh, his fancy dull, and his wit is
coarse. Asa member OF the General Con
vcntion he was called on by the state OF
! Maryland, 70 assign his reasons for voting
against the Federal Constitution in alet-
ter, (since published IN a pamphiet) he
! certainly furnished the strongest argu-
meDis, which has ever been adduccd a.
gaint its adoption. Itjustly entities him
TO the character ne has borne OF great tt-
| tents ms letters addressed to Mo. Jeiier-
son deserves nos the name OF literary pro-
duCuons; the paths Of literature are ne
YER stained with suCh aspcr,ties they are
never polluted with the ciiusiousOf scurri-
I ity-Thc connection between CrcSap
and himself, gave a colour to the attack
10 vindlcate the reputation Of friend
IS an honorable wish; bat co attack hi,
Adyersaries is a voluntary task Is 4