The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-05-20
CANDIDATES FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

The following extracts from pamphlet lately
published in New-York, present lively sketch
of the distinguished members of the Woodbse
family, which will not be uninteresting at this
time. 1t is in the form of letter.
81 shall in the present letter speak only ofthe
following gentlemen, namely: WILLIAM H..
WooDBEE, JOHN @. WOoDBEE, and HESRY
WooDBEE. These are acknowledgement be the
most conspicuous Of the family. They have the
advantage in p~int of rank, if not of merit and
of seniority, if not Of talent.
"H'iuiam II. Woodbee possesses the advantages
Of good person, manly ply siognomy, and
frank address. His manners fine mixture
Of the lofty confidence of the old school, with the
artificial suavity Of the new; blending, as itwere,
an transformations rondescention with the dignity
Of office, and the familiarity Of the citizen, with
the refinement of the courtier.
"As FInGncic7, his talents are known and
deservedy celebrated. 1t lies not in the mys-
teries Of detail; It depends not upon matheruat-
ical niceties. Ii rises superior to ordinary cal
cuation; lives in the aggregate, and scars above
and beyond the addition or disposition of cy-
pher!
CAS- a Politician, he is Deep sagacious and
radical; versed in the tides of party, and skilled
in the currents Of popular feeling; too prudent
to trust to unsolicited favor, and too ardent TO
wait the maturity of time wisely locking rath-
er 70 the hopes of the fer than to the Intelligence
, Of the Many, and depending rather upon the ST.
ient dexterity Of his friends than upon the trea-
cherous ground of intrinsic merit
" His temperament is sanguine; his pride boI-
ty; bis passions iracibie, but subject to the re-
vision Of his cooler Judgment. In the civil anC
social walks of life, he is open, upright, and in
genuous. His only foibIc is to be Pound in hi,
love for the pSopIe: his only weakness. is his Of
fort to please them. Yet no htPe credit &c IN,
to that perseverance which strenuously coptcpd
with impossibilties, and 10 those axert,ous which
boldly encosnter the intrsrdictions of fate.
Ills talents are bhe, figurative, and impos
! ing though the measure beyond mediocritv j,
liiloerally asct'1cd to .ne parhaty of his friends
rather thaD the bcuntv of nature; but such i,
always the uncertain character of facts that are
not Found upon record.
tie stands, however, prond aud distinguish
f, ed pillar Of tic WooDBEE family; an aspiring
+. as well as promising column resting not upor
the idle basis of opinion, or the treacherous van
ity OF works; but upon foundation no less sole
than orthodox,--the sustaining hope Of politi
cal miracle. and the buoyant efforts Of imposing
faith.
'John @. WIoodbee.---Tiis gentleman derive
no advantage from birth, though ilIustTious; no
from station, though exaIted--none from ele
gance OF person, or grace OF manner. He dis
! dams all extrinsic Lerit, all adventurous aid
| relying solely upon the integrity of his princi
pies and the vigor of his mind.--His person is 70
deed uncout.n, his manners ungraccful, lis eo
qnenre un 1olished, and his cOloquial talents IN
| deserving of the name. He is, in short, prou
/ and unCourtly scholar; more known than be
loved, more respected than admirel.-His close
is his, castle---his pen is the club of Hcrcule:
before which, proclamatory generals aud mer
Camille diplomatisis, retire with discontinue an
disgrace. He stands like the oak of the fores
!, firm and erect amid the buhetinss Of the temp
/ est; gathering strength FROM opposition, nc