Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-04-29
PROM TEN NEW FORK STATESMAN.
Mr.. CLAY


is tall slender and well proportioned, with a
fair complexion. and light brown hair combed
smoothly upon his forehead. Ills face 10 thin,
probably unusually so at present, owing to the
delicacy of his health: and his features, none Of
which are prominent, wear calm and settled
ASPECT cf snildness and suavIty bordering on Ian
gtior, when he is not engaged in conversation,
or in debate In his gait, in all his ordinary
msvem ats he is slow. moderate and dignied,
eyincing an even and placid temper, manhesting
perhaps an apparent want OF energy of charac-
ter, and an indlspositIon to activity But some
of these fallaciuus indications Of his mind vanish
the moment he enters into conversation, or be-
comes engaged in the business Of the House,
when you have an opportunity of Witnessing the
quickness OF bis perceptions, the rapidly OF his
thoughts and the decision, pronptness and ac-
tivity Of lis intellect. He is uniformly clad in a
plain SUIT Of black cloth, preserving both in his
dress and manners an unostentatIous simplicity.
Possessing great colloquial powers, he appears
to much advantage in his conversation, delight
ing by tie affability, midness and suavity of his
department
nc ability with which he fills the Office of
Speaker of the House, is already well known to
the public. BY blending unusual promptness
and decision, with great coursasy towards the
members, he preserves the strictest order upon
4 Il.
and authority when in the Chair, command the
voluntary respect of the House; while his famil-
arlty with the dute of the office affords the
utmost facility to the transaction of business
There has not been to my ledge single
appeal from the decision of the Speaker since
the commencement of the present session, and
such is his acquaintance with legislation and par.
Elementary usages, that one will probably not
occur III, its close.
If persuaslon be the test of genuine eloquence
land It IS difficult TO ix upon any other stand
ard) Mr. Clay may probably be ranked among
TIE most powerful orators of any age or country.
Ny own opinion is formed perhaps upon Sight
grounds and without sufficient data tor inslitu-
tuting comparisons, that there is not public
speaker now living, who could produce deep
er impression upon q deliberate body than Mr..
Clay. But what are the constituents of his eo-
quence' In the 6rst place let me tell you what
they are not. His oratory is as unlike that of
Mr. Randolph, as the wild and lofty luxurant
forests OF the west are unlike the levelled and
cultivated smooth. shorn fields of Virginia
plantation; or as the native and spontaneous elo-
quence OF Patrick Henry was unlike the classl-
Cal and polished periods of Edmund Burke
Mr. Clay makes no pretensions to scholarship,
having never enjoyed the benefits of liberal
education. His life has been passed in actve
the cares of numerous family; and he has ne,
yer, like Mr. Randolph, trained and disciplined
his mind, by severe study and strict attention to
the best models both ancient and modern. It's
not probable he ever read speech IN his he,
with design to initiate its arrangement, its
form or its dictlon; to observe and admire the
symmetry of its parts the beauty of its exordi.
UNI the consciousness of its narration. the iuci
DIS ordo OF its arguments, the pathos of its Pc
roraton, and thousand other particulars fami-
liar to the scholar. Mr. Clay's eloquence,
therefore, SO far from being classical and seldom
elaborate in style. His periods are harmonious;
but IS as the music taught By the ear rather than
that which is learned by rhetorical gan,,.t, and
arise from systematic arrangement OF words /,
and sentences. He does not profess to be
philogist; and in the vehemence OF debate he |
never pauses to select the happiest words OF
the most expressive phrases, commonly taking
such as fall in his way, and which are most OBJ.
vious to mind intent on other considerations.
He has ofcovrse great command OF language.
but it is point on which he does not lay much
stress
So much for negatives; and the question re-
turns, what are the constituents of Mr.. Clay's
eoquence? The first Ingredient is voice
which is melody itself, land which. as member
once remarked to me, appears to charm his oz0n
ear. and communicate its harmony to the mind.
1t is full, sonorous and musical, perfectly at COM
msnd, flexible, and trained by long habits Of
speaking to all the different tone. and modula.
tons which passion and feeling can impart to
sound. In the compass and management of his |
voice, in tbs emphasis and force of his denun.
citation and delivery, Mr., Clay eIcela any speak
er whom have ever heard. His gestures too |
are numerous and IN the highest degree op-
presslve. When he is animated every limb, |
every muscle is in motion He does not stamp. |
as it is said the ancient orators used to do; but
there is scarcely any other gesture, however !
torclble and expressive, which he does not IN |
turn adopt, and all apparent from the spontane- /.
Gus impulse of the mind seeking utterance |
through the strongest and most natural express !
slons. Ia the earnestness of his manner, his boz |
dy is thrown forward, his cshntenaHce islighted |
up. every muscle is strained, his eye kindles, |
and his periods follow each other iii rapid sue. |
cession, with all the vehemence of deep and !
imprisoned eloquence.
Feeling and passion abound in MIR. Gays |
oratory; but these are not the only, nor indeed |
the principal ingredients. He has great, COM |
prehensive and powerful mind, bold in its con- |
cepton, original in lis views, quick IN ats per-
ceptions discriminating and sound in judgment,
and powerful in reasoning He can convince
the understanding: as well as move the heart 90
His arguments are generally torcb|e, always IN
genious and plausible, presented in strong
point of view, expressed without any OF the for
rlahties of ratiocination, and addressed to tue
plain common sense of the House. To this
cause may be attributed in a great measure,
Mr.. Clay's influence in popular assembly. lie
deals in none of the refnements OF logic or
metaphysics IN none OF the embellishments OF