Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-05-01

Wcye O'Connell addressing a mixed assembly
where the lower orders predominateai, I scarcely
know amy one who would have such u power of
welding the passions. He has knack Of speaking
to rnob, which have never heard exceeded. His
manner has at times the rhodonon ado Of Hont: but
he Is infinitely supeior, OF courses to this well known
democrat IN choice of language and powers of express
sion. The same remark may apply were to draw
any comparison between bin, and alIother well known
mob speaker, Goblet. Were he opposed to these
two persons in any assembly of tine people, he would
infdlliby prove nysclfthe victor. balcony outside
high window, and a large mob beneath him. Is the
very spot for O'Connell. Thete he would be best
seen, aud his powers aud person best observed; but
were he in the House of Commons, do not thinl,
incorrect when say, that he would make little i'm
preston the house. supposing he were heard with
every prcposscssion in HE favour. His notion wants
grace and slavity-quaitirs cn,inentiy fascina-
ting in an elegant and classical speaker, but whcl
perhaps arc overlooked III an 'oracor ofthc people,"
The motions ofhs body are often sharp and angular.
Ills swing about rngraccfny; and at times the
rght-hand. plays sovcnly with his watch chain.
Phoagh s..all not. perups, find many to agree
With me, yc. .:ce TO confess that he docs not
appear 10 mo to possess that very rare ei:t-genue
satire He wants the cultivated grace OF luIgua &C.
which his copeer, Shel, s,ssooses, and tire brliacy
of lnctaphtf. None is there, else, however pcer or
cpinmoner, vino can compete with him in the Ca,ho-
lie Association. His language is often course, and
seldom. elegant. Strong, fierce, aud perhaps bold
1t often Is; but vtpsrsi.o and personality make up
too much of the material. His voice is sometimes
harsh and Gissonant; and Iccuid wish more of that
round, full, mellow tone, whcih is essential to
good delivery aud which so captivates the ear
The voice il the key which ulocks the heart" says
Madame Roland. believe it, ct the render listen
10 the fine round voice of Lord Chief Justice Bushe
and then lee him lear the sometimes grating tones
al y Council, and Ire will soon perceive the differ
ence: The voice. of tire latter much reminds me OF
the harsh thinness of MIR. ]. u. Datouchc,s whose
conversational Tone by the by, is far bcyoad his ora
to7cat one and yet the GOODNESS and the asutc.,oss
winch the latter gentleman possesses in argument
would be 10 bad substitute for the luadlong inpet-
uosity and violent In which Cornell some.
times INDUCES.
As he cannot cllt,e his language in tue same ee-
gance as Shcl he consequently cannot give the same
insfnuation TO his discourses In tins respect, his
contemporary has greatly the advantage. Skiel
gives us the poetry Of eioGuence-O Conncl gives us
tire prose. The attempts of the latter at wit arc
clumsy, while the former bring both that and met
aphor to his aid, and he often them with much
effect. O'Conneil however, can attempt hurno,lr
with effect, and he is peculiar tact in sutng his
humour to the Irish people. have not often seen
good eSnrdium from OCcnnell--an integral portion
OF discourse which IS extremely difficult 10 make
aud think his prerorations want grace, point and
force, and That which the Italians dcnoninate esprcs
sivo."
| l shall follow him still further.
The next place at which I heard the arch leader
of Catholicism, the Council chamber in Dub.
lin Castle, where he was employed to argue n case.
before the then Ficcroy, Marquis Wellesley. His
speech, voice. action, eye flor nothing in oratoy es-
capcS me- are US Clearly before at present they
we're on that days and ii this should catch his eve
would cali 1t tn his memory by saying it one of the
beat speeches he ever made. ar. Goulburn. who
sat ri the owernost end OF the table on the right Of
the Lord heutenant, was busy employed in taking
notes. Fhe person who sat the Chief Secretary
was Lord then Mr.. Piunkett but he merely kent
bis eyes fixed OH the broad green cloth which was
spread amply before him, and, with bis arms folded
scarcely moved from Tint position the entire tune.
fnrd Wellesley the top OF the table dressed in
MS orders and as he of the same opinion in pol
tIcs with the person who speaking, he seemed to
| Listen TIC hlm with much pleasure. His words tonc
CT voice, and action, seemed more strictly attended
| to than when heard him at w and even his stem
IN the autl-rooms OH passing to the chamber vas
also guarded Into that chamber he could not como
III the same hurried careless manner in which have
sometimes seen him fling himself iaio court. One dav
while onngiDg in the latter place,I saw him rapidly
flag aside the green curtain at the doorway and as
he dashed down the bcUches to the front of the bar
n,cthoueht ne would have almost strodo over the
thick files of lawyers, attorneys clerks Witnesses
Scc. who ehapccd to be in his way.
In walking through the streets, he pushes uonr IN
TIC same careless dcnoeratcdl manner: and his stout
tall tgure enables ha to Shoulder asic the crowds
that might oppose his hurried march He seems not
to recoect that the slow pace is the pace of the cen
teinen: on he goes, business and emancipation borne
nightly his broad shoulders; and stops not nor
stays till he gets to the -Four Courts; from the -Four
courts, he is then OF to the Associution-roonns--
from the Association to the Four Courts-back again
from the Courts to attend some popular assembly,
or keep an experimentation the assembly to lis
house to dine--then hearty dinner and temperate
slass-bsass, parchments, briefs, attorneys clerks,
and ''unaedged lawyers" Afterwards retiring early
TO hcd--and then, next day, behold him going thro
the sa,ac endless, important, and weighty routine of
business AMIN.
The setting up for Clure the most daring, and
t!e holdcst step which this ever took, or ever
will take Were he 10 live century he conld do
nothing which would show much of daring and in
trepd talent. He has been blamed for il; bnt the
power aud the ambition, and the holiness which it
has evinccd makes admire where am other
WISE o3lIgcd to condemn. It vas of these steps
that Ito use the words og Foltaire) 'svulrur men
would term rash, but great would call bold"
LIE! me distinguish it from his mission TO England
Fhie last was foolish step, but the first was an in
trepd one. Men of talent forscok him in tue last.
but they supported and abided by him in the first In
sIicrt tho ..i.,l.. g LIZ |. =