Litchfield enquirer., 1829-09-17

udNInS UCGu out Oh OCtiSTCSSS ne returned
to it again in 1923, two thirds of the mem
bers concurred in placing him once more il
the chair, although the speaker of thu
preceding Congress, Mr.. p. p Barbour wa.
the candidate against him.
Though its Speaker, Mr.. G.. was accus.
toned to bear a part, in the debates fthe
House, on all occasions Of leading Interests
1t is not our purpose 10 speak of the de.
gree of ability manifested by these speech
es. They have been universally read
and the whole country is familiar with
them. But all have not seen nor heard
Mr.. c.. and therefore a remark or two
on his manner and appearance as public
speaker, will not be out Of. place here. u
what may be called the personal requisites
Tor an acceptable public speaker, he has an
uncommon share. He has tall and erect
figure, with general air and appearance
such as prepossesses and strikes the audi
ence. His voice is perhaps not equalled
by that of any other public speaker in the
country. 1t has not only great force, and
compass, but is also clear, flexible, and
susceptible of great variety of meditation.
lie has, no doubt, sometimes the common
faults OF the country-at least the COM
mon faults ofmembers of Congress, speak,
ing too loud and his earnestness and ar
dor occasionally expose him to the dan
ger OF too much apparent vchemence. A
northern audience, especially, would be
likely to think that he speaks, even on Or
binary topics, and under ordinary circum-
stances, with degree Of warmth, which, i'm
our colder attitudes, is excited, or by our
opinions justified, only by uncommon oc-
casions. The result of all that belongs to
his manner, is, that he is both an imposing
and persuasive speaker. He fixes the at
tention land holds it as long and as steadily,
probably, as any man that has ever APP
peared in our halls of legislation. Frank,
lofty, and disinterested, with power to de-
fend, and capacity to lead, he must neces-
sarily be, and would always be, an impor-
tant individual in any public assembly to
which he might belong. Since he has
been out of Congress, his public speeches
have been principally such as have been
occasioned by festivities, to which he has
been invited as guest, in those parts Of
the country, where custom has rendered it
indispensable on such occasions to make
an address. s t;h;ss"5o n ftgifRdsr falss
preached him for the frequency of these
efforts, and have sought to degrade him by
fixing on him tho appellation of a Stable
orator." Most of this rebuke has origina-
ted in hostility, open or concealed; and
the rest in want of attention to the Cir
cumstances in which he has been placed.
Was he to decline all invitations to such
meetings, from his friends and his neigh
bors, at n time when tempest of the
grossest calumny was beating upon him,
from the presses in the interest 1--WE do not
use too strong a phrase) of those who
sought to destroy him? Ifhe accepted such
was he to follow the custom Of
the country, or was he to break it and be
silent? When he spoke, it was easy to say
that he would better have consulted his dig
nifty by being silent but if he had been silent
it would have been as easy to have inferred
conscious guilt from the fact, that, having a
suitable occasion to defend himself, he had,
nevertheless, been able to make no de-
fence at all. He has acted on the idea
that public man, attacked as he has been
must repel those attacks, not once only
but often and always, lest the uncomfortable
ted repetition of calumny should wear a
channel for it in the public opinion. Tits
not always easy to decide, when Islander
should be noticed and when dsregarded
In Mr.. C's case, we think the result ha:
shown that he judged right, and acted
wisely. His repeated vindications Of him.
self against tho charge Of bargain and cor.
ruption-a charge ridiculous enough in
itself, but in its effects not to BIO despiscd
have in our opinion, contributed with
other causes, to bring about that just and
equitable reaction Of public sentiment,
which, ut the present moment, seems Civ
ing to his character new degree of in
tcrcst and importance. 1t seems to Us
impossible that every fair and honorable
mind should not rejoice in this tone OF
sense, sanity, and good feeling, to which
that portion Of public opinion which has
departed from it appears to be returning
For ourselves, without looking to future
events, or contemplating the Probability
of Mr.. Clay's return to public life, we
feel the sincercst pleasure in seeing him
elevated, in the public judgment, to the
high station to which his character, his Ia
Tents, and his services justly entiilc him.
But we do not, nevertheless, conine
ourselves entirely to this abstract view OF
the matter. We think IL hardly probable
that Mr.. Clay is destined to pass the re-
mainder of his life in his retreat at Ash
I.~d C,aoI;rO ma ,ve think he does nj