Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-16
The Richmond Correspondent of the New

The Richmond Correspondent nf the New
York Commercial gives an m eres ing accoun
OF the meeting OF The Virginia Convention. :
we add the description Of some of the grea
men in that assembly, which will be gratifying
TO our readers
The Convention me, in the hall Of thu House
o. burgessre, a spacious apar m. n, well cal
cuiiied Tor :he'putposes Of a deli"era i've assem-,
oily. The seats tor the members, 10 a triple
row, surround the hall he GENRE is free aud
unoccupied, and every peaker has :hus an ad
vantageous opportunity If dressing he chair
The seat Of the presiding officer is The same
formerly occupied tor that purpose under the
provincial goveromenr-a veurrabie relic, OF
tall stiff antiqua'-a firm, very plain, and made
of dark walnut: SO dark, that an nsorip, ion
over the front OF il, expressive of the dominion
OF the British King, remained undiscovered Till
long alter the revolution, aud has but 10 ey
been removed) There was, as might be ex
pec;cd, general nj punctudl attendance of
the members, only fi.- or SIX being absent, and
these chiefly de aimed by sickness Some lime
before noon, Mr. Madison en,erad the hall; his
appearance and manner perfectly simple and
unos'tnta,ious, his vene, able figure erect, aud
for his age, alert. His coun,enance is salluw
but has healthy look; hi, eve, you know, was
always rather a cold one this expression it
retains, aud his whole face is serious, and falls
in a fxedness, when at rest, almost rrsem.
bling statue His smile, hough very Ian>
sienr, is sweet: The smile OF a very gr,ve coun>
tenance is ap, be So. His whole appearance
and figure is inscribed with dign,y and the re-
6nement Of gentleman. His how grace
ful, and his address and deneanor fitted to
an m mi f,,r uhn
approach him. Many. even Of he delegates,
saw him now 70, the first time: others had not
seen him since his retirement, and the greet
ings of his old friends were numerous and cor
dial. He makes his home at Mr.. Speo ker Ste
venson's, whose lady is relative OF the fami-
ly. He took his place on one side Of The chair,
on the loves, row of seats On the other side
sat Mr.. Monroe: his appearance looks broken
BY years and cares; ", hire IS "a cheerful be-
ne, olence about his face, most winning in ITS
effect upon those whom he addresses. His
dress was plain-more So, ra her, than tina, of
Mr.. Madison, The latter still wearing powder,
aud having diamond buo kies at MS knees AZ
ter some time Mr. Madison r"se and addressed
the assembly His voice betrayed The feeble
ness of age, and, like his whole frame, ,rcmbled
with agitation and apparent embarr assment -
His eyes did not wander, nor did he use much
gesture; and, indie. d, 1t was some moments
before The mass Of the persons present KIN, W
that he was speaking He merely s'aled that
The first step To be ikea in the IgInizatInn Of
the Convention, would, h presumed, be he
appointment Of presiding officer, and ne took
The liberty at nominating, as a sui able person
for that office, Japts Monroe, Of whose ser
vices ana Claims i; was urine essary TO- him 20
speak. This was the Substance 1t his address
(Which was delivered apparently by painful
effort, with frequent paoSes The latter PIT 1T
it, perhaps owing 20 the Increasing silence
Of tie mbl,, Was pretty well heard
The qnes ION Being then pu, The nomina ion
was unanimously concurred in upon whil h
Mr. Madison and Cb'ei Jusuce Mars all con-
Quoted Mr. Mon OF t. the chair NJ. Mon
roe, you know is diAid-n mar. awkwad in
his attitudes and movem,n ts, and somewhat
ungainly In hgurr lie ieli very ma urally, his
constitutional embarras nen's IN his occ aston,
and in an unususi d gree and It excrled an un-
happy Irhurnce in hr manner Of his address ::
the substance OF what he said need no, state,
as i, given in he public prints containing he
report IF the proceedings. Aftrrn was deliver
ed had leisure glance my eye Iouud the
alI-and l. WAS certainly an illus 'ious assem-
blage, presenting mos, impr' ssi,e spectacle
Disni,v, we are all will t. acknowledge,
forms a rkeing ,rai, in the Virginia charac er,
aud very much of i, was to be sen IN every SID (.
The men wee generally tai, many o. them
past the meridian oflife, and some gray headed
Blu, their eyes were bright, heir COUNT
for the most part, crossed with the lines Of
thought, and some most noble in their ,x2res-
sion. Could /, sudden accid. Mt have sunk that
floor, what chasm would it have left among
the Distinguished men of America! have
heard several old men say hat the scene re-
minded them Of the first Federal Corvcalion-
and sucllI am told, was the remark Of MIR.
NJ adj SON him self