Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-09
ROBERT Y. HAYNE.
TIN. Editor, of the Ne,o. York Gazette.

10 ore of those speakers, who So gensraiiy ehhs'
with them he feelings OF their hearers, oy Inc
contagious power OF their own enthusiasm, ina.
even a, a distance, and after long interTai OF
time. find il, difficult so lar to set ASIDE 'he
! impressions produced by his era'ory. as 10 dea'
/ fairly with his capacity, and hetai' VIVA al wv
nreind,ced mind, his qualities as an orator and
| legislator.
In some of The high essential. Of eloquence,
! Mr. H.yne has few superiors In fer'ency aud
generous enthusiasm, few equals. Although
| The wri,sr Of these lines has often differed
| from him in The views he has taken iques'tons
of d, bic policy, still OF The honest CONVICTIONS
en- e,,ainet. by Mr.. Hayne Of he correctness OF
his opinions, no onr, who has heard h'm r1
press the m, could feel doubt. Ills manners
the very index Of sine eriy. His lesdlng rharae"
,.r;s,ic a, a sneaker. is Jealous intrepitlty He
! is ,,way. ,eady 10 defend his sentiments, or 10
aid 10 the supper, OF measures which he ms once
,dyec a,rd-a and his efforts are devoted IN ne
,r.. .p;rit Of ehivalry, with all his heart. his
is no hall, way advocacy; and no mental 'eser-
va,ious neu,raiize The effects of his exerhons,
OIL throw doubt on their good taih. H's Ga
paci,y in desultory debate Is scarcely Gq""ied
| in Congress; and hence, acme OF MS mos
| powerful speeches have oeeh those "hic" were
| totally unprecedented.
|
middle SIZE. Hi. face excepting when in mo-
,io, i. not very remarkable, although i ex>
| preston i. pleasing. HIS complexion is saio",
| his checks round md full, with 10 her hroad
meu n; his 70, en-, ad is no, peculiarly iarg' or
| capacious, IN ON parIson wuh his countc"an e;
his ewes are grey. full of fire aud animation,
aud he mosi Expressive lectures In the lace;
! n. hair is Ugh brown, sri aigh' and carelessly
worn. In fac, a. first sight, his person dues
not indie ate The character of The man. But IN the
warm II Of eba.r, how do his tes'urrs brighter
with feeling and intelligence! How d" his eyes
sparkle with light, as we've, not their own!
| His coun enance, when once the mind is loose-
ned, seems full Of intellect; and tie continual
play Of his features Justly indie a,es the susceP-
uhiiI,y OF ,oe sinner mnn."
His voice is clear and A xlblc, although with
out great d 'pth, or fullness # tone; and he has
! il uodrr perfect control. When once IN The
fuli hpw sf ut,erance, II goes on, uninterrupted
by ply sical d., tencics, and wi'hon' the slight
est harshaess or irte! fancy OF intona:ion. His
manner of speaking is unusually vehement and
rapid-snme,imts perhaps, 100 much So
| al hough the quickness OF his enunclation sci.
dom prevents his hearers from fully compre-
hendlug his language, which is clear and
sil aieh, forward. IN observing his face while
spe sking, one is induced TO believe. from the
. pid movements Of his lips, hat Mr. Hayne
.ps sks with much greater than his real rapids
lv His gesicvlalions are appropriate, but
rather sbundan' and in passages OF aigh ex-
c,em.n,, bis gestures correspond in 'h"ir en-
| ervy lDdr ed when excited by his subject Mr.
Hayne seems wholly absorbed. His bps and
voice are not the mere passive instruments
through whose sgency the mind reveals rself
Bu, in; o his whole frame 'he feelings and con-
vic ,ions Of hts hear, ard mind seem 20 nave been
,nfuse d., and every faculty 20 be acting under the
general impulse His fancy is chas,e ,bui glowing.
| His metaphors are sometimes remarkably hap
py, and his i'm gina ion never outrage> COM
mon sense. fhe has fault, il is hat his ar
dor, occasionally, although not often, carries
him TO. far into specula,ions not entirely rele-
vans to his subject, and that by The extension
Of his depression, his hearers occasionally lose
sight Of his main "bjec,
| In some Of his speeches he has deeply nm
pressed III. audience by power Of Gelineating
scenes and sketching occurrences, more esp
cially those in which The glory OF the country
has been involved. His illusions TO the services
of the revolutionary heroes, during the session
OF 1878, was one Of the most glowing trib-
u,es to ps,rotism and valor that was ever list
ned to; and his appeal for the WORKOUT rem
nsn,s Of that heroic band, to the gratitude and
justice OF the nation, was foil Of pathetic beau
~. In his speech, also, in support OF The North
Carolina militia claims, similar powers were
exhibited. Blu, few Of his efforts have been
more successful han bis advorasy Of The claims
If Commodore Deratur's family. His descrip
ZION OF the action on which these claims arr
founded, possessed some Of the finest qualities
of poetry. His panegyrie on the character and
services Of Decatur was ADMIRABLY drawn, and
his summing up Of the considerations, Of pol
icy, national honor and due regard for those
whose lives had been devoted TO their country
glory, on which the appropriation asked ought
10 be made, were, with every generous hear.
perfectly irresistible.
1t would, however, be doing great injustice
to Mr. Hsyne, were 10 con6ne nv notice to
those speeches alone in which his feelings or.
his fancy are developed. AS an industrious
and practical member Of the Senate, he has
high claims to respect. Hi, exer,ions to Car
ry through that body, bill for the establish
men, Of uniform system Of Bankruptcy
,hroughou the United States, should not be
forgotten. The bill was introduced by him.