The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-21

sound practical knowledge of politics. 4 man whose opinions were the essence of strong common sense- the results ot the united action of clear head and an honest heart. The name of this man was Roger Sherman, (the gentleman from Leicester has heard of him. This Roger Sherman wrought at the trade of a shoemaker many years after he had reached the age of maturity.
 There was yet another, not me chanic himself, but the son of a mechan- ic, and bred in the family ofa mechanic. l will now take the gentleman from the room where the Statesmen of Amefica assembled, to that in which the Philoso- phers of America assembled. In the chair of the last, he once would have seen DaDid RiHeaho1sse, C zodtctnaoker, one of the greatest astronomers and ma thematicians of the age.
 will take the gentleman little far ther, even into the State oi South Car olina; and as he lived in revolutionary times he might once have heard oi a General who was one of the first of mil itary men, q genius who could appropri- ate the benefits of his enemy's victories to his own use, and triumph in defeat, and whose own victories were conquest. His name was Nathaniel Greene, a blacksmith, like my worthy friend from Hinsdale. (Mr. Emmons.l He went forth from his stithy to lead armies, and to win glory-a hero and a patriot.
 l willnow take the gentleman to Ger l many, and as he has disclosed to ua that he is a reader of thescriptures by plen- tiful quotations andallusions, will show him the man. without whose aid he might possibly have never seen a Bible. l mean sir, John Faustus, q printer, and the inventor of the art of ofprinting.
 l will now take the gentleman to Eng land to introduce him to person by the name of Brindley, the constructor of those magnificent canals which in the l course oftwenty years tripled the wealth of England. This manwas a mill wright. There was another, who by giving to the steam engine its highest capacity swell ed the stream Of wealth iii a yet great CT ratio; his name was Jas. Watt, . ma- ker of mathematical instruments.
 The gentleman has told us that he sometimes condescends to enter a bar ber's shop-not to hold any converse with its humble occupant, but only to receive touch of his art, and then to depart, as if in disdain of the man who could pursue an employment so humble. But l can tell the gentleman that this trade, humble asitis, was once practised by a mighty genius, who invented an improvement in the machinery forspin- hing cotton, which has not only laid the foundation of some of the ostmagnfi- cent fortunes in America,-which has not only flied our country with wealth, but which like the touch of the enchant- CTS wand, has censecrated the treasures of the world in the Island of Great Brit ain. mean Richard Arkwright, by the courtesy of England, Sir Richard man who by the force of his genius translated himself from barber's shop to the British Parliament, and to place amongst the proud knights of the proud est aristocracy in the world.
 The genius of these three mechanics, Brindley, Watt and Arkwright, upheld the sinking fortunes of England, and placed her on that high eminence from which she overlooks the world.
 Although may weary the gentle man from Leicester, must take him to another place. A little town in the centre of England called Stratford on the Avon. There, dwelt in ancient times q man whose name was William Shakespeare-I dare say the gentleman has heard of him, for he was a mighty spirit, whose influence, like that of the heavenly bodies, is even now calling Up the tides of human feeling. He was a man who has thrown the charm of his genius on the lowest walks of life-sur- rounded the throne of mirth with new delights-varied into countless varieties the shades and the shapes of his ilumor given a new and graceful dignity to the humblest of the virtues--imparted a blander spirit to social life-pervaded the very depths of the soul with strange and wondrous powers of pathos, and impressed upon sublimity itself a stern CT and loftier character. Yes, sir-he was mighty enehanter, who could call forth from the invisible world new va riety of scenes and beings, and could give to these "airy nothings local hab-