Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-09

in the British House of Commons, are extracted
from Wheaton's Travels in England.
Mr.. Peel is a young man, who, by his W
merits and a lucky conjuncture of circumstances,
has gained his present seat on the treasury bench.
His father. Sir. Robert Peel, is a wealthy cotton
Manufacturer. The Secretary Is rather tall and
slender in person, with carrotty hair, light com
plexioned and hard featured. He speaks with
considerable energy; but his manner has nothing
graceful i'm it. He steps forwards and backwards.
s~lapping violently. and with measured strokes,
the desk on the table before him; and wheeling
often and sudd My to the right and left to adj
dress the house.
Mr.. Brougkam Is IN ali respects a most extra
ordinary man. In person, he is tall, lean, a W
boned aud unsainly; with features uncommonly
hard aud coarse. and a complexion sailow and
bloodless. Perhaps | was influenced by the
known character of the man; but | thought there
| sas something even in the tones of his voice
which CONVEYS to the nearer the idea of bitter
and concealed i ony. He appears to regard the
subject of debate only as a field of battle on
whi,h he can maneuvre his forces. and distress
lis adversary. by his skill in sharp shooting and
planting ambuscades, and by the sudden and
murderous fire of his masked batteries. You sit
in perfect admiration of his talents and address;
but at the same time. you do not give him one
PARTICLE of your confidence, nor does he seem
to desire that YOU should. Calling sarcasm. and
bitter and distressing invective, no one better
knows how to administer. IN tones OF Affected
calmness, aud in that provoking kind OF language
which all the while keeps barely within the lin
its of decorum. His action at times is energetic
but ungraceful; he saws the air with his long
bony arms. and now and then rounds of Il period
by an emphatic thump on the table. You know
when he is about to discharge gall of more than
common bitterness, BY his leaning forwards.
weaving the muscles Of his face into a sheer. pro-
truding a long slender finger, and peering about
from side to side. as if ANXIOUS that no drop OF
it should fall to the ground unnotced. This Is
the invariabie signal for a hOurra from this for
midable Cossack; and W. to the luckless adver-
sary against whom he directs his lance. The on
ly man in the House capable of waging battle
with this dire foe, is Canning; and even he,on one
occasion, evidently showed that he was sensible
to the stunning force of the attack.
Ten PAGES huge
lie back recoilel: The tenth on bended knee,
His masSy spear upstay'd'
This happened on th%eirtirst encounter, after MIR.
Cannins's elevation to the treasury bench. The
STYLE of Mr.. Cannings oratory is entirely differ
ent from that of his rival, as every one must have
observed who has read and compared their speech
es. He wins your confidence BY his apparent
sincerity, as much as he delights YOU by his
playful wit, and the manly strain of eloquence
he pours forth. when thoroughly warmed with his
subject. In the early part of his speech, he is
evidently embarrassed, which appears in the hes
itancy of his enunciatiOn and his nervous gestlc-
u~lations; but these are no longer observable, when
once he is fairly in possession OF the train OF
thought he intends to pursue, Ii Is then that he
riyits YOU to your seat. and you feel that GU are no
longer your own master. He uses butlittle action
until his spirit begins to kindle, when he steps to
and fro, and raps the aforesaid desk with heavy
ministerial thumps.
Mr.. Hume is a hard pated, ponderous looking
man, with a coarse unintellectual face, and bull
neck: and speaks on in one UNMARRIED, eternal,
monotonous' strain, whether the House will hear
him or not.
Mr.. Hobhousei is known as the companion and
intimate friend of Lord Byron. He is a very
common sort of speaker-his language and ideas
are all OF the common stamp; and his discretion
apparently none of the best.
Sir Robert UIiSOn is rather slender, and Of
Iswarthy complexion; there is nothing in bis per-
sonal appearance to indicate the chivalerous srir-
it he is known to possess. He speaks with an
lilldtlOuS anu uiu lhCh II punt anu
force.
Sir Frances BurdeR was on his feet very fire.
quently in the course of the debates. His figure
is on the whole rather singular-thl slender and
erect; with a head quite protuberant and square
at the top of the forehead. His features are
sharp and diminutive. In addressing the house,
he seems to be embarrassed at first, turning from
side to side; and saving the air with measured
strokes; but this awkwardness of manner soon
wears oil. He is not an eloquent speaker; he
has a drawing, hesitating manner, as if at a loss
for words or ideas; or having too many, was per-
picked in the choice. The former appeared to be
the case.
Dr.. Washington was one of the champions of
of the late queen on her trial. He is of the mid
die size, rather slenderin person, with a p~ensive
and almost melancholy expression of countanance.
The tones of his voice, too, are solemn, melodi-
Gus and pathetic.
Mr.. HI5eJorce has in his manner as little of
art or study as can be imagined-it is rather
nervous and agitated-his gestures are quick
and angular; and in his more animated and tri-
umphant moments. he flourishes his arms aloft,
erectinsai ais head from its usually dropping posture.