Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-04
Mr.. burgess. OF RHODE ISLAND. ;

raj OF the most distinguished men OF the late
Congress, from the pen Of Mr.. Brooks, the cor
respondent of the Portland Daily Advertiser.
Mr. B. is close observer Of men and things
possesses discriminating judgment. which is
seldom at fault in its conclusions. and holds the
pen Of ready writer. His sketches Of .indivi-
dual character are the more acceptable and inte'
resting, from the episodes which he occasionally
interweaves with them. His digressIons. or &c.
neral reflections, are instructive. as we'll "a the
subject matter of the individual sketchs From
his last letter in the Portland Advertiser, we ex.
tract the subjoined sketch Of Mr.. BUReHs, Of
| Rhode Island:-
Tristan Burgess, Of Rhode Island, is among
the many men Of whom New England has reason
to be proud, He ia emphatisalIy son OF her
institutions, having raised himself from the abo.
rious occupation Of cooper to distinguished
position i'm Congress, having educated and form.
ed himself 20 as now to take high rank among
the fiest men Of our country, and this BY the i'm.
pulse Of his own industry, his own resolution,
his own uncomfortable mind.
Mr.. Burgess is under six feet in height, we'll
built. with hazle eyes, and very marked face,
indicating in a very great degree, the character
Of the man. About the eye. or the eyebrow,
is wildness, a sort Of enthusiastic expression.
which have always found to mark a character
greatly distinguished from that Of the ordinary
lot of men-and though am no scientific physi.
osnomst, nor phrenoogist, yet am believer in
both, and the more contrast mems heads with
what we know to be their characters, the more
am confirmed in my belief. For example, the
man that merely gances at Mr.. Webster. aud
does not see him to be an extraordinary man. IS
blind. The eyes Of Mr.. Calhoun are an index
to his life and his feelings. The eyebrows and
mouth Of Nc. Clay distinguish him at once to
the most careless observer. The Sinking face,
the eyer-smiling wrinkles, the half turned eyes
Of Mr.. Van Buren, are the most perfect indica-
tions Of the man. For curiosity ! attempted to
pick him out Of crowd Of two thousand per-
sons or more, at the White House the other even.
ing, and succeeded in less than ten minutes after
hunting through three suites of rooms. To know
his life is to know him, for his character speaks
in bis face.
Mr.. Burgess is 6s years old this month (Feb-
ruary.) His head is bald; his eye wild. his
manner in debate SO animated, the motions Of his
hands when bouncing hike claws, as il were,
upon the adversary, fall so forcibly, SO fatally,
one may add, that he has not been inaptly term
ed the Bald Eagle. No person has a greater
command Of language than Mr.. Burgess. No
one in Congress has so many expressive words,
SO many expressive metaphors, 30 many well.
pointed illustrations, SO MANY well.dlrected
shafts. 10 the war Of words he has no equal
Wo to the man that measures such weapons with
him. His culver Of arrows is inexhaustible.-
His bow Is always drawn. The quicker the
combat the better for him. In that rough, of
hand immediate skirmishng. the picquet hgh-
ting as it were in debate, when advancing guards
meet, Mr.. Burgess is the happiest man ever met
with. He will lay whole platoon PROSTATE at
move. Instrumentation is wanted, it goes like
an ancient Catapul.a with terrible force upon the
walls OF an enemy to demolish whole regiments
at blow. If some stout champion, Goliath
like. is sent TO meet him. his sling lays. him low
ciatlon. il argument are weapons too dignihed
to be used upon an adversary over confident in
his strength, Mr.. Burgess will draw upon his
wit, in which he is we'll gifted, and soon make
him ridiculous Thus MIR Cambreleng, and Mr..
Daniels have been often quoted. 1t is said that
Mr.. Burgess is the only man OF whom John Ran
doph was afraid. In graphing him. Mr.. Bur-
ges must have found his equal in words. in meta.
phors. in wit, but perhaps not in denunciation,
But Mr.. Randolph was silenced BY one Of those
appeals ad hominem, which he himself was in
The custom Of using with so much effect upon
others.
The great advantage which Mr. Burgess has in
debate over many men, 10 his readiness, aud in
his ability to fight with any kind of weapons. II
classical illustration or reference is useful. his in.
dustry, and taste as scholar (for he IS scholar
as well as politician, aud is as well read in Ce.
sar, in Livy, and in Homer, as IN Nautilus or
SeyberO give him the choice OF weli-tempered
words, and well.matched Illustrations. In this
| therear great advantages which the student who
| now can see no utility in the classics, will see
when he comes upon the walks Of the world -
And here in passing, le, me remark, for feel
kind OF holy horror at the prescription which some
Cloths and Vandas are raising against all the no.
dels Of Greek and Roman literature, that the best
debatefs in Congress are scholars, fine classical
scholars. all that know of, with the exception
Of Mr.. Clay, whoif he had the cultivated TASTE
Of Mr.. Everett would be one Of the most power
ful men the world ever saw, whose very faults
| are stammerny and hesitation in debate which