Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-06-11
From the Southern Literary Messenger
CONGRESSIONAL SKETCHES.

From the Southern Literary Messenger.
CONGRESSIONAL SKETCHES.
R. H. MENIFEE.
This gentleman was a representative
from Kentucky, and first took his seat in
Congress at the extra session, in 1897.
During that session he made his debut on
the floor Of the House, on the Sub. Urea.
sury Bill. 1t W a mastery effort, and
established his reputation as a parllamcn-
tary orator. 1t satisfied both parties of
the superiority Of his mind, and the rank
he was likely TO hold in the body to which
he belonged. His fame had not prece.
ded him, and his first effort was as unex.
pected as il was astonishing. Mr.. Menu
fee does not appear to be more than thirty
years of age in person, he is tall, lean,
and mcagre his hair is light, but worn
very thick over the head, which is finely
moulded, though he is far from being
handsome his face is narrow and long
his mouth unusually wide, and his eyes
gray, but full of expression. The dis
tinguishing features of his mind are acute
ness, strength, clcarness and fertility. He
marshais his arguments with much skill,
and enforces them with great subtety and
power. He has not the imagination or
fertility Of Prentiss, of whom I shall
speak presently but be has more strength
and equal power Of analysis. His rea.
soning is logical, but not dry, and his to-
pics are selected and his arguments ar
ranged with great perspicuity and skill.
There is great vigor in his style-his fig
ures are usually strong and appropriate,
but sometimes too low. His elocution,
though not rapid, is easy, his sarcasm ex-
tremely bitter and mordant and his decla.
nation often rises to splendor. ] never
saw person of his age so calm and COL
lected, when addressing such body, as
he appears to be. He stands selfpoised
and unmoved by the gaze of the House,
and generally fixes his keen and spark
ling eye on the member he is answering,
without addressing himself to the Spea-
ker. In the famous philippe he deliver
ed few weeks before the closing of the
last session, on q resolution introduced by
Mr.. Prentiss, to expel from the House a
member, who had published an offensive
article in the Globe, he kept his eye so
steadily fixed on his victim, and rolled out
his denunciations with such biting and
terrible effect, that after writing for some
time in apparent agony, and unable any
longer to endure the torture to which he
was subjected, he started up once OF
twice to call Mr.. Menefee to order, be.
cause he was looking at him instead of the
Speaker. Mr.. Menefee's manner is al.
ways earnest and impressive. He sci.
dom or never INDUCES in the humorous,
and is more of the philosopher than the
wit. As an orator, he is not at all artifi-
cial-he neither studies his attitudes nor
his action; both appear to be natural and
appropriate. His voice wants melody OF
information, and dcscends from the higher
TO the lower notes too rapidly for effect
while his cadences are sometimes lost in
indstinctness. Mr.. Menefee's talents
are such as to beget the belief, that he will
attain to high distinction in public life
should he devote himself exclusively &c
it; and become as eminent and useful, as
a statesman, as he now is distinguished as
a public speaker.
The compeer of Mr.. Menefee in ora
tory, is the highly talented member from
Virginia,
HENRY a. WISE.
This gentleman, though an older mem
Der, is not an older man than the repre-
sentative from Kentucky. In person
they bare considerable resemblance tc
each other. They are both lem, almos
Misunderstanding like persons in a con
sumption. Mr.. Wise is not quite so tall
nor his hair quite so light as that of Mr.
i Menefee; but his features are more regu
lar, and his eye more expressive and elo
ouent. Mr.. Wise wants the Shaksperiar
pile of forehead; but he has great intensi
ty of feeling, which compcnsates in some
degree, for the deficiency in the lmagina
| tive faculty. Mr.. Wise's mind is quici
and comprehensive; he seizes upon the
weak points of his opponents argument
with great facility, and turns them agalns
him with much skill and ability. He dc
pends mainly upon the native powers o
his intellect, which has not been very
, highly cultivated or disciplined. He ha
not devoted much of his time, probably
from the necessity of early action, to tn
acquisition of knowledge, but his mind j
, perhaps more vigorous and acute than
.upuld have been, if it had been NOR
bolished and enriched with other men
thoughts. He thinks for himself, an
thinks deeply. His thoughts, though no
often magnificent or beautiful, are never
/ theless original and striking. As a sat-
rist, he has not the delicacy, point and POI
ish of the orator of Roancakc, but he ma
more vigor and intensity of Indignation
Jswords that burn and in languag