Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-07-04
y d u r .e I9Ar.
SKETCHES OF u- s SEX Arnn :

N
tnlted States Senator'S OF the Session of ls21
and C." by talented member OF the Washiup-
Ton chy bai--JaMrs iloEaN. Esq
The poritarurcS q! some ol those DISTINGUISHED
men are 'Nid!y ard s,riAinsiy drawn-and Tic
style OF the wUicr Is at once nervous and claSs,-
Cal. Mr.. Hoban ough, To devote has pen o.tener
10 the muse Of Literature,
As specimen OF the work we select the fol-
lowing
HENRY CLAY.
Mn. CLAY Is an individual calculated
IN any country. and at ony rciiod, to
command much notice. His talents and
his cast Of mind are OF the practical order.
lou are struck a, once with his appear.
ance. lie II tall and slender Of shane.
his arms effectively too long for his .,zr.
Ia dress he Is plain-yet aGhering to the
now aniiqua,ed blue coat aud Kilt buttons
when he commences his remarks. he an.
pears rather awkward and ungainly-
which appearance ia heightened by pro-
nuneIaiion of some words with marked
peculiarly and lmproTriety. These de-
iect., however. are los, sight Of. rs he pro-
ceeds. and when warmed with a ub,oc,
favorable 10 display. he is certainly the
most empowering ard fascina iiny sneak.
or oil ms age. liz, form then becomes
lofty aud erect-his coun,cnanee beams
with life. lie looks. thinks. and feels
every word he u;ters. His action is, at
tines. violent IN the extreme, vet not
o'ersirained or unnatural Hi. voice is
'ndesono,bly fine, and constitutes one Of
The greatest Charms OF his ora,orv. In
oecd no nan can witness an effort Of Mr..
tLAf s, without asserting TO the truth OF
Tue remark OF the Greoian, who Being
asked wherein consisted eloquence, re-
Piled action, action, action"
or MIR. CLAY, as an orator. YOU can have
no kind of idea, BY reading his speeches.
You ars amazed when you peruse cool.y
IN The papers, day or two afterwards.
what unclaimed your attention, aud feast.
ed your soul and your senses, amids,
The crowd and beauty at the capitol. /
well remember The frs, time that I heard
MIR. Clay. Twas quite a child. and on a
hollday afternoon wandered into the can.
hol. The columns and the pictures
''caught my youthful fancy. While
there, Mr.. CLAY spoke. casually and
briefly, upon the repair Of the Cumber-
land road recollect il as il the occur
renee was but Of yesterday. The impres-
sion upon me by his voice and manner
Vas inGelible-iha, voice. how various,
bow commanding. how rich in volume,
ana IN inionation IN the course Of his
remarks. be used this exclamation, "the
West! the West ! the poor Wesi!lr"-
lie gave the word poor, a most melan-
choly emphasis Sit wss re-cchoed with
added dolefulness.
oiInpie as this circumstance NAV seem.
and long ago as IT occurred. vet the ru.
sic, the magic, the tone and effect with
which that simple sentence was uttered.
engraved it, with the form and n. arnes of
'he speaker, forever upon my memory,
and
1T haunis me vet, tho many a year has llel
Like some wild melody"
The lace Of MIR. CLAY is strongly indi-
cai've Of mind and passion. lis hair is
heh,-unfros,cd yet-his forehead ex.
panded-hI9 nose large. broad, and Ro.
man-his eyes blue, his cheek bones
prominent. his complexion florid. His
most remarkable feature, however. is the
mouth. which expands almost from ear
10 ear, and Is wonderfully expressive. II
/. very difficult. truly and fairly. 10 depict
The oharactetistIcs of the mind OF MR
CLAY. lie possesses the utmost tact ar d
readiness In debate. He is plain, pracii-
Cal, and convincing in argument, with
ready VA snd maichlees defamation -
Although ieryid and vehement. yet Mr..
{. cannot be said 10 be imaginative. You
md few Of his expressions or paragraph.
brilliant or sinking enough for preserva.
ton. There seems but little poetry ia
his matter, and that little not ALWAYS in
The best taste, but appears, as IL wcro, by
accident, upon the surface Of his eArnes,
dIciion. His great power is psssion-ihe
bass OF that passion a strong. common.
sense conviction Of The truth n what he
1 u,iers. He drags his hearers slong with
him. like The locomotive brings on The AZ.
iached Csfs-the steam within imrcls ibe
FIRST and the latter must obey the propul.
sion. l!is mind appears surcbarged viii
n iorce Of conviction sufficient TO hurry
his " hole audience irresisubly 60 HE ow n
conclusions.
MIR. Gay is well calculated 10 earn
snd deserve popularity. lie cultivate.
KIND feelings towards his sdVorfsrics. snd
gives and receives. without oErnce. what.
ever Iieatanify 10 which a'FuhleCt nay
be calculated to give rise. lie - bold
snd spirited IN every movement. and
( physically and morally ~ uudsuntcd bra
very. lie Is emineniIy calculated to head
add lead party --leeling enthusiasm and
3 ImPaIilag u. IIittiews Of policy are libr.
raj and broad. The ambition With which
/ he Is charged u butihe natural instinct Of
I BIS gresinsss-tbat soiCe within calling
7 to commence those who know thsmselves
20 be capable Of attaining u. lie has
long been prominent LFfofs the country.
and al will agree that. ia times q insl.
( bis ?aifIohc exeTiions have teen devoted
TO the general good, siways siudiousiy
rsPudisied IN these sketches al least y E
may add, without feproof from sry. that
Ill has done ile STATE some scryioe, and hey
I know n.r
BIZ. CLAY may be ssid 10 have com.
Tnenced sn political career ~ spinfed