Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-12-21

court, indicated also habtual self. posses.
sion and selfrespect; high and iItelec-
tual forehead; brow pensive, but not
gloomy; a mouth of inaexiblc decision; a
face pale and worn. but serene, on which
was written, as legibly as under the great
Picture in the council-chamher at Calcutta
''mens aqua in arduiS:" such was the as
pect with which the great proconsul pre-.
scented himself TO his Judges.
ellis counsel accompanied him Men
all whom were afterwards raised by
their talent and learning to the highest
posts in their professions: the bold and
strong-minded Law, afterwards Chief
Justice of the kings bench; the more
humane and eloquent Dallas, Chief
Justice of the common pleas; and Plo-
mer, who, nearly twenty years later,
successfully conducted, in the same
high court, the defence of Lord Mel
vile, and subsequently became Vice
Chancellor and Master of the Rolls.
"But neither the culprit nor his adj
vocates attracted so much attention as
the accusers. In the midst Of tn
blaze of red drapery, space had BED
fitted up with green benches and taN
bles for the Commons. The managers
with Burke at their head, appeared in
full dress. The collectors of gossip
did not fail to remark that even Fox,
generally so regardless Of his appear
ance, had paid to the illustrious tribu-
nal the compliment of wearing a bag
and sword. Pitt had refused TO be one
of the conductors ofthe impeachment;
and his commanding, copious, and So
norous eloquence was wanting to that
great master Of great talents. Age and
blindness had untitled Lord North
for the Cuties of a public prosecutor;
and his friends were left without the
|, help Of his excellent sense, his tact and
his urbanity. But in spite Of the abb
sence of these two distinguished mem
bers of the lower house, the box il
which the managers stood contained an
array ofspeakers such as, perhaps, had
not appeared together since the great
age of Athenian eloquence. There
stood Fox and Sheridan, the English
Demosthenes and the English Hyper
ides. There was Burke, ignorant, in
deed, or negligent of the art of adap-
ting his reasonings and his style TO the
capacity and taste of his hearers; but
in amplitude of comprehension and rich.
ness of imagination, superior TO every
orator, ancient or modern.
"There,with eyes reverentialIy fixed
on Burke, appeared the finest gentle
man of the age: his form developed
10y every manly exercise; his face bea-
ming with intelligence and spirit; the
ingenious, the chivalrons, the high
souled Windham. Nor, though sur.
rounded by such men, did the youn.
gest manager pass unnoticed. kt ar
age when most of those who distin.
r guished themselves in life are still con.
tending for prizes and fellowships a
college, he had won for himselfa con
r spicuous place in Parliament. No ad-
vantage of fortune or connexion was
wanting that could set off to the heigh
, hiss splendid talents and unblemish-
ed honor. AT twenty three, he hat
, been thought worthy to be ranked
with veteran statesmen, who appeared
, as the delegates Of the British Com
mons at the bar of the British nobili
', ty. All who stood at that bar, save
him alone, are gone, culprit, advo
Gates accusers. To the generation
, which is now in the vigor of life, he i
the sole representative of great ag'
: which has passed away. But thos'
who, within the last ten years, hav,
> listened with delight, till the mornin,
sun shone on the tapestries of tn
= House of Lords, TO the lofty and ami
= mated eloquence ofCharles Earl Gre
are unable to form any estimate c
e the powers of race of men anon
= whom he was not the foremost.
"The charges and the answers G
Hastings were first read. This ,cere
: mony occupied two whole days, an
\ was rendered less tedious, than
. would otherwise have been, by the sill
: yer voice and just emphasis of Cow
. per, the clerk of the court near rela
ton ofthe amiable poet. On the thir
i day Burke rose. -Four sittings Of tn
IS court were occupied by his openin
$ speech, which was intended to be
o general introduction TO all the charges
d With an exhuberance of thought and
K spIendor Of diction which more tina
Z satisfied the highly raised expectatio
= of the audience, he described the char
acter of institutions OF the natives G
J. India; recoupted the circumstances i
e which the Asiatic empire of Britai
e had originated; and set forth the con
d stitution OF the company, and of tn
L English presidencies. Having thu
!; attempted to communicate to his hear
! ers an idea of Eastern society as vivi
: as that which existed in his own MIND
h he proceededto arraignthe Administra
r ton of Hastings as Systematically cor
IF Quoted in defiance Of morality an
Sc public law.
J. 1.-THE enerrv and pathos Of lib