The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-02-12

;EJ|We copy the following very fair notice of
Col. Benton from the Boston Daily Mail:' from
the pen orone of its Editors, who was formerly
Washington correspondent of the Atlas, and had
good opportunity of witnessing Col. Benton's course,
and listening TO his able speeches in the Senate
While the article is just towards Senator Benton,it
is also credabe to the writer exhibiting as it does
a spirit of fairness and candor highly commendabe.
Sketch of Senator Benton. The great majority
of newspaper readers, we are confident, entertain
very erroneous ideas respecting Senator BENTON
his personal appearance-hs intellectual power
his manner Of speaking his political STAN
ding We well remember with what an incredulous
feeling we first looked down upon the Missouri Sem
ator, from the recking and steaming gallery Of! the
Senate, when we were engaged in the unenynble
occupation oftaking notes upon the crown ola hat
Is that Col. Benton thought we Is that the 'greut
Mirsoui humDuggcr = The truth is, he did not
look like hunbugger at all. There was moth
ing of that coarscness and vulgarty in his manner,
which we had been led to expect, by the never
varying expressions of the newspaper press, in re-
aton to this nlan, Instead OF great, rough. red
faced braggadoca, we saw calm, handsome port
y conference.-the very beau-dea Ola great states
man, Instead Of rude run,ing ,and violent denun-
flow of harmonious sounds The newspapers have
done this Senator grea, injustice, We state no
more than truth, when we say that Mr. Benton isan
elegant specimen of IL perfect gentleman, in dress
and manners The common portraits Of hun are
very correct Indeed his fGaurs so strongly
marked, that it is hardly possible for an artist Of
oeruble skill not TO obtain good likeness. Even
in the most ordinary of the political carcatures, Il
person who has ever seen the man, or has become
at all familiar with his appearance, will discover
the resemblance at once MIR Benton always dress
in that plain, but elegant s,yle which is enlar-
kab!e for nothing but It's simple elegance and is the
true mark ola gentleman
But his greatest peculiarly is his cyc-glass and
the use which he makes of it, This glass il his
constant companion, 1t is suspended by very
snail gold chain, and is in the left side of his
vest lie doubtless needs the aid of specacles,and
uses this glass as Il substitute. When he addresses
the Senate he invariably holds this glass in his sht
hand, and the documents before him, at great dis
lance from his eyes, and speaks in very low and
rapid manner. lie is very methodcal in the ar
rangcment Of his papers, and is seldom at loss to
find any document that he may desire.
lie takes up his papers, one by one, as carefully
MS they were made of the finest threads of glass;
dispatches them carefully, and lays them aside in
the same manner. During 'he Who'e OF the excl
ted session Of 1910, we never saw Col. Benton de-
part from this calm and transformations style speu-
king but once, and then only fer moment. In
reply to some challenge from Mr. Clay, he one day
exclaimed, Let the Senator from Kentucky come
on sir ! feel like the Old war-hoise in his harness.
am impatient for the conics'
From what we have said, the reader nInsi not
infer that Senator Bo",un Is always so calm, and
placid in his speech, that he is severe or clo-
qucnt. No-aihOugh he seldom 'sps the ear
with vo'cn, sounds, he possesses the faculty Of Ut
tering searcasms which penetrate the very vaIs of
his opponents, and in print they cut like the lash Of
scorpions, Though there is little Of the pomp and
tinsel Of the eoculionsl in his manner, there IL
great force and beauty in his language, and sono
passages may be found in his Published speeches,
which would do honor TO the best orators in tho
Union.
| Senator Benton in our opinon-lcaving his pc
culiar views entirely out Of the ques,ion-is an ex-
traordinlry man, and n grea, polilician-and he
exercises more powerful influence over the desiin-
les of this country, than many people imagine. lc
il now undoubtedly, in the foremost rank of the
Democratic leaders, and stand, the best chance of
being the great head Of the party. We shall not
attempt to raise the veil in which the future is
| shrOuded.