Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-17
From tie New wsrli, Jan. s.
HENRY A. WISE

The low standard Of Character and talents in the
House OF Representatives, ol,en gives a compara-
tive importance TO very Insignificant men, as dwarf
WI tower when surrounded by pigmies, and a
bladder expand in an exhausted receiver Nothing
but The mos, advantageous relief Of position, and
the most fortunate arrangement a light md shade
could have ever directed, TO so dminutive fgure
as that Of Henry a. Wise. the attention Of the na-
ton lie has, however, been 50 generally lauded
by the letter writer's from Washington; the public
press have so loudly ttumpcted his praises and have
attached so many loity a0Iecves to his name the:
we have been almost forced into recognition Of his
supremacy, witlou, any examination Of hrs ntlc
But the publication Of his recent letter convinced ms
OF the necessity Of closer scrutiny and as ,yc re-.
viewed his character anj career our mind passed
successfully through :he stages OF regret concniu
and disgust, until one whom yee mad been inupLt
to regard as THE Jravcsi Of all Tic Creeks - sunk
rapidly into a dCiotmed, wr1ngling and yituperative
lhersi.fs. We Know Of no man whose professions
10 superior consideration are 30 shnIiOw-wtosa
claims upon public respect and regard vanish so
completely no the touch 81 analysis. We are, IN
fortunately perhaps, not one Of those whose eyes
arc dlZzIed by tho glio Of mere position bv The
the Dogbtrfys Of an hour. II requires something
more sterling Than hustle and noise and "articuste
breath" md AIcncy o. debate, to command our de-
ference or esteem. That ubulc we weld only To-
unquestlpnaJic talents or TO exalted charoeicr We
have thus ilr searched 10 vain through the published
speeches and public lie OF Henry A. Wise, 10 find
any Indication Of eithe', while the process has nc.
cumnoicd evidences Of his weakness inconsistency.
violence and what the inlo'erlnt might name,
cRiHg.
ln his sptechts We cno find rothiog worthy the
h'mcOi nn argument Logic, coqucncc, wit, tns e,
\ are utterly wanting. They are at the best, but
Vlo.eh' ouiofeiks OF personal OF political feeling.
conveyed IN language which TIC revision of the ne.
! porter can scarcely make grammatical and adorned
| win cRcsphonnbIe lnteUectOns AMI stale quota
Unns ana hating metaphors. We have head hi.
Sreasm ooscrbto as "w'thcring," and his invectiye
IS 'utm.rdpls" but We have ourselves bcsn un-
aoe 20 mod any thing in the che or tho other bot
materials iof laughter md dctision. Both would
be perfectly harmless were II not Tor the choice lao
guogo snd imagery in which he chooses to eonvc,
ms uilfibes, resembling IN this particular specie
oiscfpenis commemoratcd 10y Dean Swift, which
having no teeth To bite, emit from their mouihs
certain 0huvi that produces corruption and rot
icnness. The ctter before us, furnishes us With a
lif specimen Ut ihe moderation Of his spirit of ti
by.e oi me discourse and the grace Of his imagery
a. could Toe collected from an entire volume Of ,j,
= beaotes OF Wise" lie thus speaks Of the Re-
& some OF thcm, not an Of them-one or two q
nose men fespcct-fcmGdcS ne Of uoC,ttbr,
y s''e'' VINO hNVe neen caught thievirg and know
hE lhey were to receive 'oluc and thirty Ibid on tl
nek' mofh'ng, bundled up and put out, tho Owe
]. nehl' sure thit no reward would be offered IN
% ,ne apprehension OF such runaways for they knev
'hey were not worth having, and there were nlent
Vl oeuct hnnds without them lcft on the manhattan
IS lhey did what have known fugitive slaves IN IL
" Wrote back TO their master most impuden an,