Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-07-22
PORTRAITS OF THE l4TH CON-
GRESS.
GFrom the Alabama Monitor.1

In the speech Of Mr.. Wilde, of Georgia,
delivered IN the House Of Representatives
in 1882, on the tariff, he thus introduces,
in style of beauty peculiar to his own
classic genius, sketch of some of the
distinguished men OF the Fourteenth Con-
gress, (lsl6) Mr.. WILDE says:
The restrictive system is more plainly
to be traced TO the embargo, non.inter-
course, non.importation, war, and double
duties were about TO expire. A new sys'
tenn of revenue was to be devised, and the
manufacturers, threatened. as they beley.
ed, with ruin. earnestly and humb!y en-
treated that the amount required as rev.
enue should be so imposed as 10 enable
them TO stand the shock.
II was under such circumstances that
the Fourteenth Congress assembled. I At
that time had The honor to be member
of this House. 1t was an honor tEeR-
What it is now | shall not say. 1t is
what the twenty.second Congress have
been pleased to make it. | have neither
time, nor strength, nor ability to speak of
the Legislators Of that dpy as they deserve;
nor is this the fit OCCASION Yet the cold
est or most carless nature cannot recure
to such associates without some touch Of
generous feeling, which in quicker spir-
its, would kindle into high and almost no
Iy enthusiasm.
WILLIAM LOWNDES.
Pre- eminent-yet not more proudly
than humbly pre-eminent-among them
was a gentleman from South Carolina
now no more; the purest, the calmest, the
most philosophical Of our contry's modern
statesmen. One no less remarkable for
genlleIess of manners and kindness Of
heart, than for that passionless, unclouded
intellect, which rendered him deserving of
The praise-if ever man deserved it--of
merely standing by and letting reason ar
que for him. The true patriot, incapa-
bic of all selfish ambition, who summed of
flee and distinction, yet served his coun-
try faithfully, bucause he loved her. He,
mean who consecrated, by his example,
the noble precept, so entirely his own,
that the first Station in the Republic was
neither to be sought after nor decIlned--a
sentiment so just, and so happily expressed,
that it continues to be repeated because it
cannot be improved.
WILLIAM PINCKNEY.
There was, also, gentleman from Ma
ryland whose ashes now slumber in your
cemetery. 1t is not long since | stood
by his tomb, and recalled him, as he was
then, in all the pride and power of his
genius. Among the first of his country.
men and contemporaries. as jurist and
statesman, first as an orator, he was, if
not truly eloquent, the prince of rhetori-
clans. Nor did the soundness OF his logic
suffer any thing by comparison with the
richness and classical purity OF the Ian
guage in which he copiously poured forth
those fgurative illustrations OF his argu-
ment, which enforced while they adorned
il. But lei others pronounce his eulogy,
must not, feel as if his mighty spirit
still haunted the scene of its triumphs, and
when dared to wrong them Indignantly
rebuked me.
These names have become historical.
There were others of whom it is more diff
fcult to speak, because yet within the
reach of praise or envy. For one who
! was, or aspired to he, politician, IT would