The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-01-24
AN INSTANCE OF MORAL sUBLIMITY

<USAs oAsu - W. HWA"6
AN INSTANCE OF MORAL SUBLIMITY.
''There is but one STEP" said The greatest
ma N Of the age, "between the sublime and the
ridiculous" This occasional close approxima-
ton Of the two is perhaps the reason why very
SD rewd observer is sometimes-even with the
aid of Burke's Treatise on the sublime and the
beautiful-unable 10 distinguish the one from
the other. Yet we should suppose that an al
most infallitle means Of discriminating between
them would be by the different effects which
they produce. The sublime invariably inspires
awe-whle the ridiculous creates merriment
Judged by this criterion. there can be no sha-
dow of doubt as 10 which category Botts' late
attempt at impeachment belongs. When this
highminded patriot, goad,d by the taunts and
jeers and quizzings of both parties, rose, at
last, with the air rather of a criminal going 10
execution, than of bold and honest accuser,
ment-cursing, like PAROLES, his own folly in
ever making such promse-there was scarce
ly grave countenance in the House and,
anidst snortings and sggIings, and cries of
$50 it Bolts !' he houndered through his ride
ulous buresque on Burke's impeachment of
disturbed the gravity of clergyman while
preaching a funeral sermon; it would have
drawn a smile from man watching al the
deathbed Of his father. A more signal instance
of the ridiculous never was witnessed; vet il,
seems that it was SO near the sublime, that the
Hon. Mr.. Rayner mistook it for genuine spe-
cimen. We quote his description oft:
He witnessed scene there but two days since
which be should have been glad to avoid seeing A
representative Mr. Botts( rose in his place. and ap
peang to Heaven for the recttude of his intentions
avs~sd his dissemination to discharge his duty to
visanAsd o1ulaon, regardless of all personal con-
sequens0 - preferred charges against the acting
-ftsue q - United States, involving the highest
er1ss I'D nisscaeanors, staked his reputation up
o. s.r trseA - hi ability to prove them; asked
~ 91aae iot the appointment of a committee,
1.ssJ that he might have an opportunity of estab-
49, hs charges, and submit the result to the
HYese. Nd what did they sec In a House con-
o.g no1in.l Wing majority of at least thirty,
.oa Avs, .s:a q Z. majority Of fourty, -four
s1rn1g. i was When his frisnd Mr.. Botts) held
80 ss3sIss Of impeachment and in strains of
AsSt11pQace calIsd u, on the assembled Repre-
Oases q tbs nation IL come to the rescue He
esaaA esars his friend that he needed no prouder
1s1 - - fa0s-no richer legacy for his chill
dun.
We9e afraid that Mr.. Rayner has been kept,
AsrnGAo iSsiime, spon very short allowance
II Dc saAiime, and has The same mistaken no.
xs1s Il which il is said that miser's horse
- saas. We should advise him, in order
- AqsSve his ideas of the moral sublime, 10 90
assagh . coarse of history and, if he wishes
oss4ssea knowledge of the ply steal sublime,
- tnvd, y hnd and sea, through tropical re-
Siss. He wia then be able to tell the differ
eacsAsawsea seed q spectacle as that of Gene
nj Washisgsoa resigning his commission, and
that Of Ne aahaPpy Bolts Aourishing aloft his
arsisass q npssehment he will be able to see
wherein Seem 10 the Andes, or a tornado in
The Wet ladies', differs from the splashing and
qusckiss Of duck in puddle.
We will tell Mr.. Rayner what might have
been sublime in this proposed case of impeach.
ment. II Mr.. Bolts had been a man of weight
and standing, unimpeachable himself in his phi
vate and public character, and distinguished by
long course of honest unpretrnding public ser
vice; if he had had unques,ionabe grounds of
Impeachment, and had drawn up his charges in
plain, brief, unimpassioned language; if he had
known that The impeachment would have been
the signal for deadly struggle between infura-
ted parties, terminating, probably, in all The bor-
rors Of a civil war; if he had nevertheless be-
I'D hat n Of
truth, justice and freedom, imperiousy called
upon him TO move the impeachment, and he
h ad done so with dignity and solemnity bef,-
ting the occasion, amidst the grave and breath
less attention Of the assembled Representatives
of the People-then there might have been
something sublime in it.
Bot when a man better known to the People
by his connexion with the turf and the sporting
circles, than by any public service whose rage
has been excited by the digni6ed refusal of the
Chief Magistrate Of the nation to give him con-
sequence by entering into q personal controver-
sy with him; who has prosttuted the functions
and degraded the station of legislator, by sug-
costing laws confessedly intended merely 10
head" and cnbanass the Executive, and not
m any way to promote the public welfare when
such man, actusied chiefly by p,rsonal ami
mostly and spleen, and with no public motive,
n best, but rabid party spirit, sits down to con
cocf, IN pompous borrowed phrase, a series of
charges, every line of which he knows TO be
sjther false or frivolous, and, goadea into tb,
performance Of vain boast, exhibits them 10
the Representatives Of the People, with the per
feet knowledge and certainty that they will no,
be deemed worthy even of a moments serou,
tsstion-when such scene of m-foolery
,akes place in grave deiberative assembly, Mr..
Rayser must be blind not to see that it i. on the
wrong side u the line which separates the sub.