Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1843-07-01

but as graces scarcely less necessary than strength
itself to that high career which he was preparn!
himself 10 tread. He returned TO Charleston some
what as Milo the wrestler might have done TO the
Public Games of Italy from the palastra OF Greece
not an effeminate wanderer unnerved by foreigr
delights but an athlete of terrible strength and for.
midable skill.
His return was Of course met with all that addl-
tional expectation Of his friends and of the public
which his reputed genius and his known habits
abroad were fit TO excite. Each gayer traveller,
too, that came or wrote home, had been constantly
maryelIing at the progress OF his mind and announc-
ing some fresh requirement that he had set about,
some new accomplishment that he had mastered.
Ii was felt, then, that here was man whose rare
natural powers, perfected by discipline so severe
and animated by such vigorous purposes, could
scarcely fail OF achieving greakthIngs.
Pauslng, however, not one instant to ENJOY IN
the circles OF an elegant and cultivated CITY, the
forelaste Of that broader reputation which ne must
now have felt himself capable OF grasplng, he at
once entered upon the practice OF the law distin-
gushing HIMSELF from the first, by the richness and
force of his oraorical powers, his command oil the
theorec and historical parts OF bis profession, and
The variety and splendid OF his general attalnmens
These won him rapid celebrity. Practice, how
ever, and business, which nothing but time can Gre
ate at bar already possessing number OF able
and established pleaders, (such as PETTIGRU, MING,
HAYNE, GRIMKE, and DRAYToN,l came more slow
| ly, and even with some mpediments from those
brilliant qualities as a speaker and scholar, which
often serve, BY their superiority, but TO SPREAD an
| impression that he who shines so much Sn>these
things is too fine and too lofty ever to be skiful
attorney Mr. LEGARE knew too much what other
lawyers were ignorant Of not to have great difficulty
in convincing the public that he knew even much
law as the dulest and narrowest OF those who have
mastered nothing of the profession but It's quirks,
| and who are argued TO be lawyers, chiefly because
| thew are nothing else. He who adorns mastery
argument with the graces of elocuton will usually
pass like PREsToN for little better than declaimer,
| in comparison with men who reason almost mach
! ess vel! than he they speak and PATRICK
HENRY, a man who never in his life made speech
for display or pronounced word but such as pow
erfuIly contributed 10 his purpose, was looked on,
all his life, but utterer Of harangues because
he covered up what was to affect the understanding
with all that wrought upon the Imagination and the
passions.
Meantime, in becoming more largely professional,
the general studies of Legare did not cease. Learn
ed pursuits or the sedulous practice of the art OF
delivery filled every interval of professional prepa'
ration. Originally, his voice had been harsh, weak,
and untunable; while defective shape and il-Pro-
portioned arms tone of which had besides been from
his childhood stifened by dsease) seemed TO render
il impossible for him ever to attain graceful or an
expressive gesticulation. Yet, by self-trainng tc
which the famous one of Demosthsnes was almost
nothing. he vanquished these formidable dsadvan-
tages~} By the practice of every thing that could
strengthen his uterance, give him the command Of
It's modulations and improve his whole enunclation
he absolutely created himself voice the most pow
erfu and one of the most perfect we have ever
heard. 1t became clear, musical, delicate, and true
in its minutest ntonations; while in its more vehe-
ment bursts Of sound it grew capable Of filling the
largest hall with laundering tones, to which we have
often felt the walls Of legislature ring and vibrate
He overcame, in like manner, or contrived to hide
his bodily defects, as TO attain command ofges-
ture quite sufficient second the beautiful 4cita-
tive of his voice and the play Of features unusually
striking-a noble and commanding countenance
full Of intellect and passion, and fit TO mirror all that
the glow of his eloquence could express.
Within some two years well as we recollect)
after his coming to the bar he was, by the admira
zion which his talents excited, brought into public
lie As mepber of his State Legislature, for the
1--WE believe, of Johns Island and Wadma-
law. In this more liberal field, where intellectual
resources could have their full scope, he took, at
once the highest rank that one unskiIlcd in Iegs-
Iative management and impatient of practising it
could acquire. He met, in the very outset of his
political course, the questions which agtated his
State from 1924 10 lS33-if, indeed, they can be
considered settled there even now /; for as, in Vr-
ginia they are ever fighting over again the battle OF
'9S, at which none Of them were present, but in
which it is highly advantageous for each politician
to prove TO the people that if he had been there he
would certainly have been on that side which proved
the strongest, it is in Carolina, where all po-
litica questions are discussed not upon their own
merits but upon some fancied relation, either
through the actors in them or through something
called " a principle" to their great State Rights or
anti-Tarf controversy sort Of bed Of Procrus-
ties upon which they clap every travelling question
of politics that comes down their way.
Ours is tale of Fodden field
And not history,
however; and we need not here rectc how the fight
began, in 1924, with the famous anti-Tariff, anti
Internal Improvement, and anti Bank Resolutions
of Judge WILLIAM SMITH, the Radical and State
Rights opponent of Mr.. CALHOUN, at whom was
aimed the whole original move. For the moment il
succeeded, and gave Judge SMITH the party ascen-
dancy in the State. That being his chief practical
aim, the leader paused there, and would have had
the matter go further but he had set a stone rol.
ling which was fated TO crush him. Followers fan
ADLER and sincerer than hnISelf-CooPER and Pres.
TON, the one matchless in popular harangue, the
other The most powerful pampheteer Of his times
continued in the field and drove forward an aea
t;or he Immediate