The Weekly register., 1843-08-19

| was, VI dSpiIcu 10 Ue, polltIcldn, 1t
would be. prudent, pefhaps wise, to avoid
! all mention of these men. Their acts,
their words, their thoughts, their very
looks, have become subjects of. party
controversy. But he whose ambition is
Of a higher or lower order has no need
Of such reserve. Talent is of no party
exclusively; nor is justice.
JOHN RANDOLPH,-Among them
but not ofthem, in the fearful and solita-
ry sublimity of genius. stood a gentle
man from Virginia-ahom it were su-
perfuous to designate. Whose speeches
were universally read. Whose satire
was universally feared. Upon whose
accents did this habitually listless and
unlistening House hang so frequently
with wrapt attention. Whose fame was
Identified with that body for so long
period. Who was e more dexterous de-
bator? A ripper scholar? Better versed
in the politics Of our own country? Or
deeper read in the. history of others?-
Above ell, who was more thoroughly i'm
bued and familiar with the idiom of the
English language; more completely mas
ter of its strength and beauty, and deli
cacy? Or more capable of breathing
thoughts Of flame in words of magic and
tones ofsilver?
JOHN G. CALHOUN.-There was
also q son of South Carolina, still in the
service Of the Republic, then undoubt-
edly the most Influential member Of this
House. With a genius eminently met.
aphysical, he applied TO politics his hab-
its of analysis, abstraction, and conden-
sation, and thus gave to the problems of
Government something of that grandeur
NJ hich the higher mathematicians have
borrowed from astronomy. The wings
Of his mind were rapid, but capricious,
and there were times when the light
which flashed from them as they passed,
glanced, like mirror in the sun, only
to dazzle the beholder. Engrossed with
his subiect-careIess Of his words-his
loftiest flights of eioquence were some
y mes followed by colloquial or proVin-
cial barbarisms But, though often in
correct, he was always fascinating
Language with him was merely the
ecafolding of thought-employed to
raise o dome, which like Angelo's, he
suspendeu Inrne heavens.
HENRY CLAY.-It is equally i'm
possible to forget, or omit, a gentleman
from Kentucky, whom party has since
made the fruitful topic of unmeasured
panegyric and detraction. OF sanguine
temperament and impetuous character,
his defamation was impassioned, his
retorts acrimonious. Deficient in re-
fnement, rather than in strength, his
style was elegant and correct than ami
mated and impressive. But it swept
away your feelings with it like noun
tain torrent, and the force of the stream
left you little leisure to remark upon It's
clearness. His estimate of human ma
ture was, probably, not very high. II
may be that his past associations had
not tended 10 exalt it. Unhapplly, 1t is
perhaps more likely to have been low
cred than raised by his subsequent ex
perience. Yet then, and ever since, ex.
cept when that imprudence so natural e
genius prevailed over his better judg
ment, he had generally the good sense
OF good taste, to adopt lofty tone O
sentiment, wirother fse spoke of meas
ures or of men, Of friend or adversary
On many occasions he was noble and
captivating. One, | can never forget
1t was the fine burst of indignant elo
quence with which he replied TO the
taunting question :"what have we gained
| by the war?n
| DANIEL WEBSTER.--Nor may
pass over in silence representative
from New Hampshire, who has almos
oblterated all memory Of that dlstinc
tion by the superior fame he has attain
ed as Senator from Massachusetts
Though then but in the bud of his pollt
ical life, and hardly conscious, perhaps
Of his own extraordinary powers, NJ