The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-24
AN INSTANCE OF MORAL sUBLIMITY

AN INSTANCE OF MORAL SUBLIMITY.
'.There is but one STEP" said the greatest
ma u of The age '.between the sublime and the
ridiculous" This occasional close approxma-
lion Of the two is perhaps the reason why very
sh rewd observer is sometmes-even with the
aid of Burke's Treatise on the sublime and the
beauliful-unabe TO distinguish the one from
the other. Yetwe should suppose that an al
most iniallil lie means OF discriminating between
them would be by the different effects which
they produce The sublime invariably inspires
awe-while the ridiculous creates merriment.
Judged by this criterion, there can be no sha-
dow Of doubt as 10 which category Bolts late
attempt at impeachment belongs. When this
highminded patriot, goadcd by the taunts and
jeers and quizzings of both parties, rose, at
last, with the air rather Of criminal going 10
execution, than of bold and honest accuser
TO fulfil his almost forgotten promise ofimpeach-
ment--cCrsing, like PAROLES, his own folly in
ever making such promise-there was scarce
ly grave countenance in the House and,
amidst snortings and gigglings and cries of
600 il Bolts p he houndered through his ride
ulous buresque on Burke's impeachment of
Warren Hastings. The spectacle would have
disturbed the gravity Of clergyman while
preaching a funeral sermon; it would have
drawn a smile from man watching at the
deathbed Of his father. A more signal instance
of the ridiculous never was witnessed; yet it
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 he should have been glad to avoid seeing. A
representative Mr. Botts) in his place. and ap.
pcalng to Heaven for the rectitude of his intentions
avowed his determination to discharge his duty to
violated Constitution regardless of all personal con-
sequences tie preferred charges against the acting
President Of the United States, involving The highest
crimes and misdemeanors, staked his reputation up
on their truth, and his ability to prove them; asked
this House for the appointment of committee
merely that he might have opportunity of estab-
lishing his charges, and submit the result to the
House And what did they see In House con-
tanning a nominal Wing majority of at least thirty
the proposition failed by majority of foury. four
IL he ever saw (said Mr. r. an instance of moral
soolimity, It was when his friend (Mr. Botts) held
aloft his articles Of impeachment, and in strains of
ierv'd eioquencc called u, on the assembled Repre-
sentatives Of the nation I, come to the rescue lie
could assure his friend that he needed no prouder
monument to his fameno richer legacy for his chill
dren.
-. ,fFFaid that Mr. Ravner has been kept.
curing us liae.iae, "r~- very shorl aYio W aDce
ions IL of j, wncn apd u 3 ha s,it Ina, .., ~
has of oats. We should advise him, in order
TO improve his IDEAS of the moral sublime, 10 90
through a course of history; and, if he wishes
to acquire knowledge of The ply steal sublime.
to travel, by land and sea, through tropical re-
glons. he will then be able to tell the df-r-
ence between such spectacle as that of Gene
raj Washington resgning his commission, and
that OF the unhappy Bolts houfishing aloft his
articles of impeachment; he will be able TO see
wherein a storm in the Andes, or tornado in
the Wet Indies, differs from the splashing and
quacking 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 man of weight
and standing, unimpeachable himself in his pri.
vate and public character, and distinguished bv
long course of honest unpreendng public ser
vice; If he had had UNREASONABLE grounds off
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 infuria-
ted parties, terminating, probably, in all the hor-
rors OF civil war; if he had nevertheless be-
lisved that sense of duty, a sacred regard to
truth, justice and freedom, imperiously called
upon him 10 move the impeachment, and he
had done so with dignity and solemniy be6t-
in The ocr osio n
ess attention OF the assembled Representatives
Of the People-then there might have been
sublime in it,
But when a man better known TO the Paonle
by his conneyion with the turf and the snoring
circles, than by any public service; whose race
has been excited by the dignifed refusal of the 5
Chief Magistrate of the nation to give him CON d
sequence by entering into a personal controver-
y with him; who has prostituted the functions 5
md degraded the station Of a legislator, by sup !
resting laws confessedly intended merely TO ,
head" and cnbauass the Executive. and rot I
n any way to promote the public welfare; when !
uch man, actus,ed chiefly by personal ami i
Mostly and spleen, and with no public motive C
It best, but rabid party spirit, sits down to con-
oct, IN pompous borrowed phrase, series of
hsrges, every line Of which he knows to be
'ther false or frivolous, and, goaded into the
performance of vain boast, exhibits them ro o
be Representatives of the People, with the per :.
ec' knowledge and certainty that they will not B
e deemed worthy even of a moment, serious b
such a scene of tom. foolerv g
axes place IN grave deberatve assembly, Mr..
iayner must be blind not to see that il i. ON ,bo
'rong side Of the line which separates the sub. s
me from the ridiculous. .,
MR.. RlVES SPEECH. n,