The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-02
MIR. Soule,


We are not in the habit OF republshng letters from
Washington but the following is graphic descrp
ton of distinguished star of the Senate chamber, thai
we cannot forbear its publication II is from the New
York Herald, which reached us Friday morning:
WASHINGTON, Feb %, ls47
"NIR. SouLE's SpEEcH-For once feel compelled TO
depart from my habua mi admdr doctrine, and to sur
render myself to unrestraned indulgence OF admraraton
Another bright has this day appeared in our national
armament Another glory is added to the American Sem
ate MIR. Soule, the new senator from louisiana ha.
to-day delivered speech worthy OF the amiest days of
the Senate of the United States that OF any other
ry-such speech is not heard more than once IN a
listrum Solid statesman like, and brilliant it made an
impression such has not been produced by any speech
Of the session, excepting Mr. Calhouns Before
attempt to sketch his views, lei me give some idea OF
his personal appearance.
wears of age His accent and idom French though
he speaks English with remarkable fuency and correct
ness, his dcton being chase, select and never even
slightly, inappropriate The contour OF ms lace IS SIN
guarly striking He has an olive complexion, large
steady black eyes, and his long black hair is thrown
back neglgeny from forehead less high than expan,
sve. A well defined regular nose betrays acumen and
taste and his massive angular chin indicates the posses
sion of frmness of which his whole bearing gives proof
His figure is slender and well knit, and his manner of
speaking is animated, easy, impressive, and entirely free
from theatrical extravaganza of style orgesture His voice
is beautifully moduated and he gives, though onatura
that il seems entirely without consciousness ne rhetor-
cal effect his strong points by the use OF his long sen
possesses,
power of exering sort OF magnetic influence over his
audience power which Charles kean has in most of
his parts-Andersen in al--and Forrest in but two,
"Spartacus" and Damon power which Mr.. Choate
possesses in an eminent degree, and which few men at
present in the Senate exercise Mr. Calhoun has 1t
not Mr.. Webster seldom exerts it-Mr Benton never
had it. Mr., Hannegan, Mr. Cnttenden, and DIR. Allen
possess This electric sway The distinctive characteristic
of Mr. CLAWS style II is after all, the main element OF
success in oratory Notwithstanding the high authority Of
Horaces "orator ft." have been thus particular in
Al IL nj man
will naturally wish to the encaslng OF an intellect
which has to-day shed more light upon the subject OF the
Mexican war than has been shed by all the speeches 1t
has already called forth and in saying So 1t is unneces
sary to discaim any idea of dspaagng those other mas
terpeces of erudon and argument the subject has hh-
erto elected.
Mr. Soue went to the bottom of this Mexican Difficult
ty and displayed great deal of research in proving
that the Rio Grande had always been regarded as the
western boundary of Texas. He argued that war had
been commenced by Mexico and not by the United States
charged by Mr. Calhoun for that before General lay
lor had pitched his camp the bank of the Rio Grande
there determination on the part of the MeNcans to
make war, consequence of the annexation OF Texas
He proved that Mexico fought for the whole OF Texas
and not for boundary and that had been precip-
ated by the President of the United States the opposi
ton party in Congress aege, it was done before the act
which they censure as the immediate cause OF the war;
namely, the occupation of the bank of the Rio Grande
by our army for if Mexico had any cause of war, the
encampment at Corpus Christi, which the opposition
hold blameess, was much bei as the encamp.
ment opposite Maiamoros while to those who pretend
that the Nueces is the real boundary OF Texas on the
west he says again, Corpus Christi is the western
bank of the Nueces, and consequently the encampment
there, which is not at all censured, just great
provocaton 10 Mexico the encampmen opposite Mat
amoros. Mr. Beuien's argument he cut up into small
pieces The Georgian senator took the position that the
war in his estimation unjust and unnecessary IN ITS
inception but still he is for prosecuting it vigorously
Mr. Soue took the position that if the was unjust
and unholy it should TO be prosecuted With great
address he showed that Mr. Cahouns bill is not enable
His own proposition is to take the castle OF San Juan
de Uoa Of it be not already taken and thence to pro-
coed 10 the city of Mexico taking and occupying Jaapa
Peroe and Pueba He would make the Mexican CAPT
tai the headquarters of army and maintain an unbro;
ken line thence to Vera Cruz. Meantime he would
levy contributions the clergy the landed proprletors
and the mercantile classes giving them warrants OF pay
ment at the end Of the war; stipulation for the indemni-