The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-04-02

william pinkney, or s.rTians. q. II Ussis'I'

wonder and the admiration Of the aes. in which /
they lived, should leave behind them SO few memo /
rails OF their great abilities and it seems TO be pe-
culiarly the misfortune Of those who are indebted
to their extraordinary powers Of eloquence for the
lame which embalms their name in the memories |
Of men. We told bv their contemporaries Of the
wonderful effects produced by the eloquence ofPe-
ricles and the great Earl OF Chatham, and yet, we're
we to base judgement Of their abilities as ora
tors, upon the few specimens which ana handed
down US, we could scarcely believe that the one
held all Greece enchanted, and the other made
kings, lords and commons tremble at bis will. Ii
is true, that those splendid buBts of eloquenee
which most affect auditory, often, if not al
ways, the inspiration Of the moment, and die with
the excitement which produced them, and you can
no more preserve them, than you can the brilliant
flashes Of the rocket, which, while it gives forth
those coruscations which dazzle and command ad-
miralon, consumes the particles with which Ii is
composed.
ne regret that Mr.. Pinkney has left us so few
memorials Of his splendid eloquence, and that,
those few, however great they may be, are OF such
character to give US but faint idea of the gs
MUS Of that extraordinary man. Those who knew
him and have heard him, can testify that though
they are indispulabe evidences of his claims 70
greatness, yeI, they are inadequate tosupport the
brilliant reputation which he enjoyed and so richly
deserved And if the younger Put, in his ednira-
ton for Bolmgbruke, wished for The restoration of
one of his great speeches, in preference some OF
The lost and wished for gems Of classic lrera-
ture, so we think thai every American cannot but
regret that, upon tradition alone, must The claims
Of their great countryman rest for that fame which
was won for him by those powers Of eloqusnce
which have been rarely, if ever equalled, anu GER
tainly never excelled in our country.
William Pinkney was truly the ornament of his
time whether in the Senate chamber, unra-
veling with master-h hand, the most difficult and
| agitatng constitutional questions, upon the de-
cision of which depended the domestic tranquility,
and, perhaps, even the fate of country he loved
and served SO well in the courtroom, carrying
the venerable and learned expounders OF the Jaw
away with him in burst OF brilliant eloquence,
| or amazing them, not only BY the accuracy. but
the vast and seemingly exhaustess store OF profess
sional learning, which he displayed before them; /;
or in the discharge of his duties as foreign minister
contending, successfully, with the most sklfuI
dipomatsts of the age, for the rights and honor of
bis country in the social circle, commanding its
| admiration by the richness Of his .collequial elo-
quence-ihe elegance OF his demeanor--the fascina-
ting powers of his address, and the variety Of his
L
he moved, did he give indisputable evidence that
he was a man of transcendnat genius. Although
Mr. Pinkney displayed great ability throughout the
whole Of his political he-was a conspicuous mem,
Der of the United States Senate during the agita-
ting times produced by the discussion Of the grea
Missouri question, and was able minister as
any who have represented their country abroad
yet, if we would form correct opinion of his tai
ents and character it is in the walks Of his profess
sion that we must view him. Believing, as he
once observed I" that the bar not place tc
acquire or preserve false fraudulent reputation
for talents' he was ambitious thsslhis claims &c
fame should be based alone upon the standing he
might acquire in the practice of his profession.
J His devotion to the law amounted to an enthusi-
| asm which prompted him TO bestow the whole ot
| his energies to the accumulation OF legal knowi-
. edge which he sought in the original text writers
| and reports. 1t is said that he considered Chief
Justice Parsons and himself, the only men in
| America who had thoroughly studied Coke upon
: Lttleton and it is certainly beyond contradiction,
that no man has yet appeared at any bar in this
country, who has surpassed him in the profundlty
the extent and variety of his legal information
Such was his invncible inclination for his profes
sion, that he never entirely abandoned the study
q | law, whatever might be the duties and employ
. | ments which compelled him, for time, to leave of
4 | the practice of it During the years he spen
abroad, even in the multiplicity and Importance Q
the duties incumbent upon him as minister or com
Il missioner and which he faithfully attended to- b
constantly endeavoured to improve his legal attain
I, ments by diligent study, hequenting the courts
| Justice, and by his intercourse with the most ac
: complished lawyers Of England. Such love for hi
profession, such untiring industry in accommodating
knowledge, and in improving his great natural EN-
: dowments, made Mr.. Pinekney pre-eminent at tn
bar. Fof it was there that the eAtentand the pro
fundity of his legal infermationthe clearness an'
VI accuracy ofhis judgment-the comprehensive grasl
S, of his intellect-hs nice powers OF dscrmlna
ss, tion-the rapidly Of and clearness OF his eoncep
tions-the brilliancy of his fancy, and the SPLENDID
nd of his diction placed him upon an emnenoe TO
ret which nature seemed to have designed him, ant
IN IN where he could shine unrivaed. The character
= his mind was eninently adapted to the discussion
of legal subjects and such were his powers OF ana
@. yzng the most abstruse points of law and render
ing the discussion of them, not only agreeable, bu
even fascinating, by the aptness and beauty OF HI
" illustrations that he elected from the venerable
IN MARSHALL that beautiful and deserved compliment
9 "He wields the club of Hercules entwined witt
Is; iewers1
hss Mr. Pinckney's argument in the celebrated cas-
a. of the Nsrede, was one OF the ablest he ever de
81 livered and what remains to us of that spendi
al effort gives us some idea of his ability for lega
discussion. 1t was a case which created consider
able interest, not only because it involved some
Of the most interesting and important principles Of in
ternatonal law, but also account of the distin
Z guished reputation Of the, advocates by whom
| was discussed. ne decision OF lne court wa
: against those for whom Mr.. Pinckuey appeared
and Chief Justice Marshall in delivering the opn
. ion OF the court spoke thus of that gentleman
effort: "With a pencil dipped in the most viyi
q colors and guided by the hand Of master, splen
s. did portrait has been drawn, exhibiting this vessG
s and her freight, forming single figure, compC
sed of the most discordant materials Of peace an
B. war. So exquisite was the skin of the artist $
e dazzling the garb in which the fguge waspresentet
that it required the exercise Of that cold nyestga
ting faculty which ought always to belong to thos
who sit this bench to discover its only impereS
y ton--its want of resemblance"
as Mr.. Pmkney was one Of the few who have eve
IS. lived who was not content to rest his hopes
*, fame upon even extraordinary natural endowment
No man ever toiled more assiduousiy than he dh
o. to acquire information and no lawyer ever pr
pared his cases. whether Of little or great impo
lance, more thoroughly or industFionsly. Like
= celebrated and gifted cotemporary, Lord Erskin
1 whatever be undertook he threw itiatoa the enery
M of his soul. The Establishments Of society we
:. unheeded food and rest were disregarded by hi
~ when thus engaged. He never was caught sleel
ia ing upon the battlsments, whether they we
strong or SRaak, eH hoNayar nantaIanfihla n