Southern shield., 1850-09-21
T H E so U T H E RN SH I E L D :.

the bold through sympathy. A chivalric bearing, easy address, and a warm heart, Idrew around him crowds of admirers. HeI cultivated-what our great men too much neglect-the phlosopy of manners. None know better than he the wondrous power in seeming trifles; how much word, look can accomplish; what direction give to the whole character of opinion and conduct. There seemed nothing constrained in his courtesy, nothing simulated all his manner was simple, unaffected, ardent; if it were not genuine, he had earl y arrived at the perfection of art, and concealed the art. As an orator, he was unequalled, even in an assembly that boasted of Cheves, off Lowndes, of Forsyth, and others no less dis | ltlnguished. His voice was sonorous and musical, falling with proper cadence from l the highest to the lowest tones; at times, when in narrative or description, modulated, ;, smooth and pleasing, like sounds of running water; but when raised to animate and cheer, it was as clear and spirit-sterring as the notes of a clarion. the House all the while ringing with its melody.
 Ottentmes he left his chair to address the House. A call of the House would not have brought Members in more eagerly. Few indeed, could have indulged in such l frequency of speech, and retained personal ascendency. But his influence seemed to increase in strength, the oftener it was eX- Ierted.-He had a wonderful tact, by which he judged, as by intuition, when the sub- fleet, CT the patience of his audience, threat ened to be exhausted; and took care always to leave the curiosity of his hearers unsatis- fled.
 "I was Member of the House during the war;" writes a gentleman to the editor ot these papers, "and was present when Mir. Clay made bis farewell speech on re- signing the Speakership. It was an im- pressive occasion. Not only were all the seats of Members occupied but many Sen ators attended, and a large miscellaneous lcroWd. The war which he had been most active in hastening, and most energetic in prosecuting, he was now commissioned with others to close. He was the youngest of he Commissioners, but sagacious far bey ond his years. The hopes of the country tired of a protracted struggle, grew brighter from his appointment.
 "Undoubtedly, at this time, even in his youthful age, he had no rival in popularity. His name was everywhere familiar as "househoId words" His own bearing evinc- ed a consciousness of his favor in the coun- try. l was struck with his appearance on this occasion. There was fire in his eye, an elaton in bis countenance, buoyancy in his whole action, that seemed the sell Consciousness of coming greatness. Hope heightened and joy elevated his crest. As ful of confidence, gallant bearing, and grat- | fled look, he took his seat in the Speakers chair, his towering night even more conspc- uOuS than usual, could not but call to mind Vernons description of Henry, Prince of Wales, in ShakSpere:
 ''I saw young Harry, with his beaver on,
 His cuisses on his thigh, gallantly armed,
 Rise from the ground, like feathere'd Mercury, And vaulted with such ease into his seat,
 As if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds,
 To turn and wind fiery Pegasus,
 And witch the world with noble horsemanship"
 "Age at this time had not withered nor custom stalled the infinite variety of his genius. The defects of his character had not been developed; prosperity had not stunned them; and they lay unsprouted in his heart; nor had he committed any of the blunders of his late life, which, in political view, have been pronounced worse than crimes.
 "After he had resigned the chair, in a neat and appropriate speech, he came down to the floor; and Members surrounded him, to express their great grief at his withdraw al,-mingled, however, with eongratuIa- tions upon his appointment, and with the expression of sanguine anticipations of the success of his mission"