The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-16

SARGENT s. PRENrIss.--The disease of this dis
tnguished gentleman will cause sorrow in every
State IN the Union Considering the very short
Iperiod in which he was in public life, he enjoyed
an extraordinary reputation. Every one has heard
of the brilliant and fascinating orator, and the many
who have known the luxury Of listening to his
eloquence or have read the reports of his speeches.
concurred in according to hun genius Of high
order
| He was man of unusual intellect--one of those
men who occasionally start forth from obscurity,
and by the force of mind claim the attention and
admiration of nation. He left his native home
In the State of Maine and came to the West many
years ago and spent several months in a lawyer Is
Office IN Cincinnati. While there, he attracted no
attention, not yet perhaps being conscious of the
! power that slumbered in his intellect and no one
suspectng him of belonging TO the class of first
rate orators. From Cincinnati he went to Missis-
sppti, where he taught school for livelihood
while preparing himself for admission to the bar
1t was not long after receiving license to practice,
before he had an opportunity Of making his power
/ felt, lie rose rapidly to eminence, and business
of the most profitable nature crowded on his atten-
] ton. lie soon took rank as the most brilliant
and fascinating popular orator in Mississippi, as
well as one of the most successful practitioners of
| law.
| Having decided fondness for politics, Mr.
Prentiss frequently addressed the people in their
/ primary meetings, and always with the happiest
effect Political foes well as friends admired
the exciting brilliancy OF his elocuton the ire
pressible fervor of his feelings, the splendor of
his illustrations the readiness and fertility of his
resources, his w.t. sarcasm satire, and close logic.
He embodied all the elements of great popular
| orator IN a most eminent manner; and, when he
made the tour of the State Of Mississippi several
years ago, as candidate for Congress, his jour
ney was succession of the most brilliant polti-
| CaI achievements III 10 and coua n
Word, were the only Wing candidates, we be-
heve, ever elected to Congress from Mississippi.
II is probable that if Prentiss had not been nom
mated for that office, the chain of Democratic
succession from the pamy days of Jackson to the
present time, would have been unbroken i'm all its
Inks. The first occasion of his appearance on
the floor of the House of Representatives was as
claimant for seat in that body. The contest
was AN exciting one, and the House remanded
the subject back to the people of Mississippi for
| their decision. Mr. Premises speech on that
question in the House fully justified all that his
friends had SAID of his power. Il was speech of
| remarkable force, beauty, and brilliancy, and
commanded the marked attention of the crowd in
whose presence it was made
He returned to Mississippi and appealed to the
people. His appeal was responded to, and Messrs
Prentiss and Word were elected by majority
which left no room for cavil.
A few years since, he removed to New Orleans
where wider professional field was opened to
him. His occasional popular addresses were re-
ceived with the highest applause by the excitable
and eloquence-oying people of the southwestern
metropolis.
The only occasion on which our citizens ever
had the pleasure of listening to him was in 1874
That speech was greatly admired by all who heard
It. Indeed many were so charmed with it that
they yet refer to it the most wonderful banquet
of eloquence they ever enjoyed
Many of his Southern admirers were anxious
to secure him seat in the United States Senate.
We do not think that theatre the one on which
he could have won his highest honors. There
were far more intense and dazzling brilliancy than
profound logic in his speeches. The orator, who
can sway the multitude from the stump at will,
does not always succeed when transferred to the
u. S. Senate In the small sword exercise of
debate, in rapid, fervent, glowing elocution, he
would have been remarkable any where, but as
his resources had more breadth than depth, as he
was rather brilliant than profound, as he was
far more in the habit of weaving earlands
of beauty than in running out great principles to
their furthermost issues, he would not have car
ried conviction to the minds of such a body as
compose the Senate II was not so much his of
fe to prove the truthfulness of his position as to
recommend them to others by surrounding them
with beauty, thus rendering them attractive to the
fancy. This however was rather the habit than
the necessity of his mind. He might have been
as profound as he brilliant, and, had his lot
been cast III new England instead OF among the
mercurial people of the Southwest, he would
doubtless have been less dazzling and more solid.
Then, too, his moral powers would probably have
been better guarded.
Without due cultivation of his moral nature
n man cannot expect to exercise permanent in
Auence in the affairs of the world. The meteor
may blind by its intense brilliancy, but it soon
passes away, while the lustrous and less dazzling
planet shines serenely and in perpetual beauty in
the heavens. z la #a# tIaaG
1t is not for us to dwell on those defects in Mr.
Premises career which probably shortened his
days. He was very remarkable man, and I,
while we freely admit that he did not do futl JUS
tce to the magn6centpo of mind with which
he was endowed we still claim for him high
place in the admiration Of his countrymen as
cultivated, captivating, and brilliant orator. He
never spoke without throwing flowers about his
subject, however dry and sterile it might be to
others, and always said many things which were
eminently beautiful and original. His magma
ton gorgeous, and was ever bringing its
treasures of beautiful images from all chimes and
zones of mind for his use. He has passed away
in the prime of life, and his reputation will live in
tradition while and then perish. He has left
nothing on record from which coming generations
will see to perpetuate his fame, although he
was fully competent to the achievement Of
splendid and lasting renown.--Louisrille Journal.
From the albany Atlas.
The DEMOCRATIC NOMINATIONS IN VERMONT.
The regular democratic nominations are in the