Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-05-07
HENRY A. WISE.

The following we extract from an editorial IN
the last Southside Democrat. Worse portraits
have been sketched.
The speech Of Henry A. Wise is one OF the
most remarkable harangues ever delivered to de-
Lucrative body. Whether considered in respect
Of its MAGNITUDE. or the manner of its delivery, OF
the doctrines it promulgates, it is phenomenoh-
an intellectual monster. No man who mas no'
seen and heard him in his present performance can
form the least conception of the matter OF tue ia"
per. The attitudes and gesiculatlons Oh 'ne man.
are in themselves marvel. NOW ne STATUS eiec''
with upllfted hand. implOrng tue ia'o.' VI "uP'e-
eating the wrath of heaven aga'h TIC s'hAs a'pios'
to the floor in the agony OF some extreme passion.
Now he whispers forth the accents OF persuasion,
anon he whispers out some WltherlnS anathema.-
AT one time his voice rings like the bleat OF suf
fering calf again it sinks to the solemn sound Of
Sunday sermon. AT one moment his face beams
with genlleness, presently II flames with all the
passions of fury. He strides up and down the
hoor he losses and swings his arms, he shakes his
fist and points his finger; he stamps and raves and
scowls.
The matter is suited to the manner. Sucn
torrent of .waddle. such mush mixture OF mere
fnsiian, such agonzing pathuS, such era'c HS"'S
Of fancy, such blasting invecIIve' sucn sUe''''
prayers, such blasphemous impreca'i'ns! rNely
topic is discussed by the orator. no 'ha'er what IT'S
irreleyancy. Now be is speeulsting aoout the OF
;y;n of snc;e,v. in moment he launches into an
ievec,ive AGAINST racehorses. Now he is compli-
nenting .Jesus Christ, and now abusing John
Randolph at one moment he quotes Shakespeare,
AT another the Bible; Magma Charta and King
John. the Declaration of independence aud Thorn
as Jefferson, the Modes and Persians, the Greeks
and Romans, the French and English, the whites
and blacks-all figure in this comprehensive med
ley. But to say ihat this speech OF Henry a.
Wise is net characterized by ability, IS TO utter
manifest absurdity. In mountains OF tne meres'
trash and dirt, are scattered gems ofhe first water.
Mr.. Wise Is an orator, he can aud does control the
will and feelings Of the man he addresses. In pow
er, in interest ia effect no man in the Convention
can compare with him. Crowds flock 10 hear him,
just as they 90 TO the playhouse, to be amused and
excited by comic passages and by brilliant decla-
nation. Booth was playing Hamlet at the theatre
and Wise Harlequin at the Capitol, and the latter
drew the crowd But when we say Wise's speech Is
a theatrical exhibition we do not mean to intimate
that he produces no impression. He does produce
an impression, if not upon the Convention. We, up
on the galares to whom he especially addresses
himself Ii is impossible to characterize the doc
trines Of Mr.. Wise's haraugue in terms sufficiently
denunciatOry. Their tendency is miscellaneous tc
the las, degree. We speak aot of his opinions up
on the basis of representation, bat Of those socas
doctrines which he promugates with all the zeal o.
the reddest republican. The whole burden II hi:
Grafton, $ abuse of the rich (whom he calls the ar
is!ocrais) aud laudatons OF the paor ard the laesi
table effect of his doctrines is Ia exaSPerate and eX
cite these two classes OF society against one aneth
er.
The tendency Of his doctrines is revolutionary
indeed he openly proclaims, that rather than submit
70 what he calls the domination of the ariSocrais he
would excite rebellion Hence we denounce the
doctrines put forth by Henry A. Wise as dangerou;
to the peace of society and their perncioas teHden
cy should be counteracted by the united opposition
OF all good men.