The southern press., 1851-04-03
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
oRAr1oN OF HON. VIM. L. YANCEY,


WEEKLY, %
GRAFTON OF HON WIN. L. YANCEY,
OaMe life and character Of John c. Calhoun
The brilliant reputation as speaker of Mr..
YAScEy, will be found fully sustained by the
extracts we have made from his address.
In the midst of those grave and reverend SEN
ators, was one oftall and attenuated but of most
commanding form, upon whose broad brow dig.
nifty, truth and sage experience had set their i'm
press--while genius flashed from the depth of
those brilliant eyes, and eloquence and logic re-
cognzed their own, in the tones of his voice.
Though conscious that even then death was
swapping asunder the cords of his life, and that
eternity, with its vast issues, was about opening
to his view, he still fingered upon the scene of
his renown, and once again essayed an effort IN
behalf Of the rights of the South. That last
effort was fit to crown the noble column which
for long years the great senator had been erect
ing to his renOwn as a statesman, an orator and
patriot The simplicity and clearness of its
statements-ts calm and dispassionate reason
inp-the conclusiveness of its deductions--its
splendid analysis of the causes of the present
evil and the undenable justness Of the remedy
proposed-its chaste and fervid patriotism and
passioness style, so becoming one who bit
paused on the verge of eternity to counsel with
his countrymen, combined to make this one of
the mightiest and most effective speeches ever
delivered in her behalf by the great champion of
the South. 1t made the cause of the South the
cause of the Union. 1t placed that cause high
upon the altar Of the Constitution--only to be
reached and displaced by destruction of the
temple of which that Constitution was the pal
ladium.
This last effort DER the great statesman
turned him aside to die: and soon in the still
ness of early morn with voice hardly less clear
and firm, than when he addressed listening SEN
ates, he announced the hour Of his own dissolu-
tiOn to be at hand; and casting back upon time
but one wish-that he could have been spared
another hour in the service of his deeply loved
and even in that last moment of existence
his yet remembered country, his mighty and
pure spirit hopefully and unfalteringly entered
into eternity.
Such.a death-of such man-upon such an
arena-and in the midst of such a crisis, could
hardly fail to arrest pnbc attention, in an unus-
ual degree But who, even among the most
enthusiastic admirers Of the immortal Souther-
ner, expected to see
"* each separating plea,
D~S'' ~A'~t fe''J MN N~oASS'
waived in the midst of the discussion of such a
topid, in honor of his uncompromisng virtue
and to behold even the fierce spirit of fanatcism
let fall tear over the grave Of the matchless
champion of Southern rights!
Death, for brief moment, seemed to revive
again the spirit again the spirit of ancient broth
erhoOd in the American heart. The gifted and
the good every where have mourncd for his loss,
and have sought every appropriate mode to give
expression to their deep sense Oft the bereavement
sustained by the whole country.
But to the South peculiarly belongs the sa.
cred duty of perpetuating the memory of hi.
noble virtues and his splendid INTELLECT
wreathing his wide renown with
"a chaplet glitterng with the tears she sheds.
for her he lived. That he might have no riva
TO her, in his heart, he early sacrificed the brigh
hopes of a lofty and honorable ambition; an
with truth and singleness of devotion, whic
has no parallel in her history, he served her til
the very hour of his death and dying, craved O
insatiate time one hour more, that he might Dc
vote it to her cause.
Mr. Clay has said that such ga galaxy of emf
nent and able men, has not been assembled il
any other Congress since he entered the public
service y yet, the same high authority assures
us-high, with reference to his own genius, and
almost matchless oratory and skill in legislative
debate-high, with reference TO his intimate
knowledge Of the facts upon which he rendered
his opinion, and with reference to the position
he has occupied in the political world,-that
"amongst that splendid constellation none
shone more bright and brilliant, than the star
which is now set.
"Splendd," indeed, might Mr.. Clay call that
assemblage. There was that renowned and
eccentric Virginian, John Randolph, whose
sparkling genius, biting wit, scathing invective
and skill in parliamentary controversy, made
him one Of the most dangerous antagonists to
encounter, which any legislative assembly had
ever produced.
There, too, was Cheves n man of compre-
hensive intellect, of sound and matured iudg-
ment and high character, which, in the next
Congress- elevated him to the Speakers chair
yet redoent with the grace and genius Of a
Clay.
There, too, was Lowndes-the pure and the
gifted Lowndes upon whose early made tomb,
his friends might well be content to inscribe the
just language Of Daniel Webster" that great
and good Carolinian."
There, too, was Clay; the ardent impetuous,
gallant-hearted statesmen of the West, whose
eloquence has electrified eloquent senates-
whose skill in all the matters of parliamentary
proceedings, and whose indomitable will, never
falling energies and elastic courage, so well
qualify him to be leader amongst leaders.
There, too, was Grundy; undoubtedly one of
the most skilled and successful criminal advo-
Gates who ever addressed jury, and parlia-
mentary debater of great power.
Meeting him in the next Congress, came Gas
ton who became one of the most learned and
accomplished jurists that ever graced the ju-
dietary of any State-and Quincy whose fluent
and graceful eloquence, and biting sarcasm,
made him justly the pride of Massachusetts,
and Webster--Danel Webster; whose every
movement, physical and intellectual, is of most
impressive dignity; whose style and dcton is
fun of eloquence and purity, whose imagina-
ton is 80 chastened and poetical--whose intel
lect is so profound and 80 comprehensive, as to
have caused his admiring friends, with ques
tionable propriety, to have styled him the God
Gke"-Webster whose name is embalmed il
some of the choicest specimens of lopic anC