Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-02-19
CoRREsposDnscE OF THE SPECTATOR. q
RIoHMosp, FEnRuARY la. 1881

ercise 1t is absolutely necessary to See this odd and ezra
tic orator, estimate him properly Tohear him, merely,
is of secondary importance, and To rsdd % OF honeai ALL
Action, emphasis, grace and grimace, are with him the
whole of eoquence and the criticism he 50 ililteraly and
indignantly, well urgustly passed. few days ago.
The great and great Pacfcator of hs Conn
try, is truly applicable himself, in my humble judg
men than 10 any other public Speaker Of the times Had
he worn the buskn and sulled on the Stage he might
have been Garrck More connection Of thought and
more cultivated taste would have made him a Sheridan
AS it is however. he has merely conlrived mnge The
buoneres Of the theatre with the wild rawlings Of an en-
thusastic mailman. In person. he is as 1.-THE and active
cat and lorcibly reminds Of that animal, when with
erocous look he threatens to leap into the very face of his
antagonist At other times he assume the noble air Of
"hunted sag bay and awe the spectator with an as
pect Of majesty The muscles of his face delicate
aid wry as the strings of musical Instrument and under
an excitement appear 10 be screwed up to their utmost ten
sion His eye is keen as hawks, and perces the very
depths of the SOUL Taking him in his best vein, think
his frame the most thoroughly animated one that have
ever behed 1t seems as if the soul on the surface OF
the body every point of which becomes luminous with in
tense repression But here his oratory ends What he
SAYS is characterized only with paradox and extravaganza
AT one moment and in the same sentence, you will find
him among the clouds in search Of the splendid i'm
agery, and then terminating his period with some disgust
ing illustration borrowed from the most oahsune objects
Such is the man who undertakes 10 dsparage the pow
ets of The Nations greatest living orator. by saying that
his speeches will bear reading as if His solitary SEN
,ence could reverse the decisions of the world Such is
The man who denounces the present Constuion-he work
-. ,e.llx ri ~.o ~
on too ridiculous to be read!
Mr. Wise radically radical in his views of the theory
Of republican government. The "Peope" considered as
unit, is The deity whose shne politically, he wor-
shis Their will law-supeme law, whether written,
or merely limited a. think it would be very easy TO de-
duce from his speeches, that whenever the majority of the
people become dissatisfied with any Constitutional provision,
that provision instantly have any binding force
that whenever any unpopular law ia passed by legislative
BODY it is not law, because the people Go not approve Of
it. The Representative is the IDOL those who elect
him. All the faculties Of the mind and all the passions Of
the soul are laid down in serye devotion at the feel of this
soveregn-so much like god that il cannot be conceived
ever to part with any of is powers. Now would like
him to define the limits of its dominion Abolish all gov
ernments-who then are the people? Geographical lines
are conventional you cannot recognize them Is the ma
jorty of the human sovereign, under these ccumsan
ces, in relation the majority is this SOVEREIGNTY pos
sessed by The majority in every little neighborhood and vii
lage? One of the two propositions must be true, Mi
Wses premises are as false as his Arguments in their "a
your are fallacous and extravagant
His white basis views are all I'D captGndam. They
squint most decidedly towards his own future advance
men would no. do his motives intentional injustice
but merely draw anltua inference from public fact
Who TO be the first Governor under the ConsiIiu
ton? Do you not Imagine this interesting question has
frequently presented Itself to his mind Disappoint
ed in regard to Federal promoon ii can be no mailer Of
surprise that aspiring aud restless spirit should fix lis
covetous gaze upon brilliant station 10 the State, render
ed all the more attractive by The pleasures Of an excited
campaign.
Do not understand dissenting from Mr.. Wse's
opinions this and many other subjects. lie right OF
course on the basis and perhaps this great question of
re eligibility but far other than those which he
has So literally advanced lead me to the same concln-
Sio$a
Mr. G. r. Gddon, of mummy celebrity, is now here
exhibiting very interesting Illustrations of Egyptian
Antiquities accompanied with moving Panorama OF The
scenery ofhe Nile. and numerous drawings from the most
beautiful architectural remains It's banks. lie has
spenl most of his life in that Country and much OF as
IT, S. Consul at Cairo though Englishman by birth,
and appears be not merely devoted enthusiast, but
most accomplished Antiquarian. He has with him the
mummy he unwrapped in Bos'on, so much to his own DIS
appointment and the amusement Of The spectators. II is
in excellent preservation and dates back (accordng to NJ
Gddon) to the times Of Homer and Jehoshaphat lie
will remain here several weeks and deliver series OF ec
lures on the antiquities of the Nile which, doubt NOT
will prove highly instructive and entertaining. H.
a1..,,s Ed;toy,.-Aow me to second the domination of
Him T. pevon Esq for rhs next Legislature, which APP
arad in vour paper over the signature Of IA Wing.
Mr. Peyron deserves the suffrage of lie whole Wing
sy of the county. no, only because he showed his de
yo,op to their cause BY his prompt and graceful wdraw
al of his name the minute he became aware ha the w g
cause was endangered oy the number of Candidates IN the
t bbt because he emneniy capable Of DUNG service
o his coanifv His canvass last spring proved him W De
sound Whis-=an independent mana ready debale- an
eloquent advocate and The early maturity OF MS opinions
The practical bearing Of his mind, his fine education and
address should Commend him TO the voters ofthe County
II s due TO Mr. Peyton say in answer TO an editorial
of the last Vndcaor that have it from the best an'a9
tv that he was not aware of the intention of wing 10
bring him before the public and does mol now hhow ,s
,rne Certainly any Wing has right TO nominate acandi-
date Cor the Legislature now and at any other tle without
the SLIGHTEST regard to the wishes The intentions OF Inc
present ineunbenls for one am not aware thal " 'as
been usual Tor the People wait un! their Servants nave
spned their pleasure, do believe that our df'esa,eS
in Richmond would consider tia want OF courtesy 10 w.
lei 10 ''0''''a'' '' ANOTHER WHIG."
The Editor of the Democrat is very smart. RE says
nv object in the brief Gard sent you tor publication asi
week was to rase an issue in this comfy between the
Democrats and Wings on the subecl Of the COMPROMISE
succeeding in this they will then present wing cdhu
date for Congress" fIuw sprighy What cond IN me
WGgs gain Sshis district by such course Suppose the
ssae made. Wings for Union any thing else the Dem
ocras versus is not the maoy of lhe latter some looo
and would the Wings and "ashlng'o"'a"S 20 10 the
Mr. Alfred, yon may think one thing about my nten
! cI ou,tor' Rec,use do not know as much of