Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-11-20

so crushing was The expression Of his face
which they held on TO, as 'iwere, spel.bound
when he turned TO other topics.
The good-natured YET provoking irony will
which he described the imaginary though
life.like scene OF direct collision between The
marshalled array Of South Carolina under
General Aayne on one side and the officers
of The United Statas on the other, netlled his
opponent even more than his severer satire
ii seemed SO ridicuously true, Col. iiayne in
qnircd, with some degree Of emotion, if the
gentlemen from Massachusetts intended any
personnel imputa,ion BY such remarks! ITO
which MIR. Webster replied, with perfect
good humor, "Assuredly not--jus, the io-
vcrsen '. .. . te .
The variety OF incident during the speech,
and the rapid Guc,uaiion of passions, kept
the andicnce in continual expectation and
ceascless agitation. There was no chord Of
the heart the orator did not stikc, as with a
master hand. The speech was complete
drama Of comic and pathetic scenes one
varied excitement; laughter and tears gaining
alternate victory.
A great portion Of the speech is strictly
argumentative an exposition Of constitutions
al law. But grave as such portion necessari-
ly is, severely logical, abounding in no fancy
or episode, il engrossed throughout the undi-
vided attention of every intelligent hearer.--
Abstractions, under the genius of the orator,
acquired a beauty, a vitality, power 10
thrill the blood and enkindle the efections,
awakening into earnest activity many dor
manl faculty. His ponderous syllaSles had
an energy, vehemence Of meaning in them
that fascinated, while they startled. His
thoughts in their staiesque beauty merely,
would have gained all critical judgment; but
he realised the antique fable, and warmed
the marble into life. There was sense of
power in his language of power withheld
and suggestive of still greater power, r,-lhat
subdued, as by a spell Of mystery, the
heart Of all. For power, whether intel
lectual or physical, produces in lis earnest
development a feeling closely allied to awe.
It was never more felt than on this occasion
1t had entire mastery. The sex, which is
said TO love il best and abuse il most, seem
ed as much or more carried away than the
sterner one. Many who had entered the
hall with light gay thoughts, anticipating at
most plcasurable excitement, soon became
deeply interested in the speaker and his sub
cts-surrendered them their entire heart
and, when the speech was over and they
left the hall, ii was with sadder perhaps,
but, surely, which far more elevated and en-
nobliag emotions. ....
The exu!;ing rusa OF feeling with which
he went through the peroration threw q
glow over his countenance, like inspiration
Eye, brow, each feature, every line of the
face seemed touched, as with a celesia
fire. All gazeG as at something more thai
human. So Moses might have appeared
10 the awe.struck lsraellies as he emerged
from the dark clouds and thick smoke o
Sinia, his face all radiant with the breatl
Of divinity
The swell and roll Of his voice struck
upon the ears Of the spell bound audience
in deep aud meloIious cadence, as wave,
upon the shore of the "far.resoundinen sea
The Mi,onic grandeur of his Na.ls was the
fit expression of his thought, and raised his
hearers up 10 his theme. His voice, exerteJ
TO lis utmost power, penetrated every recess
and corner OF the Senate penetrated even
the an,erooms aad slairways, as he pronoun-
ced in deepest tones Of palhos these word;
OF solemn significance
When nay eyes for tie last time shall be rais.
cd 10 behold The sun in kedrea, may they moi
gaze upon The broken fragments of dishon.
orel but once glorious Union, upon States
discovered discordaui, belligereut; upon 4
land rent with civil feuds, aud drenched, il
may be in fra,ernal blood. Let their lasr
feeble and lingering gaze behold the glorious
ensign Of the Republic, now known and hon
ored throughout the earth, still foil high adj
vanced--not one stripe erased or polluted
not one stan obscurcd, bul streaming in al
their original lusue, and bearing for It's mot,
to no such miserable inleuogatory, n.
"Whai is all this worth 2" nor those Of the
words Of delusion and folly, "Liberly frs
and Union Afterwards" but every where
spread all over in characters of living high,
blazing on all its ample folds, as they iloa
over the sea and over the land, and in every
wind under The whole heavens, that oihet
sentiment, dear TO every tue American
heart, Liberty aud Uuion, now and forever
one and iuseparable.'
The speech was over, bit the tones Of thC
orator still fingered upon The ear, aud lhI
audience, unconscious of The close, retained
their positions. The agitated countenance
the heaying breast, the suiIused eye, alIrs
ted the continued Influence OF the spell uPol
lhem. Hands that in lhe excitement Of tn,
moment had sought each other, still remain
ed closed in an unconscious grasp. Ely,
| still turned to eye, 10 receive aud repa,
mutual sympathy anl everywhere aroun,
seemed iorgelluness OF all but The orator
presence and words
When The Vice President, happening t
dissolve the spell, augrily called 10 order
orde; There never was deeper still
ness-not a movement, not gesture ha
been made--not whisper uitered-order
Silence could almost have heard itself,
was so supeTnaurally sill. The feelin