The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-15
LETTERS FROM THE CAPITAL.

LETTERS FROM THE CAPITAL.
4 WAsHINeroN, January 9, 1882
A topic of interest here, even in the midst of
this Hungarian dispensation is the speech of
Commodore Stockton, delivered in the Senate
on Wednesday morning, against the memorial
praying for the re-establishment of hogging in
the navy II was indeed a noble effort, strong
and earnest in its reasoning, containing many
passages of genuine eloquence, of pathos and
poetic beauty, and throughout it was informed
with manly, just and humane spirit
Such words, from such source, cannot fail
to reach the hearts of the people, and to call
forth strong and unmistakable response.
Thank God for the token Whenever we
hear such words in our Legislative halls-hear
our rulers abjured TO do justly and love
mercy - whenever we see the dignity of man.
hood recognised by our laws--a reverence for
man, as man. entering into their spirit let us
take heart, and look forward with renewals Of
faith to the time when Gods image shall no.
where be degraded and imbruted by stripes
and chains and when cruelty and oppression
shall lapse into frightful traditions scarce cred
tied of men.
You have read with keen interest, am sure,
the accounts OF our two greatest Kossuth dem
onstrations - the Congressional banquet and
the Jackson festival
Webster's speech was almost all we could
have wished for, and more than we hoped for
II was like resurrection of his ng-buried
and almost-forgotten better self Will this be
received as an eleyenth-hour repentance, or
will the people forbid the ark of freedom to be
touched by hands 80 lately busy in urging on
the Juggernaut of Slavery and with servile
alacrity" removing the last merciful impedi-
ments from its desolating PATH
General Shields brief spsech was, We think,
graceful and spirited and General Cas- went
further than We looked to see him. yet did not
commit himself to any perlous degree. Oh,
they feel their way over slippery places with
the most consummate caution, these veteran
politicians; and their utmost abandon of en-.
thusiasm is measured and weighed by the
incest calculation and the subtlest expediency
We attended the Eighth Of January ban
quet; the Democrats, more gallant than the
Wings, having made place for the ladies This
was my first hearing Of Kossuth in regular
speech--a pleasure whose thrilling recollection
will go with me through this life, at least
strove, but yainly, | fear, to analyze the power
of the orator--that resistlsss and subtle influ-
enee with which he permeates rather than
does not oversweep them with the tidal flow Of
his genius which must ebb again and leave all
bare and brackish; he rather strikes the rock
that holds imprisoned the fresh springs of life
till the deep-hid and unsuspected waters gush
forth. lie does not shame their poverty with
the wealth Of his nature. but rather points with
magic wand to the buried treasures Of their
own He does not 30 much overwhelm their
reason with his argument, or storm it by his
passion, as he appeals to the deep, primal, uni
versal sentiment of humanity; ne plays on all
the finer chords of the heart with delicate
aerial almost divine touch; he subdues and
melts the soul with the majesty of sorrow and
the eloquence of tears.
Next to the sweet, sad persuasion of his pa
thos ! would place his most marvellous tact.
think no man living can equal him here. This
rarest and bappest attribute Of genius is often
too lightly esteemed and COMPOUNDED with mere
cunning When its exercise involves no sacri-
nee OF moral principle, it gives peculiar, an
indescribable delight sort of artistic pleas
ure.
witty friend who was with us last night
remarked, that at one moment the prophetic
fervor, the 1saiah-like sublimitv of the speaker
might lead us to believe his lips touched with
coal from Gods altar at the next by some
delicate fattery, conveyed in tribute to our
glorious dead, or in a quotation from some
living national idol--a quotation 80 brought in
it would seem that no other words in the wide
world would express his thought by such mas
terly hits such nice, exquisite, ideal compli-
ments, we are inclined to think he has also
maze pilgrimage to the Emerald ISLE and
kissed its renowned and magical stone. -
know that there are those of the holder re-.
iormers and moral leaders--sturdy wielders of
the battle-axe and broad sword-who hold that
TACT is the light weapon Of the politician, and
mas no place IN the armory of truth. Yet. in
some battles for the Right have not strong and
weii-directed blows with axe and broad-sword
iaied- while some wandering light-winged ar
row has pierced to the heart of the Wrongi
iact when used for "a noble purpose rises to
the dignity OF wisdom. The compass of alb.
stract right the mariners reliance on the
broad sweep Of LIES solemn sea- is not sufB.
Gent when he gets in strait between Scylla
and Charybdis
1t was with sort Of sanctified tact that
Paul was inspired when he made that brave
but most cautious and polite speech before
the very ancient and venerable court of the
hreopagus," beginning: "Ye men of Athens,
zee IN all places that you are very religious
hossuth best eI0quenee II not teryid decla-
nation, but serious and subdued utterance
OF earnest conviction His assertions are not
startling but calm and solemn. There is some
thIng sublime in his Inconsistencies in man.
ner simple as nature ITSELF he will give voice to
sentiment which comes upon you like an
apocalypse of truth. What are revelations to
u seem but old truisms to him--every- day and
all-tlme beliefs.
when he sets rolling in our moral heavens
nus great and sphered thoughts, we almost be-
eVe 'hem new creations with 10 much primal
beauty he invests them 80 freshly are thew ban
49, sses with morning light Bat as in the deep
forasa. a'@tcns OF our earth we find trsces Of q
thoIs 'e EXISTENCE Of measureless durstion. no
me- f'ca' moral truths, under all their new
and Oh ~ 'orm bear the stamp of Gods eternity,
IN 81" IL rom everlasting 70 everlasting" "
sla..,;a M. .s Gays OF incslculabie progress and
thought we may well thank Heaven for