Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-05-07
GEORGE McDUFFF.

! He was star OF the hfst magnitude. Honest and
sincere in all his aconsa profound jurst-a states
man of the largest experiences he represented his State
for many years in the national councils with devo
ton that endeared him to his constituents. and full
ness Of knowledge that placed him In the first rank
OF legislators. His speeches, and his reports as
chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, moi
only established his reputation in America, but in
Europe he was hailed the champion of free trade
and compmented by the statesmen of England, as
one of the master spirits of the age His life, if writ
ten by competent hand, would make very inter
esting biography. Ii would exhibit poor boy in
the humble walks Of life, environed with difficulties.
yet surrounding those difficulties with an iron will,
that ultimately elevated him to position that COM
manded the profound respect and admiration of his
contemporaries. His career in Congress is gener-
ally known for to do more than give il a passing
glance and such was the estimation in which he
was held by General Jackson that, Notwithstanding
the violence of the notification controversy the old
President uniformly expressed the most affeconate
regard for McDufe saying repeatedly that if there
was an honest man alive that George Nc.
Dufie." He was undoubtedly of the most incl
| lectual men of the age; his mind emine ntiy
logical, and you shall try in vain to find flaw in his
arguments. One might have differed with him in
the principles he expressed but grant his premises
was to concede the argument. His contests with
Webster leave doubt TO the splendor of his in
tellect his report the United States Bank, was
the ablest argument ever made on that side of the
question and his speeches internal Improvements,
the tariff, the removal of the deposites and the
exPediency of amending the constitution, are all mas
When he rose to speak, there was always DEATH
like silence in the House-you might have heard q
pin drop. His burning enthusiasm, the sparkling of
his splendid grey eye, the emphatic enunciaon that
accompanied every word, held you captive, and step
by step he hurried you along with him. from point to
point until you were subdued y,the fascinating fer
of his transcendent genius. Nor was he deficient
in sarcasm his speeches in reply 10 the attacks of
that miserable compound of vugarity and impotence,
| Tristram Burgess, abound in wit and humor. His
comparing General Jackson 10 Jupiter Tonans, in
which Jupiter is represented seizing the arms of
all the Gods, welding the powers of the Pantheon,
and giving the stamp of Fate,'' of the hap
plest illustrations OF executive spoiaton that has
been exhibited by any orator of any nation. 1t
was worthy of Demosthenes
His seat i'll The convention was to the left of the
PRESIDENT and in the vicinity OF Major Hamilton the
revolutionary veteran. You could have recognized
McDutfie at glance. He was of the medium height
and dressed in claret colored coat that was much
large for him his intellectual face attracted
you at once, especially when his splendid eye was
fired by the excitement of discussion. His hair was
black, and cut with mathematical precision, straight
from temple to temple, and snoothed down SO as to
display The shape of his head which was large and
admirably formed. But, alas there is hectic flush
upon his pale cheek; you perceive that he is daily
dying from the immedicable wound he received In
his youth. His hands are trembling violently. He
is up but his voice is clear and calm, his enuncia-
lion distinct, and his manner emphatic. Uttering
bold proposition, he pauses and his eagle eye glances
round the assembly. All is hustled. You might
hear your heart 0edI. but now ddSheS he
argument, aid you see an intellectual warrior before
you, brandishing the armor of truth, and welding
The hand of justice for liberty and rights of man.
He speaks like one inspirei-his thoughts, words,
and action, are sublne-aud when he pauses, as if
to make mghter effort, you feel like entrauced
and gaze win wonder at the whose mag ic mind
and eIoquence have bound you captive his trium-
pal car.
McDufie rose rapidly from obscurity to eminence.
dividing the future, in the opinion of many, with
Gal h0 W. he rSI In md,
foster the fortunes of the orphan boy. He stepped
at the head Of the bar and until his election
TO Congress, he had no competitor in South Carolina
as lawyer. His practice very lucrative, and
perhaps no law ever acquired large fortune in
so short time. In his marriage, too, he fortu-
nate, leading TO the altar of The wealthiest beau
ties Of the land-a daughter of Colonel Richard Sim
gleton.
child. We shall relate instance which is charac-
teristic of the man. &" Your Mr.. M 'Dufie is yerv
singular person J" said young lady on one oc-
casion. - How so % Why, IL was at the -
Springs, few months since, and learning that the
great Mr. M'Duie was in the house, went into the
corridor to catch glimpse OF him, when who should
approach me but the great man himself, saying Miss
- have lost my hat; won't You help me to hunt {
The lady, and found it - And his appearance on
ordinary occasions was anything but disngue. We +
shall relate andnecdoe tina: occurred only few days
before his election Governor of the State. We {
we're standing by his side in the House of Represen-
atives, when member from Charleston, Major John
Huger, approached M'Dufie, and said, '' Give me p
hal chair / wish it for Colonel Warren" Ger
AMY, sir" replied M'Duffie and handed The chair
o Major Huger, who took it to old Colonel Warren.
him to relieve himself from the pain of
supporting himself on his crutch, for the old hero
lad lost leg the battle of Savannah. A gentlmau
- think it Pickens Butler, the present Sena-
or in Congress-whe witnessed the occurrence, ,
rev Major Huger aside, saying, &" What have you =
lone :" - Who-what!' exclaimed Huger, for the D
one of Butler apprised him that he had committed :
ome grievous blunder. - Done why could YOU find |,
10 chair for Col. WARREN but the one occupied by 81
fr. M'Du6ie 20 {" Mr.. IDho go exclaimed Huger "
lmost petrifed with establishment. "M'Dufie,"
eplieG Butler. Sc Heavansl '' cried Huger, why
took him for pindar man!''
AS public speaker-he never spoke in private
iDufie variable in his style. On some occas- -
ons, he would be extremely rapid, dashing on with
he rapidly of under whip and spur. A. 9th. :
times he would utter word two in a low Tone y
nd pause take up candle and IT, as if ieaI-I
US of its light He then would utter sentence. -
nd replace the candle. Suddenly he would stauIe
GU by giving vent a bold axiom, and strike the
lble with his fist, inficung blow that was hard
nough to have demolished it. We heard him deliv-
his famous speech Charleston, in vindcation of
is s. forty bale theory that he maintained the pro-
osition that forty bales out Of every hundred were \
,st to the producer, by the fraudulent operation of n
le protective system. He spoke four hours and ."
cry deliberately, seeming to think over, and mould e
very thought before giving it utterance. He used be
considerable action, indeed il was rather dangerous
have seat in his vicinity; and than once we