Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1853-11-24

and transported by the sublImlly oil MS
thoughts, his warm southern temperament
was more quickly and keenly reused, and
he always rose in grandeur before the court
and was no. confessedIy excelled by any.
He saw his conclusion with an eagle-eye,
and hurried on with liant strides TO reach
it, and failed not of his mark. He forced
you along, "pari passu," in brealhless won
der, in very whirI, not of defamation,
but Of overpowering and ma,chless argu-
men,a,ion. Ye. in the highest exc,emen.
Of his fetvor and rushing impetuosity be
was ever perfect master of himself.
Webster required some powerful stimulus
TO draw on, his giant facuIIes. Pinkney
never was without such stimulus. II was
as natural for him to be eloquent as to speak.
Pinkney's was the oulgushing of thought
and expression from an overfowing foun-
tain; Webster's the yelling up Of though!
and expression no, less rich, but less CO.
pious and free in its flow. They were
more Demos,henic than Ciceronian in their
style of eloquence, and yet modelled upon
neither. Vlgor and perspIcuity were their
chief characteristics. Admirable scholars,
they were singularly happy in the choice
and arrangement, of their words; not less
admirable logicIans, they were equally hap
py in the classification and disposition OF
their ideas. Webster nevar had occasion
to recall a word or Ie-arIange sentence !;
but then he was, even in his most excited
moods, what would be termed a low spea
ker. Pinkney was not less skIlliul in the
structure Of his sentences and the choice
of his words He was never known 10 be
at fault for either, and it was more wonder
full because, in the greatest rapidly Of Ut
tersnce, there was never pause for either
language or ideas. Neither of them was
ever excelled in the ability to explore all
The depths of a subject, and, though differ.
ing widely in their peculiar powers of
imag inalion, neither wss ever eXcelled in
the beauty and msgni6cence Of coIorng
they could imparl to The duclions and pro-
cesses of reasoning. MIR. Webster sometimes
drew vast crowd to the courts Of justice,
and al times riviled the attention Of the all.
dience. Mr. Pinkney never spoke without
drawing crowd, and welding a ,remen-
dous influence over the promiscnous aSse.
blage; and this he did, in every variety d
cause, with such a consummate skill ,hal
he never weakened his argument or made
il nerveless. Men are as fond of eloquence
now as they were then; and yet, taking
the whole professional life together, it may
be truly affirmed that no man ever drew TO-
gelher such crowds with like power to
keep them spell bound, without the weaken
ing Of single link in the chain of severe
logicsl discussion. |! was indeed rare
and wonderful gift.
!. is to be deeply regretted that these two
great men, SO much alike in towering
strength, transparency of reasoning, copi-
BUSINESS end concentration of thought, and
wealth Of Imagination, were never brought
into direct antsgonism. They were en-
gagged in the Bank Cause; and there, ac-
cording 10 Story's estimate, Pinkney was
the brgh. peculiar star. But, to the best
Of my know ledge they were never engaged
as opposite counsel in any cause. II is a
we'll known fact .ha. MIR. Pinkney's highest
powers were always more signa.ly dis
played in such antagonism. IL WAS then
,hs, his ingenuity in the conduct of cause,
his quickness Of perception, his accuracy
Of law knowledge, his powers Of scathlng
the weak points, and ardent spirit tina, like
Napoleon's would scarce admi. the posi-
bility of defeat, shone out in all their
strength.
When it is said that Webster stated lLa,
he had met Pinkney, Emmel and Writ, but
never feared either of them as much IS he
did Jeremiah Mason, it should not be for
gotten ,ha. he had never encountered Pink
ney. He had argued by his side !; never in
glorious contest, and regre. that their mu-
,ual friends were not permitted TO witness
it, knowing ths, it would have been con-
Quoted in way TO reflect honor upon both.
If alike in combination of talent, how
ever much they differed in their idiosyncra-
ces of intellect, they were not unlike in
the destiny that befeI them. Neither, that
know of, was ever vanquished They
never suffered Waterloo defeat, although
they passed the bridge of Lodi and scaled
the passage of the Alps.
Mr.. Pinkney could never be followed by
reporter. lie soon gave up the task in
despair in the fascinating spell OF the ora
tor. From the constan. multiplicity Of his
efforts and the consequent necessity for
extraordinary exertion, unassisled by re-
porlers, i. was impossible for him to revise
and prepare for publication any of his
speeches. Thoughts struck out in the ex-
cilement Of debate, and beauties Of express
sion and flashes Of eloquence emitted by
the mind, when reused by the fervor of dis
cussion, can never be recalled and conse-
quen,ly, if The reporter from any cause
prove unequal to the task, The speech is
lost. |. wss Mr.. Pnkney's misfortune to
live and die wilhou, meeting the man who
could write down ihose splendid passagcst