The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1853-08-12
The Family Circle.
Sketch Of M Choah as an Orator.

We copy the following description of
Mr. Choate from the New York Times
MIR Cboate rose To speak. His ap-
pearance, as you are aware, is singular.
ly striking. Ofrather more than medi-
um height,-ihiu, and apparently Of
feeble frame,-with large eyes, close,
curling black hair, flexible in all its tea-
tures, and expression, and marked by
evidences of severe and inccssant study,
and betraying in every movement, and
in every glance, the nervousness and
intense, energetic earncstness of his
temperament, his opening words and
manner are quite sufficient 10 excite ex-
pectation Of something very different
from the commonplaces of eloquent pub
lie speaking. And this expectation is
never deceived. The whole structure
Of his mind is eminently original.
His voice is rich, sweet and strong;
his manner, unsirfied, sometimes un-
graceful from lis abruptness and ner-
vous vigor, is always impressive; his
sentences, winding into every nook and
corner of his subject, and desperately
bent, rs il seems, upon hunting out and
bringing into light the remolest shades
and relations of meaning connected with
it--long, involved paIenihetical, and Of
ten broken apparently, are yet always
correct and wonderfully exhaustive
and his language is ciacical in lis words
and phrases, aud inevitably exact. lie
is, undoubtedly, the most thoroughly and
profoundedly educated man in public
life; and his oralions, no matter what
may be the subject or the occasion of
them, are master pieces Of peculiar
and consumalc art. He resembles Burke
more nearly, in many Of the great char
acierisiics Of his genius, than any other
writer and if he is inferior TO him in
that unmatched wealth Of intellect which
marks Burke as the miracle Of his age,
he is not unequal to him in that pro-
found and pervasive culture which
makes itself in every word he selects,
and in every sentence he uiters.
One fault be has which no one closely
connected with the Press, or consious
OF the agency 1t must exert upon the
tosc and scope OF public thought, can be
expected to forgive and that Is the
supreme indifference be shows 10 the
presentations Of hi. speeches TO the pub.
lie exc. lie never speaks when he can
possibly avoid il, without the most care
ful preparation but she moment he has
done, he seems to lose all thought OF
care tor what he may have said. None
OF his speeches are accessible in books
or in pamphlets, although they would
stand, Il collected, amoug the best and
most instructive productions Of Englisl
literature nor until the recent energy
OF the Press, somewhat reckless and
ouirs in is modes, il must be confessed
bot effective in iis results, showed him
that Aiihout some personal care for th'
matter himself. he must go TO the work.
ia the mangled aud distorted shape
which was all the desperate, painting
but inevitable Reporters could possibly
give him, could the public get anyihinI
from him even in the form Of newsPa
per reports q hs speeches.
, Fortunate in writing hand whlcl
no human being noi giiled with Cham
pollioB's skill, and with more than hi
patience of Iady, can possibly deciphe
. and speaking wirh 70 great raPidiiy
and nsing such inhni,e and apparenil
inertrioable oonyoluiions Of style, that
reporter nigh, as well attempt 10 folio
b elain-hghiohing a. 10 report his word,
he SEEMED absolutely on thai height sc
dosn attained, ~here The press oosld ~
reach hir. Bot he has si last bee
: forced 10 yield the prospect Of hasin
: e1quisiie sentences and seniiDenis !
mangicl aud bairhered ser the Pabl
s,e. ihai be himself eouh not Feeogni'
thoagh be- ooaA no4 reP0diaie lbel
uss lno much for even his resolu,loS
snd The press Il nos indebted 10 hi
: fsr manifold co0rtesies moi iess scryie
- abe 70 himselffhab 10 the pvbiis si lArg
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