Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-24
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

| WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Tho Public Men Of the Day--Thrce teii-.
Ing speeches were delivered yesterday, in the
House, on the Nebraska question, by Mcssrs.
! Millson, Brcckinridse, aud Hunt AL of whom
are decidedly men of note and mark Mr.. Mill.
s1n. who represents the Norfolk District Of
Virginia, is the lOgician Of the House. decided
~; his set speeches always bearing marks Of
iabarious thought. He is, emphatically, a
man Of distractions. That is: one Who reasons
strictly, according to scholastic rules. from
principles and precedents. He evidently takes
more pains 10 be logical than any other mem.
Der of the body. We say no more for him than
he deserves, in adding that he never fails to
gre atty increase the public's knowledge of any
subject ne approaches; and more especially of
its legal attributes Of the manner in which it
stands with reference to existing laws. In
this case, his effort was against Senator
Badgers we'll known amendment to the Ne
braska bill, which, he commended, involved
clear surrender Of the equal rights of the
South. He quoted extensively from the his
| tory of the legislation of several States, show
| ing that the Missouri restriction was no. prac-
tically regarded by more OF less of the north
western States admitted since 1920
MIR. NJ, who enjoys high reputation as a
lawyer, Is very quiet and unobtrusve man.
o. perhaps forty three or four years of age
small of statue and of light figure, with sharp
| but cOntenplatiyc cast Of countenanGe. fur
rowed by study rather than age. He is more
active in the business Of the House. this win
ter, than heretofore. This is his fifth year rs
Representative. Mr.. NJ. was, of course, lis
tened to attentiveIy as usual; for he is famed
for always uttering thoughts, as well as words
Mr.. Brcckinridgc comes from the kentucky
District of Henry Clay. For the last three
years, he has ranked as, perhaps, tho most
brilliant member of the body, though, even
yc:. one of the youngest. He is a man of re-
markably fine presence and appearance, hay
ing classic (Romanl face and legislative ad-
dress. His style Of OratOry more nearly re-
senib'es that Of MIR. Clay, at his age, than that
of any other public man Kentucky has sent to
either branch of the councils of the nation
| His voice is deep-toned, clear, and we'll modu-
lated, and his language is always chosen with
| faultess attention to the rules of grammar
often so shockingly maltreated in the House
Hall. As popular orator, he is, perhaps, the
best now in Congress; being exceedingly adroit
in making his points, and persuasive in the
| caste of his eloquence. On this occasion, his
speech WAS to show the propiiety of disposing
Of the bill with rs little delay as possible, if
out to quiet the public mind, now so unduly
asitated, concerning it; and also in reply to
the representations on which Mr.. Cutting jus
tilted his motion to commit the bill
| Mr.. Hunt, of Louisiana, a new member
made the third speech. Mr.. H. is gentleman
of some forty-six or seven years of age of
medium size, and grave and dignified man
| ners iu the Hall set eff, wonderfully by his
head of sedate looking iron-grey hair His
| complexion and general appearance, are de-
| cidediy as.hetic. Mr.. II. is considered in
Washington, legislative Chevalier Bayard,
| as it were. That is: he is credited with being
exceeding serupulous in his bearing, as GEN
| tleman, towards his fellow members, one AMI
all, and is conceived to be inclined to demand
| rom all Of them, An observance of the strict
est rules Of propriety by which he governs
himself in his parliamentary intercourse with
them. He is also evidently the classical scholar
| "f the present House; being given to inter-
| spersing mis- oratorical efforts with quotations
from the dead languages much more fire.
| quenty and deliberately than they are to be
found in the speeches of any other member :;
and always in manner very pertinent to his
| point in hand.
His effort Of yesterday was in favor of ad-
herring to the Missouri Compromise, which he
enforced with great earnestness, and with
| eloquence and cOgency of reasoning really
surprising most of his hearers Indeed, he
gained for himself in this, his first set speech,
an enviable oratorical reputation. Though
heretofore very active in the business of the
House for new member,) he had not ap-
| proac bed question, in the consideration Of
which the depth Of his intellect or his attain
men's as statesman could fairly be fathomed
by the members and men of the press, gener-
ally
| On the whole. We do not remember the occa.
sion on which thres more able hour speeches
have been delivered in that Hall in the course
o. single day. Such debate is legili-
mate, nothing having been said for Bun
,mbe. All three of the orators addressed
| iheir remarks seriously to the public questions
| involved in the Nebraska BILL and evidently
without the slightest reference to the bearing
| of their views on their individual political
future. We long to see the day when it will
| be il rare occurrence to find honorable mem
| b;rs of Congress failing to follow their exam
| lc III this respect.
NJ. Corwins Connection with the Gardi-
| Ter Claim.-The writer Of the letter originally
| published in the New York Express, on which
= Pubicoia" commented in our columns or
;he day before yesterday, asks space in which
| To reply TO p, with we accord; as he con-
times to shed light on his subject, which is of
| great public interest His communication is
| as follows:
THs GARDINER CLAIJ.-nessry Editors:
! ! writer in your paper Of yesterday, over the
| signature of Publi;via, in abiding to the let.
| GER published in the isw York Express, shew-
| ing tho true facts nf he case as regards Mr..
| Corwin's connec;i,D with the above claim,
| says the writer of that letter struck out GER
| tain portion of the report OF the committee of
| Congress, 80 which went to show that Mr. Cor