Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-05-26
nExav CLAWS PERSON AND VOICE.


of the orator, his Personelie, Nature
had been prodigal 10 him OF the means
producing effects. His figure was tall
and 1.-THE, and Iromits spareness looked
even taller than IL really was. IL was
apparently easily put together, so as 10
swing about in gesture plianlly, aud
with marked bus dignifed grace; al
though considered by itself when not
in action, il would by no means be
thought ~ symmelric ally proportional
form. But when thus moving and
swaying. its angles and lengths disap-
peared, and the high-towerlng body.
and long sweeping arms became most
efficient contributors 10 the grand
result. His face was large, and rem
dcrIng very strikingby the ample and
lofty prov which surmounted ii; BIT
temple 10 crown that gallant mind
which, one look assured you, itenshri-
ned. Cicero's mouth and ears were
remarkably large. aud strange to tell.
some critics have set these down as
points in a tue born orators make;
marks as infalhbIe as the points OF
blood in "a thoroughbred" Ii, IN
deed, these are unmlsLakeable tests
ear marks OF native orator-tben
was MIR. Clay vastly the debtor OF Ma
ture. For his moush was--we had
almost said--glganlic. Certainly it
it was huge. IL always reminded US
OF the slol,e mouth OF Cheops. ltlook-
ed as ii Nature had forgotten to give
any aperture there, on his hrst being
turued ot from her mould, and afLer-
wards let some journey man mend him.
by splitting an opening with his bruad.
axe. In his old days, when The men
crowded round him Tor shake OF his
hand, and The ladies beset HIM Tor u
kiss OF hts patriarchal llps. it was re-
marked thai his capacl.y Of gratifying
tins latter demand was unlimited; for
the ample dimensions of his kissing
apparatus enabled him completely to
re I one side oft while the other was
doing active duty. But there have
been times when we have seen that
broad and uncouth mouth hurl forth
words so sharp and hard biting, they
were worthy of the orator of old. who
WAS said "to eat swords and iron,"
while again we have eeen it radiant
with good humor. looking absolutely
handsome. and pouring forth tones
which called right up before you the
very sunny side of life. His eyes were
powerful. They were not deep Set
They did no. lower upon his enemy
from cavernous depths like Webster's
bul they sparkled aud blazed upon the
adversary, ms if set in the very front
rank Of the battle. They were Of n
grayish. blue. and 10 his excitemenls
they seemed TO take ali the htiss or
that color, from the light and spark.
ling to the deep sea-bIue, now shining
like "the glitsering eye" OF the ancient
mariner, and again growing intense.
and "darkIy, deeply blue" His whole
bead taken together was large and
rather imposing from its breadth. and
It's height in proportion to its breadth.
Phrenologists used TO estimate il at
over seven inches in diameter. while
It's height gave him something Of that
impressive majesty of mien. which his
tory has attributed to the whole family
OF the first Greek Orator Statesman.
Pericles. The complexion. in which
often 80 much of the impressiveness
of physioynomy secretly resides, was
not in his case peculiar, or marked
Care I'D not wilhered il into the
blOodless parchment hue OF Calhoun's
lineaments. nor deepened il into a
smoky swarthiness. II was natural
and healthy. Years wrote their lines
about the face well-defned and square,
but not deep furrowed. His tempera-
ment was rather OF the sanguine than
the bilious order. though he had enough
OF the latter for hard work.
But take him for all in all, "as he
stood in his boots" as the backwoods-
men say. his presence was magisterial.
And sometimes as that high form was
dilated, and fitted up in grand accent
of command. he looked more than the
magistrate; he looked like amore than
mortal lawgiver. and he presented
living aud speaking example Of the
truth OF the inspiring declaration, man
is born "a little lower than the an
GELS
But after all. his quick, glowing.
tropical temperament, his lofty form
and sway ng arms. bis glittering eye
and flurrying hair, and his gallant
bearing, taken all together. were not
more efficient arm OF oratoric battle,
than one other grand element of his
power, which in lis effectiveness equal
ed all the rest Of his physical quali6ca-
tions; and that was his wonderful voice.
No orators voice superior to his in
quality. in compass and in manage
ment, has ever, we venture to say,
been raised upon this continent. 1t
touched every note in the whole gamut
OF human susceptibilities; il WAS sweet
and soft. and lulling as mothers to
her babe. IL could be made to float
into the chambers OF the ear. as gently
descending snow-hakes on the sea; and
again, il shook the Senate, stormy,
shaking filling the air with It's
absolute thunders. That severe trial
of any speaker. to speakin the open air.
he never shrank from. Musical yet
mighty, that marvellous orgun ranged
over all levels. from the diapason organ
tune TO the alto shrek; from the hne
delicacies Of pathetic infections. to the
drum-beat rolls OF denuncialory into
nations. AID all the Time it flowed