Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-04-05
Henry A Wise in Times Past and Presen.

together, it is certain that, in the political world
similar exhibitions of new born love, and like UNI
natural connexions are becoming quite common.
But among the gay yicissitudes and dissoying
scenes which the contrvances of wire workers 50
often display. the career of Mr.. Wise is con-
spicious for the sharpness of its urnsand the va
riety Tits contrasts Like the Greek language he
is distinguished for the variety of his moods, the
multitude of his Infections, and the facility of his
combinations like it, too, he has quite a number
of dialects: now INDUCING the broad Doric of
democracy, and then affecting the Attic elegance
of the daintest aristocrat. At ono time mes sing
with Clay: andat another, cohabting with Cal
houn; alternately Wing, Tylerte, and Loco. he
has affiliated with every clique. and coquetted
with every interest But. lest this uncommon
pliancy should be ascribed to an amablo sweet
ness of temper, he has exhibited his pugnacious
propensities, by assailing every party, fighting
every section, and finally boxing the political
compass.
Every man. says Pope, has his "ruling pas
SION" Mr.. Wise, may infer, has several but
for many long years. the strongest and fercost
of the scowling brood was an intense hate, lodg-
ed loathng of the Democratic party, and all of
when the triple alliance of genius, eloquence and
practical craftsmanship, the combined endow-
ments OF Calhoun, Webster and Clay were power
iessbefore it,the intrepid Tribune of the People
expended the the energy of his nature, aud Law
ished the athuence Of his spleen in yonomons as
sauits upon Jack son and his SUCCESSOR 1t was
law of his nature TO worry 1.-THE party as n
terrier instnetiyely hunts rat. There seemed
to be God-appointed enmity between his heel
and ITS head. He honted and sneored and mock
ed at IT, He found flaws in its jewels, flies in its
pottage, and rents in its neither garments 1t
labored according to his diagnosis under every
form Of loathsome disease: it had the boils of
Job, without his trust in Providence, and the III.
GERS of Lazarus, with no reverson in Abrnhams
bosom. Wherever he encountered man high in
the councils, and enshrined in the affections of
the Democracy he made him tho object of fierce
invectve or contemptuous disparagement In
his regard, jackson was "a tyrant," and Polk.
"a tool" Cass, no better than a knavo, and
Woodbury., something worse than an IDIOT In
dividually and associated singly and in compa.
Mes they were always his quarry Upon the
hastings, and in tho national legislature. by
and the tongue of kissing, he impurned their
motives Knocked at their professions, and denouno-
ed their conduct. 'lle clothed himself with curses
as with garment. The most repulsive images,
the most contumeous epithets, the most de
grading comparisons, he gathered into glowing
paragraphs of whitening inycctiye, and hurled
them full at their devoted heads Grattnn de-
nouncing Flood,and Burke impeaching Hastings,
were temperate and humane compared with the
feroclous orator from Accomae. To find n par.
aliel to his cruelty, we must 20 beyond tho
bounds of Christian history, and search tho ro-
cords of Barbarism: must picture to our
selves an Indian Priest, tearing out the bowels
of his human victim with stone, and Offering
the still palpitating heart, delicious sacr-
hce, to the Mexican war god How the pale
face of the great master of the nrt of vivsec-
ton wonld flush with joy, how the whole frume
would culver TO the very tips fhs fingers with
an ecstasy of delight, as he proceeded, sealpel
in hand to expose the trembling nerve. and to
prove, by anatomical dissection OF the body of
Democracy, that 'the heart is decoitful above all
things and desperately wicked" DR. johnson
mentions traveller who threaded the intrica.
cies of the great Pyramid, with DO other result
than to find serpent nestled i'll It's centre; and
so Mr.. Wiso's explorations into tho secret re.
cesses and winding chambers of the democratic
party, always ended in his discovering. coiled
within its sanctuary something hateful and
venomous, something typical of the Father of
lies and the Enemy of man.
This fierce crusade contributed but little, we
fear, to the sweetness of AIR. Wises temper, or
to the blandness of his courtesy; its tendency
was rather to darken his features into Il scowl,
and to harden his generous nature into u stern
and unrelenting character which never forgves u
foe. or forgets wrong. In that interneeine war
which he waged against wickedness in high pla-
ces, immedicable wounds were received as we'll
as given: the ''wild-eyed prophet" of denunoia
tion was in turn assailed by every degrading ep-
ithet' Which malice could suggest, or Billingsgate
supply These things may not be dipped in
Lethe. Traces may be made and perpetual anity
proclaimed between the belligerants, but the
memory of mutual Injuries will not down at their
bidding
"rhe deepest ice which ever f.ore
Can only Ger the surface close
The living stream lies quick below
And 1ows-and cannot cease to flow
The proudest recollections of Mr. Wise's life
are associated with that glorious period, when his
name, enshrined among the household memories
of every log cabin in the land, always went round
with the circling cup and the flowing song. He
still remembers the raptures of the strife, when
he stood on the van of battle and shot his Ply.
THAN shafts, winged with uncommon wrath, ant
tipped with venom, against the "LAwLEss AMI
CORRUPT ARIsTocRAcY WHICH THOUGHT TO PLUM