Washington telegraph., 1856-12-17

arlstocratlc gentleman of the lower part of
the State. His eloquence, was peculiar. if
indeed it could be called eloquence, for it
was impressive and sublime, beyond what
can be imagined. Although it was diff
cult, when he had spoken, to tell what he
had said, yet, while he was speaking, it al
ways seemed directly totha point. When
he had spoken In opposition to my opin-
iOn-had produced great effect, and |
myself been highly delighted and moved,
L have asked myself when he ceased:
"What the devil has he said?" 1 could
never answer the inquiry. His person was
of full size, and manner and voice free and
manly. His utterance neither very fast
nor very slow. His speeches generally
short from a quarter to a half an hour
His pronunciation was vulgar and vicious,
but it was forgotten while he was speak
ing.
He was a man of very little knowledge
of any sort; he read nothing, and had no
books. Returning one November from
Albemarle-court, he borrowed of me
Han'e'S Essays, in two volumes, saying he
should have leisure iii the winter for read
ing. In the Spring he returned them,
and declared he had not been able to go
further than twenty Or thirty pages in the
first volume. lie wrote almost nothing
he could not write. The resolutions rs,
which have been ascribed to him, have by
many been supposed to have been written
by Mr. johnson, who acted as his second
on THAT occasion; but if they were written
by Henry himself, they are not such as to
prove any power of composition. Neither
In political nor his profession was he man
of business; he was a man for debate only
His biographer says that he read Plutarch
every year. | doubt whether he ever read
volume of it in his life. His temper was ex-
ccllent, and he generally observed decorum
in debate. On one or two occasions [ have
seen him angry, and his anger was terri
bic; those who witnessed it were not dis
posed to arouse it again. In his opinion
he was yielding and practicable, and not
disposed to differ from his friends Ia pri-
vate conversation he was agreeable and
facetious, and, while in genteel society, ap-
peared to understand all the decencies and
proprieties Of it; but, lii his heart, he pre-
fered low society, and sought it as often as
possible. He would hunt in the pinewoods
of Fluvanna, with overseers. and people
of that description, living In camp fort
night at time without change of RAIN
ent. l have often been astonished at his
command of proper language; how he OBJ
tanned a knowledge gift [ never could find
out, as read SO little and ccnversed little
with educated men. After all, it must be
allowed that he was our leader in the
measures Of the Revolution, in Virginia
In that respect more was due to him than
any other person. five had not had him
we should probably have got on very well,
as you did, by a number of men of nearly
equal talents, but he left US all far behind
His biographer sent the sheets of his work
to me as they were printed, and at the end
asked for my opinion. | told him it would
be question hereafter, whether his work
should be placed on the shelf of history or
ofpanegyric. It is poorbook, written in
a bad taste, and gives so imperfect an idea
of Patrick Henry, that it seems. intended to
show of the writer more than the subject
of the work
MR.. JEFFERSON S OPINION OF ANDREW
JACKSON.
| feel much alarmed at the prospect OF
seeing Gen. jackson President He is
one of the most unfit men / know of for
such a place. He has had very little res
pect for laws or constitution, and is, In
fact, an able military chief His passions
are terrible When l yyas President of the
Senate he was a Senator; and lie could
never speak ON account of the rashness of
his feelings. l have seen him attempt it
repeatedly, and as often choke with rage
His passions are nc doubt cooler now he
has been much tried since knew him, but
he is dangerous man.
MIR. WEBSTER'S REPLY TO A
CHALLENGE.
DANIEL WEBSTER To JOHE RANDOLPH, OF
ROANOKE.
WASHINGTON, April, 1916.
SIR: For having declined to comply
with your demand yesterday in the House,
for an explanation OF words of a general
nature, used in debate, you now g demand
OF me that satisfaction which your insulted
feelings require" and refer me to your
friend, Mir, presume, as he is the
bearer of your note, for such arrange
ments as are usual
This demand for explanation, you, in
my judgement, as matter Of right, were
not entitled to make on me, nor were the
temper and style of your own reply to my
objection to the sugar tax of a character to
induce me to accord it as matter Of cour-
tesy-
Neither can I, under the circumstances
of the case, recognize in you right to
call me to the field to answer what you
may please to consider an insult to your
feelings
1t is unnecessary for me to state other
and obvious considerations growing out OF
this case. 1t is enough that l do not fee
myself bound at all times, and under any
circumstance, to accept from any man, who
shall choose to risk his own life, IAN invita-
tion of this sort; although L shall be al
ways prepared to repel, in suitable man