Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-12-03


resolutions which was DONE and the House then
adjourned.
THE proceedings of Monday are unavoidably
crowded out. Nothing of any great public import
ance was done that day.l
Daniel Webster's Correspondence.
Little, Brown & Co., of Boston, are about to pub
fish Daniel Webster's Correspondence. A few of
the letters have been furnished to the Press in adj
vance of the book. These possess peculiar interest
for Virginians.
In 1924 Mr.. Webster visited Thomas jefferson at
his home in Virginia. He wrote at the same time
description of the exPrcsident, and kept notes of
his conversation of which we give the following
specimens
THOMAS JEFFERSON DESCRIBED BY DAN
TEL WEBSTER ~.
DECEMBER, 1924.
Mr.. Jefferson is now between eighty and eigh-
tytwo, above six feet high of an ample, long frame,
rather thin and spare. His head which is not pecu-
liar in its shape sset rather forward his shoulders;
and his neck being long, there is, when he is walk
ing or conversing habtual protrusion of it. 1t is
still well covered with hair, which, having been once
red and now turning gray is of an indstinct sandy
color.
His eyes are small, very light, and now neither
brilliant striking. His chin is rather long, but
not pointed His is small, regular in its out
line. and the nostril little elevated His mouth is
we'll formed, and still filed with teeth it is strong
ly compressed bearing an expression ofcontentment
and benevoence. His complexion formerly light
and reckled, bears the marks Of age, and cuta.
neous affection. His limbs are uncommonly long;
his hands and feet very large, and his wrists of
extraordinary size. His walk is not precise and
military, but easy and swinging. He stoops little,
not SO much from age as from natural formation
When sitting he appears short, partly from rather
lounging habit OF sitting, and partly from the dis
proportionatc length Of his limbs.
His dress, when in the house, is a gray surtout
coat, kcrseymere stuff waistcoat, with under
faced with some material of dngy red. His pam
falcons very long and loose, and of the same
color as his coat. His stockings woollcn either
white or gray; and his shoes of the kind that bear
his name Ills whole dress is very much neglected
but not siovcnly. He wears q common round hat
His dress, when on horse back, is gray straight
bodied coat, and spencer Of the same material,
both fastened with large pearl buttons When we
first him, he was riding and in addition to the
above articles of apparel, round his throat,
knit white woolcn tppet, in the place of a cravat,
and black velvet CATERS under his pantaOons. His
general appearance indicates an extraordinary de-
gree Of health, vvacy and spirit His sight is still
good, for he needs glasses only in the evening. His
hearing is generally good, but number Of voices in
animated conversation confuse it.
Mr.. jefferson rises in the morning he
can see the hands of his clock which is directly op
postc his bed and examines his thermometer i'm
mediately, as he keeps regular meteorological diary.
which is nine. From that time till dinner he is in
his Library, except that in fair weather he rides from
to fourteen miles. Dimes at four, returns to
the drawing room at six when coffee is brought in,
and passes the evening till nine in conversation
His habit of retiring at that hour is strong, that it
has become essential to his health and comfort. His
diet is simple, but he seems restrained only by his
TASTE His breakfast is tea and coffee bread always
fresh from the oven, of which he does not
afraid, with sometimes slight accompaniment Of
cold meat. He enjoys his dinner well, taking with
his meat large proportion Of vegetables. He has
strong preference for the wines of the Continent,
of which he has many sorts of excellent quality,
having been more than commonly successful in his
mode of importing and preserving them. Among
others We found the following, which very rare
in this country, and apparently not at all injured by
transportation L'Ednau, Muscat, Samian, and
Vrsuan, malt French style, in good taste and abun-
dance No wine is put on the table till the cloth is
removed.
In conversation, Mr.. jefferson is easy and NATURAL
and apparently not ambitious; it is not loud, as
challenging general attention, but usually addressed
to the person next hm. The topics, when not
lected to suit the character and feelings of the
ditor, are those subjects with which his mind seems
particularly occupied; and these, at present, may
he said to be science and letters, and especially the
University of Virginia, which is coming into exist
almost entirely from his excrtions and will
his continued care. When we were with him, lis
favorite subjects were Greek and Anglo Saxon, his
torical rccolcctons Of the times and events of the
Revolution and of his residence in France from 1884
TO 1889.
MIR. JEFFERSON'S ACCOUNT OF PATRICK
HENRY.
Patrick Henry originally barkeeper. He
married very young, and going into the same bust
ness, on his own account, was bankrupt before the
o,,f WLrrT a6o,ff nc Hftoo,,
left the school here to go to the College at Will
liamsburg. stopped few days at q friends in
the county Of Louisa There first saw and be-
cane acquainted with Patrick Henry. Having spent
the Christmas holidays there, proceeded to Will
liamsburg. Some question arose about my adms.
sion, as my preparatory studies had not been pur-
sued at the school connected with that institution.
This delayed my admission about a fortnight, at
which time Henry appeared in Williamsburg, and
applied for licence to practice law, having COM
mcnced the study of it at or subsequently to the
time of my meeting him in Louisa There were
four examiners, Wythe, Pendleton, Peyton Randolph
and John Randolph. Wythe and Pendletonlat once
rejected his application. The two Randophs, by
his importantly, were prevailed upon TO sign ITO
licence and having obtained their signature, he
applied again 10 Pcndleton and after much entreaty
and many promises of future study, succeeded in
obtaining his. He then turned out for practicing
lawyer. The first case which brought him into no.
tice a contested election, in which he appeared
as counsel before committee of the House of Bur-
gesses. His second was the Parsons cause, already
we'll known. These and similar efforts soon obtain
ed for him so much reputation, that he elected
a member of the Legislature. He was well suit
ed to the times any man ever was, and it is not
now easy to say what We should have done without
Patrick Henry. He was Ear before all in maintain.
ing the spirit of the Revolution. His influence was
most extensive with the members from the upper
counties, and his bodness and their votes overawed
and controlled the more cool or the timd ars-
tocratc gentlemen of the lower part ofthe State His