New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-06-01
Neh 0rItarts Bully Grestsnd.
DoUEL s1 81 E u sI7 !.
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE l, 1857.
THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES


Turning to the right as you enter the main aisle Of
the Senate Chamber, and at the end of the outside
tier Of Seats you encounter the Hon. Henry Wilson of
Massachusetts,.
Wilson is about fortyfve years of age, slightly bald
the top of his head, always well dressed, and weighs
perhaps one hundred and seventy five pounds. There
is nothing about him to attract particular attention.
except his quick, nervous, restless manner and a
countenance expressive Of guilt. He looks always
if he had just done something or was about to do
something, of which he was ashamed.
He commenced life az a shoemaker, but being an
accomplished demagogue, and having some natural
shrewdness he managed to seat in the Senate
of Massachusetts. When the American party irst
in his State, he connected himself with it,
but remained only long enough to be elevated to his
present position For the last two years politician
in the country has been vndictive or as bitter in
his denunciations of Amercansm, this same Henry
Wilson. Thus has he contemptuously spurned the
ladder by which he managed to climb to position
of honor and distinction.
He rarely makes speeches-but always, when he
does speak, harps upon the one string of freeso or
some collateral subject His speeches. as intellectual
efforts are far below moderate average His enun.
citation is slow, and apparently painful to him. Du-
ring the sessions OF the Senate he is principally en-
gagged in writing letters or sending off public docu-
ments. He affects not to pay any attention to the
proceedings going on around him but when any
thing occurs in which the interests of his party are
involved, ! have observed that he is always wide
awake. He aspires to the leadership of the freeso
forces in the senatebut Seward as well by prio ry
of claim as by superiority of intellect will always be
able to maintain successfully the position.
His manner, while speaking, and sometimes his Ian
guage ls offensive, and occasionally bordering on the
| insulting. Yet when any resentment is shown, he
apologies with so meek and contrite spirit that all
hostility is disarmed. He is the Uiah Heep of the
senate-pursuing his ends by steathy and secret
means-and always protesting his innocence when
detected He had the bold impudence to be some.
what insolent to Gov. Crttenden one day last sum.
mer but the old veteran set him down with SO sharp
and scathing reproo that be has been cautious ever
since how he arouses the brave and gallant old states
| man of Kentucky.
After the expiration Of his present term of service
Wilson will sink into obscurity Even Massachusetts,
by this time, must be disgusted with him.
Next to Wilson sits-or rather sat- before the cane
of the chvalrous Brooks drove him in disgrace from
the Senate-the notorious Charles Sumner Sumner
is tall, straight wiry man, with no super1uous flesh
about him, and about forty years of age. By dnt Of
hard study (without any natural genius) he has man
aged to pick up here and there, scraps Of history
mythology, poetry etc. which he occasionally strings
together in speech, and thereby passes for great
| scholar 1t takes him month to prepare a speech
and when prepared, he parades in it all that he ha
read since the last one. Two or three 4th of Jul,
orations, together with lecture or two before som
of the Boston Lyceums, impressed the people O
Massachusetts with the idea that he was great man
an impression which Sumner himself confirmed by a,
aftectation OF owllike wisdom and great parade O
his scanty scraps and shreds of literature Beint
bitterly antisavery his qualifications for representing
Massachusetts were thus complete and it is no caust
OF wonder that he has been reelected to the Senate
by large majority
His speech on the Kansas question: which he de
signed for the oratorical climax of his fame, ant
which gave rise to the merited chastisement which
Brooks inflicted upon him, was in course of prepara
ton for month or two before delivered. 1t was thu
result of what boys at college call "readng up" o.
stuttlng' He took two days to deliver it, and hi:
manner while speaking, the most lordly and con
sequential of any ever saw. He evidently consid
cred it would be speech that would transmit h
fame to all time. But, as literally as he pilaged upor
the domain of Edmund Burke, Demosthenes, Patricl
Henry and Others it was not great either as logca
argument or piece of defamation Judge Butler, il
his reply, merclessy exposed its literary plagiarisms
For the future, Sumner can expect no increase o
fameat least of that sort of fame that is desirable
If he keep civil tongue in his head, he loses thu
only capital on which he has to operate His pas
experience ought to be sufficient to warn him not t.
do otherwise. ESSEX.
COTTON-Tha info T. c,Ilo .lIx