The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-01-29
Life in Washington.
WAsuINGroN. Ian. 1r

ries of the Senate Chamber-or. at least
our own enthusiastic appreciation of them.
In approaching this delicate ground, we
feel considerable difiidence. To do unbias
sed justice 10 the character Of the living is
among the most difficult Of tasks. Even of
the dead we can rarely speak without un.
due praise or undeserved blame. The claims
of friendship, the shadings of enmity. and
the bias Of personal feeling, too often per
vert the pen of the biographer when he
speaks of the dead How much more east
ly are we betrayed into error when we at
tempt to deneate the character of those
who yet live to be wounded by unmerted
censure, or mortified by unjudcous COM
mendation.
Such considerations may well make us
feel some delicacy in sketching those who
fill conspicuous places in this great delibe.
rative body.
We commence with one who is univer.
sally conceded TO the most unique and orr
ginal intellect in the Senate. Though this
gentleman Judge Butler) is favorite sub.
jec,, we find the task Of accurate delneaton
to be far less easy than we anticipated.
Like the poor artist that had to deal with
the philosopher of Ferney, with all our ef.
forts we cannot keep him steady to any
single posture or expression. Like all men
Of impetuous impulse, he is restless. One
moment we see him pacing to and fro the
space between the chimneys behind the
Speakers chair, grayely musing on some
matter of moment-we look again, and lol
he is environed by Il living paliside Of bro
Cor IL
opinion that may fail from him coloquial
way-one moment giving the grasp of his
warm right hand to some younger Senator
the next directing the storm of popular
debate with strength of lungs and redun-
dancy Of animation as If he had just start.
ed fresh for the labors Of the day.
The effect Of this gentleman's powers are
greatly aided by his countenance, which is
one of the most striking we ever saw; and
yet the popularity lies so much in the ex-
preston that we find it not easy 10 describe
it. Nature has certainly given the world
assurance of man in the form, complexion,
and mild meteoric locks of this remarkable
person. a strong and searching intellect
looks out on you from beneath that stream.
ing mass Of silvery hair. The face is ine!e,
giant, but there is n soul in the hooks and
corners of its rugged surface. Every thing
about him-his appearance, his style, his
daring of tone and spirit remind us of pri.
mitive ages when the human heart and the
human soul were larger than in our degen
rate DAYS
More entirely, perhaps, than any man in
public life has lie given the South assurance
full, and heaped, and running over of what
he means, and what was meant by his ex
is,ence. South Carolina has reason to be
proud of her venerable son, and prouder
because in distance and absence lie never
allows his heart to travel away from bis ma
tive State. This is substantiated by his in.
borS, his speeches, the impress of his whole
life. lie stamps his image and superscrp
tion on all that is sound and solid in the
policy of the South. Every part of his pub.
lie life shows him 10 be a Statesman endow.
ed in an eminent degree with all the quail
ties which enable him to discharge the most
responsible duties.
lie has shown also, that it is possible for
the same person to be most dexterous and
subtle disputant upon n point Of law, rs
well rs Statesman like reasouer upon com
prehensive questions. We have enjoyed
the privilege Of hearing him in the Supreme
Court on Important cases. There he seems
to US to hold the same pre- eminence that
he does in the Senate, TO be most admira.
bly, qualified for this department His
powers OF reasoning are wonderful. Give
hinI the most complicated and doubtful case
to support-wth an array of apparently
hostile decisions to oppose him at every
step. lie rises and commences by some
general undspued principle OF law that
seems perhaps at the first view, not to bear
the remotest relation to the matter in con
troversy; but to this he appends another.
and another, until 10y regular series of
connected propositions, he brings it down
TO the very point before the court, and in
sists, nay demonstrates, that the court can
no: decide against him without violating
one OF its own most vcncratcl maxims
Nothing can bc more mastery than the
manner in which all this is cone There is
no ostentation Of ingenuity and research.
Everything is clear, simple, and familiar; it
is only when we are brought to tho ul,i-
mate result that we start AT discovering that
by imperceptible approaches lie has gained
vantage point from which he can descend,
upon his adversaries, and compel them to
abandon position that was deemed i'm
pregnable.
The moment a question is submitted to
him, his mind seems tointuitively apply all
the great principles that are favorable or
hostile. For the rest he seems to depend
upon his extemporaneous power Of going
through the most intricate processes OF
thought with all the ease and familiarity OF
ordinary discourse.
After reviewing the career OF this distin-
guished man, an impartial observer will be
disposed to say, that rs profound and ori-
ginal mind he stands in the Senate alone.
Venerable for his years, venerable for his
abilities, venerable throughout the South
for his 6delity 10 her interests, high in hon
ors, and possessing in these tumultuous
times an equanimity and dignity of mind
that rapIers bi,, ;nG,,,;yai,