The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-07-28

tNceuihgiy interesting passage;
Mr.. Choatc has been termed the Broueham
or America ON account OF his meta.
/ physics or philosophy, but for his real
/ eloqucnce-~even more inspired than that OF
the English lord. Ills manner In speaking
was animated in the extreme. Ills deep set
piercing black eyes would glow with an al.
most unearihly fire, and his long, unkcmpt,
wavy black hair would seem to stand out
like "qnlls on the irctlul porcupine," or as
II each particular hair had become charged
with the electric fluid, Sometimes he would
walk from one end OF u platform 10 the other,
along vacant space IN front OF jury. his
cadaverous. baggard, wrinklcd face aud tall
gaunt form giving him most impressive
| appearance. occasionally the violence Of
his gcsticulations would lead to serious appre
tensions tina, he would either take leap into
/ the middle oi the room, or perform some
other such acfobatic feat.
The power Of his cloqucnco was, as we
have stated, most remarkable. lie had, az
II were, beautiful gallery Of pictures on
the walls OF hrs imagination, and with an
astonishing command OF words, 1t was said
he always carried dictionary in his pocket
! reicntive memory. extended reading aud &c
centric manner. he commanded the wfapt at
! ten,ioD Of his hearers. however trivial the
| subject might be, pealug forth. IN clear
sonorons voice, volumes Of eloquence IN n
single sentence.
Ia this latter popularity he was quite re-.
mnfkable. some ii bis sentences were
small oratlons in them.clyes. Tie has acln
ally been known 10 speak ou an ordinary
occasion a single sentence the report OF
which occupied bali column II Boston
newspaper. Vet, smile aud metaphor, aud
Illustration and argumeu, were thrown IN
with hardly moment 10 eaten breath the
whole, when finished, formed Gear, explicit,
lucid, grammatical, classical structure. which
the incest critic might vaiuy assail
Tn one occasion, before the Massachusetts,
Senate, where he was employed o. behalf OF
! railroad company TO argue N favor Of
one Of two routes TO be adopted only two
miles apart, he held the Senate aud crowd
OF eager listeners enchalDod by the fire OF
his eloqucncc even on that dry subject
for two hours. The impression leit upon
those who heard that wonderful Effort, had
little 10 do with the merits OF the railroad
question but was decidedly To the effect that
Mr.. Choaie had made an excellent
speech. Perhaps this latter effect was the
result OF his best efforts.
On another occasion, IN u celebrated bank
case. after Cboatc Ind made lengthy az.
guncDt. one Of the jurors was asked by
gentleman what be thought Of their alvo.
ca,cl The reply was tina, lie was u great
man oh, yea, II good speaker, Of wonderful
power, but be could not remember much Of
what he said, because he was afraid The
learned counsel was going TO throw himself
into the jury box"
Another gentleman remarked of him
" lie il The very Niagara Of oloquency, with
the silver spray, the eilalgeDt glow and the
roaring waters, gurglDg aud loamiDg
through II narrow channel Of rocks." Ilis
speeches abound In classic illusions, now
rambling through Ilcrod. Homer, Virgil.
Notaire, Shakespeare and Milton. Ills sar.
castle ability was notorious, aud woc 10 the
unfortunate counsel on the opposite side who
undertook 10 get laugh on bin. His i'm.
petuDsity was terrible, and often carried
him through di0cultics, aud past even
bluudrr. that would have swampd any
other man Ills impulsiycnrsa was intense.
A AN advocate he was undoubtedly succtss.
iul and powerful. though We have had num.
beers of sounder lawyers His eIGquencc
would hardly allow tbs nearer time Tor cool
rciIectlDn.
One 0i Mr.. Choate's ccceu,ricities was
hia hyerogIyphic handwriting, which lew
but himself, and oitcntimes not even be-
could dccypber On HE occasion Of the De.
livery 81 his famous enlDgy on Daniel Web
s,er, 10 July. 1853. before the faculty, stu.
dents and alumni Df Dartmouth College. a
reporter for the H,aM was despatched TO
procure for ~ the Grafton GpOD arriving
on the ground be was informed tim, Sir.
Choa,e would " Iibgly furnish his manu-
script, and therefore did not trouble himself
10 take notes Of the addres. Upon recciy.
ing the manuscript be- was at fire, OF the
opinion tha, the orator had accidentally
given him Greek, Hebrew or Egyptian
manuscript. But being assured that such
was not the cas-, and after repeated at.
temp's falling TO End any one who could Dc.
cipher the document, a dernoT resort was
made 10 the orator Of the day. lie, how.
ever, I'll, little confidence 10 bis own ability.
aod suggested the proprpty Of sending for a
iofmcr smsnuebsis Of bis, residing about
6ity mics a-siant, which was actually done,
and tina, beautiful production was presented |
10 poatrrI,y. The opening sentence u J,
IL 10 characteristic Of Mr. Choste tina, we
cannot AVOID inserting II here II would
b. strange neglect u IA beautiful and ap.
proved custom oi the schools Of learning.
and one 81 the most pious aud appropriate
u The onioss ol literature, II the college IN
shich the intellectual life Of Daniel Web.