The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-07-30

before the faculty and students of Dart
mouth College. In Sept, 1854, he gave
an address at Danvers, at the dedication
OF the Peabody Institute. On July 4
1908, be delivered an Grafton before the
Young Mems Democratic Club of Boston.
All the above discourses have been print
ed. To this list of occasional perform
ances are to be added two addresses be-
tore the students of the Dane Law School
at Cambridge, and two before the Mercan.
tile Library Association of Boston. Some
of his political speeches, and one or two.
at least, of his forensic arguments, have
appeared in print. Mr.. Choate's style is
peculiar and characteristic, very effective
in his hands, but hardly to be commended
as model for imitation it is rich, vivid
and glowing, instinct with passion, and
colored with all the hues of fancy, but
sometimes, it must be admitted, little
extravagant and exaggerated. The most
remarkable quality, however, in his writ
ten compositions, is the structure of his
periods. These are not the short and
compact statements, involving but sin
gle proposition, in which mos: writers of
our times express their thoughts; bur
they recall and renew the continuous
sweep and long-resoundiDg march of the
prose writers of the sixteenth century.
They are often of breathless length, con-
tanning clause after clause, modifying, en-
largng, or limiting the leading idea full
of compact life. and flowing from a mind
of the most teemiDg luxuriance. Some
of these crowded and affiuent paragraphs
remind one of the performance of skill
full musician, who plays an air with one
hand and extemporizes variations with
the other. But Mr.. Choate's political
and literary labors are but ''trifles light as
air" when compared with the immense
amount of his professional tolls. The
jealousy for which the law is proverbial
never could have been awakened in his
case, for he has been from the first most
faithful to his austere mistress. BY the
common consent Of his legal brethren, he
now stands, and for many years has stood,
at the head of the bar in New England;
and as an advocate especially, perhaps no
man in the whole country enjoys so high
and wide reputation. As lawyer, Mr..
Choate has what may be called an exoter-
ic fame. In his forensic performances,
the general public are most attracted by
his glowing and impassioned arguments
to the jury-by the rich fancy and quaint
humor with which he contrives to deco
rate the dryest and seemingly the most
hopeless subject but-his brethren at the
bar would agree that the eloquence dis
played in his addresses is but one ingre-
dent in the sum of his gifts and accom-
plishments as an advocate. They would
say of him, as was said of Erskine by the
most discerning of his contemporaries, that
he was above all things else remarkable
for consummate judgment and unerring
tact in the management of causes. He is
at once earnest aud self. possessed every
faculty is aroused and intent ; there are
no moments of lang1or, WEAKNESS, or in
attention he never makes mistake him
self, or overlooks one in an opponent he
shows the most praclised skill in the eX-
animation and cross examination of wit
nesses; and by the magnetism Of his
manner engages the sympathies of the
Jury in cases where the law and the facts
forbid him TO win the assent of their I'M
Outstanding. Nor need it be said to any
member of the bar that no man can be
the great advocate that Mr. Choate is,
without being also good lawyer. In
deed, his powers are never to greater ad-
vantage than in the unprecedented dis
cussion Of the law points that accidental
ly arise in trial at nisi prias The neat
ness of his statement, the grace and aceu-
racy of his language, his ample command
of legal illustrations, and his persuasive
rhetoric, always command the admiration
of his hearers, and for the moment half
win assent even to propositions which, so
soon as the voice of the charmer is silent,
are perceived to be uutenable. Mr.
| Choate's devotion to his profession is
shown by the fact that the ardor with
which he engages in case is wholly ir-
respective of the amount involved in the
issue. The simple relation of counsel aud
client is enough to command all his pow
ers, all his attachments, and all his accom-
| plishments. In hearing before Com
missioner, Master in Chancery or a Ref
cree, with half dozen persons around
him, he is quite as likely to make an el
oquent and imprisoned harangue as in
an exciting jury trial, with court house
thronged with spectators, who have been
attracted by the hope of listening to him.
Nor should we, in summing up his pro-
fessional merits, fail to enumerate the
high. toned decorum and propriety of his
bearing toward the bench, aud his uniform
courtesy toward his brethren of the bar.