Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-03-26
Psr.nnnI nn.nrlr,Ion nf Edunra mana.

Personal Description Of Edward Bates.
As Edward Bates is now prominently be-
fore the people, as a candidate for the Presi-
dency, the following personal appearance of
the gentleman will not be uninteresting:
| Mr.. Bates is about sixty-four years of age
is about five feet seven inches in hight and Is
rather stoutly built, and stoops q good deal,
and particularly so when addressing a court
or jury, but when particularly interested or
excited in the trial Of suit, or in addressing
popular assembly, often becomes as straight
as reed. His hair fifteen years ago was a
pure jet black, and was so stiff and unman-
cropped quite close to the head. Within the
past ten years he has grown very gray. His
forehead is square and not high, but has large
breadth. His eyes are black and small, aud
deeply set, with shaggy brows. His nose Is
broad and nostrils wide, and perhaps be-
lever in Lavater would say that his nose was
his best feature. His mouth is well-formed
and lips rather thin for beauty. His chin is
prominent, and check bones hardly observ-
able, although his face is not full.
The tones Of his voice are very mild and
pleasant, and though he is quite subject to
excitement in the management Of q suit, vet
he rarely ever raises his voice above loud
conversational tone. He gestures very little,
though with exceeding grace, and moves but
little in speaking, and always holds paper,
or book or pen in his hand when addressing
a jury. His language is admirable, and he
has a peculiar facility in the selection of the
pery words he wishes. Being well read in
the classics (both prose and poetryl he brings
to his familiar command their best stores;
and in the selection of his historical illusions
and illustrations he exceeds, | think, any
public man in the West. He has rare facility
in telling an anecdote, and the audience can
ut once see its point and applicability. His
long residence in the West--having gone
there when young-has rendered him famil-
lar with the growth Of this country, and he
is always full of its early incidents, and well
stored with anecdotes Of all its public men
and localities. Mr.. Bates has more power
upon facts before a jury than he has upon the
law before the court. He is too full OF pleas
ant remark and playfulness and has rather
too much of rhetorical style for close, dry
law argument; and yet he is upon the whole
a fine lawyer, and as a jury lawyer upon a
criminal case he has but few superiors in the
country, it, indeed, any. His extreme re-
serve and indisposition to applause has kept
him heretofore in the shade in this respect.
In his dress he is exceedingly plain, and |
think have never known him to wear any
ornament whatever-not even watch-chain
or ring or pin. He has always seemed to
have sort of good-natured contempt of
what are called fashions, though he always
dresses with neatness, and almost always in
black from head 10 foot. He always carries
a bag to court, containing his books and pa
pers, and il is always of one color--a dingy
brotcn. The other lawyers in St. Louis use
the green bag of the English barrister.
Personally, Mr.. Bates is very. popular in
st. Louis, among all classes and denomina-
tions. He is a member of'the Old School
Presbyterian Church, and has always been
regular attendant upon the church services