Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-03-21
A HAPPY PICTURE OF TOM coRw1N.

The New York Herald's Washington letter.
writer. in a communication dated the ODD.
gives the following brilliant sketch of Tom
Corwin.
1t IS sTom Corwin,' and not call of the
House, that has drawn away the members of
that body in the lump from the speech of Mr..
Douglas. The Little Giant in the recitation
OF his Illinois campaign against the Black Re-
publicans. was an old story; but the report
that Corwin was in the House and right am org
the fre-eaters, in a general and sweeping re-
ply to Barksdale, of Mississippi, was an at
traction which could not be resisted. So long
ago as 1S40, Tom Corwin, the sWagon Boy
had won the title OF the greatest and most
fascinating stump speaker swest of the noun
tains.' Since that day he has been member
of the United States Senate, Secretary of the
Treasury, and Governor of Ohio, and now re-
turns to the House of Representatives, of
which he was member with Henry A. Wise,
and Fillmore, Toombs, and Stephens, when
they all belonged to the good old Whig party.
MIR. Corwin is some five feet eight inches
high, and looks to be not over so years of age.
He is solid and robust man, with a round,
full. jovial face, sparkling with fun and glow
ing with the reflections of generous and in
telligent mind. His complexion is as dark as
that of Daniel Webster and we believe that
Mr.. Corwin attributes il to the fact that he is
descended from the ancient oriental royal
Il
aisle on the Democratic side; he has gone a.
mong that party that they may hear him
the Republican side of the House is almost
completely vacated. There are half dozen
members in those benches. Their usual oc-
cupants are crowded around Corwin and fused
with the Democratic party and the South A
mericans, for the first time this season.
Mr.. Corwin has been upon the floor an hour.
He has proved his metal. He has made an
impression. In the wide range which he has
| taken in the examination of the slavery ques-
tion, and from the ineXhaustible historical
facts, incidents and anecdotes which he has
brought to bear upon the subject, he has Sc
cured the profound attention of his listeners.
His frequent sallies of wit and humor are re-
celved by spontaneous expulsions of laughter
even from the fire eaters, though his general
argument is directed to the point, that the
extension OF slavery was not the policy of the
government contemplated by the fathers of
the Republic.
The voice of Corwin is soft,' round. and
| flexible. His gesticulations are singularly ex-
pressive and graceful. He is dramatic spea-
ker. He is an orator, possessing in high
degree the three Demosthenian essentials of
an tor-action-action-act And he
also possesses that happy faculty of instantly
choosing for the use of the moment, from the
treasures of the library with which his mind
is stored, any point or factkln history, poll
tics, philosophy, law, literature and the living
events of the age. which may serve either to
strengthen or ornament the fabric which he is
passing through the loom. He thus gives
something of the charm of poetry to the pro-
sest constitutional distractions, and some-
thing of the weight of constitutional quota
tion to the traditions of romance. He speaks
rapidly, and with a remarkable simplicity of
language compasses the most rccondite prop
ositiOns. Within the space of few brief SEN
tences, his voice passes from the mountain
top to the valley, or expands from the lowest
conversational and confidential tone, inaudible
in the gallery, to climax which starts the
passenger outside the gallery. The complaint
of the gallery is that Corwn makes all his ten
strikes and spares in voice so low as to be
limited to the favored few just around him.
But as he is manifesty devOting his argument
to the members of the House, and not to the
galleries, the mountain party must be content
to catch what they can and the reporters
must open their ears or they will lose the fre-
quent point where the laugh comes in.
We see that Corwin exercises powerful
magnetic influence over his hearers, not ex-
cepting the fre-eaters. They indeed surround
him like body guard, and are listening as
good boys listen to kind, indulgent and COM
petant teacher of lesson which they are anx-
ious to understand. He has reduced the
House to good temper-no man among them
thinking of pistols or personal assaults while
listening to Corwin, He is softening down
the sirrepressible conflict while making the |
very best defence that has yet been made of
the ant-sayery doctrines of the Republican
party. AS Zack Taylor was Whig, though
not an ultra Whig, so Corwin is Republican
though not Helper Republican. The cross
examinations to which he is subjected by the |
Southern ultras, only serve to bring out his
good points. He will not be embarrassed by
sharp questions. They rather assist him in |
h1S in 0f in hur
good-natured responses. But the House ad-
journs to give him larger range tomorrow,
for they do not care how long he holds the |
floor. His speech is new feature in these |
debates. 1t is rich in excellent hits, amusing |
jokes and solid instruction. Douglas is a
powerful debater, a convincing debater, but
he lacks oriental imaginations, the wit, humor,
fancy. poetry, and copious resources of learn
ing and study possessed by Corwin. Douglas |
has studied the law, the Constitution, parties, |
politics, and the movements of parties, thor |
oughly. Corwin appears to have studied ev
erything except the Cincinnati platform. Nor |
does he make vain parade of the facilities at
his command. They come to his aid sponta- |
neously, and he does not hack them to pieces.
Moderation is the key of old age; modera- !
tion in laborfand enjoyment; moderation in
eating and drinking moderation in feeling |
and thinking. Few people die; the majority |
are self-murderers, committing suicide by de- |
grees. That is virtuous community in which |
there are many hale old men and women. |
That is an ignoble people among whom many
children die, and many youths are sick. For |
the health of people ,as Miss Martineau used
to maintain, is the test of its morality. She
never uttered q truer word.
John Kelly, of North Blackstone, Mass, |
now in his eighty fourth year, has tended the
same grist mill for seventy years, and still de-
lights IN his old occupation. Mr.. Kelly was
In q railroad car r steamboat and neY- |