Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-05-12
g. a PBENTISS.

and next lawyer at Nicksburg, his earliest
forensic display was an authentic announce
ment Of the success and fame which awaited
him. From that moment his rise was as rapid
as it was cleaning. The blaze Of his genius
WAS hardly visible on the horizons verge, be-
fore it flashed up gOrgeOusly tn the zenith
Competitors were at once eclipSed all who
heard and beheld were daZzled; the time was
cntranced.
j. +. II. Claiborne, in his Life and Times Of
General Samuel Dale, thus Sketches-giving
in his own language the Impressions Of Gen
eral Dale-the most distinguishing traits Of
Prentss as lawyer, an orator and a public
man. The occasion referred to in the begin
ming Of the sketch, was the session Of the Mis-
siSSippi Legislature in 1886:
Ii iite of,roSitton 9-ied bv Mr.. PFeRtiSi,
whom then saw for the first time. lie was
the TecumSeh Of the Legislature, and very
much like that great orator in the control Of
his voice, the play Of his cOuntenance, and
peculiar way he had Of hurting out his words
IA sort Of Kissing thunder. In speaking he
was always energetic, often violent, and at such
times the frown Of Kedgauntlet was stamped
on his brow, aud his expression not only sar-
donic, but satanic. lie could be pathetic and
persuasive, and then his voice became plain
tive as flute, his eye grew humid, his face sad,
stttA he -e+iite T., east himself q el4ilit.t
ones arms. When he was in good hunh0r his
manner became playful, his eyes sparkird, his
check dinplcd, and there was no resisting him.
The prevailing tone Of his voice was spirit
stirring, clarion note, only harsh and cultural
when dealing in denunciation. lie had read
much, particularly the Bible, Shakespeare, Mil
ton, Byron and Scott. lie had many traits Of
character in common with Byron, and many
points Of physical resemblance. There was
much that was sensual in his face, but in mo-
nlentS Of excitement it was thoroughly illumi.
mated and purely intellectual. lie had the
fancy and imagination Of poet, an eXtraOrli
nary memory, faculty for sarcasm aud wit
never surpassed, wit and humOr in incxhauS-
tibie stores, and n rare power for analysis and
investigation; add to this his indomitablc cour.
age and firmness Of purpose, and we have q
combination of mental and moral attributes
such as the world rarely sees. lie selected the
law for his profession, but in any other, de-
manding great ability and resolution he would
have become eminent. He had the genius that
would have made him great poet, n great
scholar, great general, or great mathcmaIi-
elan. At the bar he never had n SUPERIOR
lie had not much turn for public life, not much
ambition for office, aud made no great figure
in mere party discussion !; in fact, his political
information was not extensive, and in the con-
troversics Of the hustings Geo. Poindextcr,
Robert j. Walker, John ID. Frccmcn and 9TH
crs were his superiors. lie seldom read news
papers, and had no exaggerated respect for
the wisdom Of the sovereign people. In the
days Of Hamilton he would have been his de.
voted friend. lie respected Madison, but ab-
horred Jefferson. IIe was compelled, against
his will, to admire the heroic character of Jack
son, but he strongly expressed his contempt
for John Tyler. He admired and loved Mr..
Clay, his great soul, his big brain, and his lofty
patriotism; but Mr.. Webster, with his antique
head, his HOmcric imagination, and grand
ideas Of nationality, was the real interpreter Of
his political opinions. On all constitutional
questions Mr. PrentisS cOncurred with that
great juriSt. In their tastes, rs well as in their
humOr and cOnvivial propensities, there was
some resemblance between them. The exclu.
sion Of these illustriOus men for Gen. Taylor,
literally mere chieftain, without the com,
manding faculties Of Jackson, OF the scholar
ship and experience Of lIarriSOn-a veteran
warrior, but wholly ignorant Of public affairs
and the structure Of our deeply
disgustcd Mr.. Prentiss."
If Prcntiss had "Inany traits Of character
in common with Byron, and many points Of
physical resemblance" the influence of his ge-
MUS and example produced effects very anaio-
gous to those produced by the genius and ex-
ample of that English poet. PrcntisS was so
unfortunate as to have a shrunkcn leg, which
caused him to walk with difficulty, aided by
a stick. Wherefore certain class Of his adj
mircrs considered it fortunate il they could re-
semhle him, however remotely or uncouthly,
in that particular. Limping became almost
epidemic among them. Those who already
limped exaggerated their launeness. Those
who did not limp, lOnged for an occasion to do
so. So it was with regard to his peculArities
as speaker. Hardly young limb Of the law
was to be found that did not blossom forth into
fierce cXaggeratiORs Of all Prentiss' inimitable
PeculiaritieS, and into feeble efforts to repro.
duce his inimitablc excellenccS. Ills little
nanneriSms at the bar did not cscnpe their in
discriminate mania for imitation. A sort Of
Prentissophobia ragged with dreadful virucncc
and nearly ruined, morally, intellectually and
professionally, a whole generation Of young
lawyers; for, as always happens in such cases,
it was his faults and his vices that were most
easily and most generally copied.
Now, the fact is, there was much about
PrcntiSs that was anything but exemplary.
None but fools and SycophantS could conlound
the frrOcOuS bullyism in which he occasional.
ly INDUCED as an advocate, or as public
speaker, with the exubcrant expression of a
high, chivalrouS spirit Chivalric feelings and
refined aud elevated sentiments, PrentiSs no
doubt possessed in abundance; but that is no
reason that, when impclled by morbid eager
ness for immediate effect, to exhibit very diff.
fcrent qualities from those, his example should
not only be Stunned, but rcprObated. -
Nor does it always avail to study celebrated
orators, like Prcntiss, as models, even when
viewed aside from qualities that ought cSpcci-
ally to be stunned. Prentiss' apparently off.
hand brilliancy and d0sh as speaker, were
above all calculated to mislead indiscrect and
ambitious imitatOrs. We say apparently off.
hand, ETC., for in reality all his splendid dis.
plays were the results in some way Of prepa.
ration, Of reading, Of reflection. It's idle tC
think of great achievements, either with speech
or pen, without previous culture OF some sort
1t may not be according to school craft; it may
not be professional; it may not be artistic; i
may not be obvious even as a cause But as
Suredly culture Of some description must pre-
cede the production Of whatever is great, beau
tiful, and memorable. 1t was not calling or
Minerva only that built the ParthenOn; it was
not praying to Hercules alone that won thC
prize for the victor in the Nemean games. -
Labor is the complement Of effectual prayer
as it is the complement Of productive genius
lie who is too weak to help himself need no
pray or aspire; he is beyond hope. The Swisl
philosopher was right as regards the funda
| mental reOuisites Of intellectual and mora